AGP Executive Report

AI & Jobs: World Bank research flags AI job risk as far higher in high-income economies (14.2% of jobs highly automatable) than in low- and middle-income countries (4.5%), raising pressure on upskilling and workforce planning. Layoffs & Restructuring: Visa is cutting about 2,600 jobs globally (~7% of staff), with reports of India layoffs hitting teams in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad as the firm shifts toward AI. Hiring & Pay Signals: ROK’s employed seniors hit a record high as desired retirement age rises to 73.6 years, with most saying they need extra living expenses. Workplace Costs: India’s group health insurance premiums are climbing as employees fall ill earlier and insurers pay from day one, squeezing employer budgets. Economy Watch (Services): India’s services PMI slid to 53.3 in July, the weakest in 53 months, with slower new orders but still-positive hiring. Geopolitics & Talent: China announced countermeasures on US moves, including drone export controls, while the FBI says it has expanded “working groups” with China and Russia to target cyber fraud and child exploitation. Regional HR Tech: GreatDay HR expands across Southeast Asia, adding Vietnam as SMEs push for HR digital transformation.

AI Governance & Jobs: US Senate Democrats say unclear AI rules are pushing companies to outsource to cheaper Chinese AI, raising economic-security worries as the White House meets AI firms on a voluntary cybersecurity testing framework. US Hiring & Pay Signals: US job openings fell in June, with healthcare vacancies dropping most in nearly a year, while hiring improved and layoffs stayed low. OpenAI Worker Rights: The US Justice Department secured a $3.2m settlement with OpenAI over alleged discrimination against US workers in favor of temporary visa holders, with claims tied to recruitment practices. Immigration Crackdown Hits Trucking: Trump revoked 28,000+ immigrant trucking licences and plans to replace them with US military veterans, potentially affecting thousands of Indian drivers. China Exit Controls: A Japanese-Chinese entrepreneur claims his family was barred from leaving China, triggering an exit ban and business disruption—fueling fears about nationality-based travel restrictions. Qantas Offshoring: Qantas is considering outsourcing up to 1,000 corporate roles to India amid AI overhaul plans, with staff transparency concerns. India Youth & Jobs Politics: India’s labour minister presented figures claiming far higher youth job creation under Modi than under the UPA, as Gen Z protests over exam leaks and job prospects keep pressure on politics. Construction Skills Demand: Construction job openings rose sharply in June, but analysts warn it reflects skilled-labour shortages more than a broad spending rebound. Tesla China Demand Mix: Tesla’s China sales growth is increasingly export-driven, with domestic demand still soft—important for hiring and supply-chain planning. Australia–Japan Quantum Access: Fujitsu, Monash and CSIRO signed an MoU to give Australian researchers direct access to Fujitsu’s superconducting quantum systems in Japan.

Japan Workplace Safety: Two Aeon Mall Kumamoto employees who had evacuated after a 7.1 quake were ordered back inside to move cash to a safe, and later died in an explosion; the operator Habita apologised and admitted the instruction was inappropriate. India Jobs & Skills: India’s youth discontent stays in focus after protests tied to exam leaks and Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, with critics pointing to weak education-to-jobs pathways and a rigid labour market. AI & Hiring Debate: A new report argues the “AI is killing jobs” narrative can’t be proven yet, noting TCS’s recent hiring rebound after earlier cuts and warning that earnings headlines are being used to fit competing stories. India Economy Watch: HSBC PMI shows India’s manufacturing growth slowing to near a five-year low, with