AGP Executive Report

AI and Work: The IMF warns AI could affect 40% of jobs worldwide, with young workers especially exposed. Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani takes a more upbeat view, saying adoption will create demand for new roles in governance and business transformation. Hiring and Pay: India’s job postings fell 5% year on year, while companies remain cautious about hiring; Zoho says it cannot offer usual pay rises this year amid AI and server costs. Skills and Mobility: China added 10.52 million urban jobs in the first nine months and is expanding employment measures as AI reshapes work. Its Luban Workshops have trained more than 190,000 people globally. Japan is preparing to resume foreign meal-service worker intake, while Thailand’s migrant-labour shortage is leaving jobs unfilled. Workplace Wellbeing: Indian lender Kissht has launched confidential access to psychologists and coaches for employees.

Foreign Worker Hiring: Japan plans to maintain recruitment in nursing care and food service by changing visa-program classifications, without raising its overall cap. Jobs Outlook: India’s job postings fell 5% year on year, but Bain says its market is proving resilient; the IMF warns AI could affect 40% of jobs globally, while potentially easing Asia’s ageing-workforce pressures. Skills & Protections: AM/NS India has formalised plans to upgrade five Gujarat training institutes, while China is drafting nationwide labor rules for gig workers. Talent Mobility: The US suspension of green-card processing for eight major tech employers, including Indian IT firms, could complicate workers’ residency pathways. Factory Jobs: China’s Longteng Garment plans a $17 million Bangladesh factory expected to employ 3,005 people.

AI and Work: IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva warned AI could affect 40% of jobs worldwide, while offering a way to offset Asia’s ageing-workforce pressures. China’s Labour Market: China added 10.52 million urban jobs in January–September and plans more services-sector hiring measures. Draft gig-worker rules would require platforms to offer employment contracts and stronger protections. Skills and Livelihoods: AM/NS India signed a ₹240 crore agreement to upgrade five Surat government ITIs, with a focus on practical training and employability. India’s direct-selling sector supports 9.1 million active sellers, 47% women. Hiring Outlook: Hays reported permanent-placement fees down 7% in its latest quarter. India’s job postings fell 5%, but the country fared better than the global slowdown. Trade and Jobs: A UK business mission to India announced deals worth more than £1 billion, expected to support jobs and investment.

Malaysia’s Workforce Budget: The 2027 Budget proposes raising the minimum wage to RM2,000 from June, expanding skills training and strengthening gig-worker protections. AI and Jobs: A study estimates nearly 197 million Indian workers hold jobs vulnerable to AI automation, while China says it will expand employment support and training as AI reshapes work. Hiring Push: India’s Assam state issued 439 appointment letters, while Indian Railways announced 3,548 vacancies. Singapore’s ST Engineering plans to offer more than 500 jobs at a new aircraft-maintenance facility. China’s Job Growth: China added 10.52 million urban jobs in the first nine months of 2026 and plans to boost services-sector hiring and develop new occupations.

China Jobs: China added 10.52 million urban jobs in the first nine months of 2026 and plans a services-sector hiring push as AI reshapes work. AI and Workers: A new Indian study estimates 197 million workers are in roles with routine tasks vulnerable to automation, while about 46 million could use AI to boost productivity. Hiring Plans: India’s Krystal Integrated Services plans to add more than 10,000 jobs across 25-plus cities by March 2027; Singapore’s ST Engineering expects to offer over 500 roles at a new aircraft maintenance facility. Tech Careers: US green-card processing curbs are prompting Indian IT firms to consider more local hiring and global capability centre expansion, though the scale of any shift is unclear. Layoffs: Amazon is cutting nearly 1,000 roles across several countries, including India, while Netflix is reportedly preparing to eliminate about 800 jobs.

India Hiring: Krystal Integrated Services plans to add more than 10,000 skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled jobs across 25-plus cities by March 2027, mainly in facilities management, sanitation and staffing. Singapore Aerospace: ST Engineering’s new Changi maintenance facility is expected to create more than 500 jobs, from aircraft engineers and mechanics to planners and logistics staff. China’s Jobs Push: China added 10.52 million urban jobs in the first nine months, reaching 87.7% of its annual target. Officials plan new measures to grow services-sector hiring and develop jobs in emerging industries as AI reshapes work. US Visa Curbs: India says skilled-worker mobility benefits both economies, while Infosys expects no material impact from the US suspension of some green-card labour certifications. The curbs may encourage more technology work and hiring in India, though the scale remains uncertain.

China Jobs: China created 10.52 million urban jobs in the first nine months of 2026, reaching nearly 88% of its annual target. Officials also plan employment measures for AI-driven change, with support for young people, migrant workers and flexible workers. Draft rules would give millions of gig workers employment contracts. India’s Tech Workforce: US restrictions on green-card processing for major IT firms may push more research, engineering and product work to India-based capability centres, while adding pressure to companies reliant on sending staff onsite. The shift could create opportunities, but its scale remains uncertain. Skills and Overseas Work: Sri Lanka held a Jaffna job fair offering routes to work in Japan, Israel and South Korea, alongside vocational training and guidance on applying safely. In India, Tripura is expanding industry-linked courses in EV servicing, manufacturing, driving and hospitality, with placement support.

US Immigration: India condemned Washington’s suspension of green-card labour certifications for eight tech firms and JD Vance’s “indentured servants” remark. The move does not automatically affect existing H-1B visas, but could disrupt workers’ path to permanent residency and shift more tech work to India. Gig Work: China is drafting rules that would give millions of platform workers employment contracts, extending labour protections to delivery riders and other flexible workers. Hiring and Cuts: TCS added about 4,300 employees in its latest quarter and plans to hire 10,000 freshers, while Amazon’s global cuts affected 106 staff in India. Skills and Jobs: India’s AI talent demand is outpacing supply, even as employers increasingly seek AI skills. Singapore’s ST Engineering says its new aircraft maintenance facility will create more than 500 jobs. Japan’s Labour Gap: Japan is looking to Pacific workers to help address persistent labour shortages.

US Green-Card Curbs: Washington has suspended PERM applications at eight major technology companies, including Infosys, TCS, Wipro and HCL, disrupting eligible employees’ path to permanent residency. India says existing H-1B visas remain valid and calls the move harmful to shared interests. Amazon Layoffs: The company is cutting fewer than 1,000 retail roles worldwide, including about 100 in India, as it reshapes its Stores business. Gig-Worker Protections: China is proposing its first dedicated labour rules for platform workers, including employment contracts and safeguards for delivery riders. Hiring and Jobs: TCS added nearly 4,300 employees in the latest quarter and brought on 10,000 fresh graduates; ST Engineering says its new Singapore aircraft-maintenance facility will create more than 500 jobs. India’s festive hiring is up 7%, though white-collar recruitment is cooling.

Gig-Worker Rights: China has proposed labor protections for platform workers, including delivery riders and ride-hailing drivers. The draft could bring more than 200 million flexible workers into the labor-protection system and is open for public comment through Nov. 8. Hiring and Layoffs: TCS added 4,258 employees in its latest quarter, taking its workforce to nearly 598,000, and said 10,000 fresh graduates joined. Amazon, by contrast, cut fewer than 1,000 corporate roles, with staff in India, the US and UK affected. AI and Jobs: Chinese employers are trimming middle-management layers as AI takes on routine coordination, while hiring for AI roles is growing. A World Bank official estimates just 4% of Indian jobs are at risk of AI disruption. China has also added new AI and drone-related occupations to its official professions list. Women at Work: Bacardi says women now hold 45% of its manager-level and senior leadership positions.

Layoffs: Amazon is cutting fewer than 1,000 white-collar jobs, mainly in its retail business, with workers in India, the US and UK affected. The cuts follow roughly 30,000 job losses since last year; Amazon says the latest changes are part of a restructuring. AI and Work: A World Bank Group estimate puts just over 4% of Indian jobs at risk of AI disruption, while suggesting the technology could support workers and raise productivity. Hiring: TCS added 4,258 employees in the September quarter, bringing its workforce to nearly 598,100. Workplace Wellbeing: A study of India’s startup sector found 54.3% of employees scored below its wellbeing threshold; many also said they did not feel safe speaking up about struggles at work. Gender at Work: Women’s share of board seats at Indian companies rose over four years, but their workforce share barely changed, while median pay fell to 88 paise for every rupee earned by men.

Layoffs: Amazon cut fewer than 1,000 roles across several teams, including in India, as it continues a corporate cost overhaul while ramping up AI spending. Porsche plans to eliminate about 9,000 jobs by 2030—roughly a quarter of its workforce—as falling China sales drive a major reset. India’s Hiring Outlook: Factory demand, output and hiring improved in the second quarter, according to a FICCI survey. HCL Group’s planned Lucknow IT City expansion is expected to create 6,000 jobs, while a new forecast says India’s green economy could support 13 million jobs by 2035. Talent and Mobility: Japan’s labor shortage is creating openings for skilled workers from Pacific nations. In Hawaii, a utility talent-acquisition manager was recognized for efforts to recruit and retain local workers.

India Hiring: Manufacturers reported stronger hiring intentions in the second quarter of FY27, as production and orders improved. But festive hiring is rising even as the white-collar market cools, and fresh graduates may not share equally in tech job growth. AI Careers: AI is creating new paths for women in India beyond software engineering, including data annotation and roles in HR, finance and healthcare. CoreWeave’s India expansion with AdaniConneX also brings plans for local hiring. Green Jobs: India’s green economy could support 1.3 crore jobs by 2035, according to iFOREST. Pacific Mobility: Japan’s labour shortage is opening opportunities for skilled workers from Pacific nations, while South Asia’s large youth population could help meet regional demand for workers.

AI & Workforce Planning: World Bank says India is among top emerging markets for AI readiness, with private AI investment tripling to $4.1B in 2025 and GCC employment rising to 2.36M—while warning long-term job impacts remain uncertain. HR & Learning: Learning & Development Asia 2026 (Malaysia) urged HR to move beyond one-off training and generic AI rollouts, focusing on redesigning work, continuous capability building, and human accountability. Semiconductor Talent Mobility: South Korea lawmakers flagged 27 veteran engineers leaving Samsung/SK hynix for China’s CXMT, with most already gone—raising concerns for retention and skills pipelines. Japan Careers & Skills: Japan’s Public Security Intelligence Agency drew 200+ applicants for ~15 intelligence job spots, as the Takaichi government pushes intelligence reforms. Pacific Labor & Pay Equity: Samoa’s former equal pay commissioner says Pacific care and support workers have waited long enough, criticizing how governments value women’s work. Immigration Pathways: Japan signals more overseas hiring for agriculture, nursing care and construction, but notes political sensitivity around job competition. Corporate Restructuring: AkzoNobel to sell South East Asia decorative paints business to Nippon Paint for $1.35B, reshaping regional roles. Tourism Jobs: Philippines tourism supports 14.2% of employment but lags on international visitor spending, which fell in 2025. China-Linked Compliance & Work: Philippines AMLC testimony in the CALE88 case said records don’t show funds came from the Chinese government, while a separate report in Macau/PSP covered arrests over unlawful employment of mainland students.

Cybersecurity & Hiring Security: The FBI removed an Accenture contractor after a missed patch on an Oracle PeopleSoft HR system exposed sensitive data on FBIJobs.gov, underscoring how vendor-managed HR platforms can become high-risk entry points. Banking Breach: South Korean police are investigating Artex AI–linked attacks that breached at least seven banks and exposed data for 68,000 people, showing AI tools are being repurposed for financial theft. AI & Jobs Outlook (India): The World Bank says India should prioritize broad AI adoption and adaptation (not just frontier model spending), while warning AI’s long-term labour impact is still uncertain; it also projects India growth at 7.1% for FY27. Industrial Policy & Skills: India’s aero-engine push got a boost with Rajnath Singh backing HAL’s new Shakti engine line in Odisha, aiming to expand indigenous engine capacity and MRO capability. Labour & Offshoring: Oxford University Press finance staff in the UK plan to strike over a plan to move 30 finance roles to India, with union claims of threats and rushed agreements. Regional Mobility & Recruitment Rules: Israel will halt private recruitment of construction workers from India and Sri Lanka from Jan 1, 2027, reshaping cross-border hiring pipelines. Workforce Demand Signals: India’s services sector PMI hit a three-month high in September, and flexi staffing added more formal jobs in Q1 FY27, with IT and GCC expansion driving hiring.

Southeast Asia Hiring Reality Check: A new report says ASEAN economies are growing, but young graduates are being left behind, with youth unemployment and “credential inflation” out of step with rising education levels. Singapore Corporate Jobs: Pandora opened its Asia regional headquarters in Singapore’s Marina Bay, bringing about 50 staff to oversee the brand’s Asia cluster across stores and distributor markets. India–Switzerland Mobility: Modi and Swiss President Guy Parmelin signed mobility pacts for longer-duration visas and a young-professionals exchange (300 per country, potentially 500), alongside defence and nuclear-energy cooperation. Japan Labour Signals: Japan’s services sector hiring picked up in September, but growth cooled, while Japan’s jobless rate rose to 2.5% and immigration rules tighten for foreign trainees. Energy Security & Work: The IEA warns Southeast Asia’s electricity security is worsening as demand rises 5.4% annually to 2030, driven by data centres and industry—raising pressure on power systems and costs. Tech Funding Reset: DealStreetAsia says Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem is moving from unicorn hype to more durable, operations-led businesses, reshaping how founders and investors hire and scale. Workplace Expectations: A Singapore fresh-grads thread shows wide variance in first-job outcomes, from year-long searches to six-figure offers and layoffs. China–Philippines Political Risk: Philippines lawmakers cite alleged China-linked funds in a Duterte-linked case, with the Chinese embassy denying wrongdoing—an issue that could affect business confidence and cross-border hiring.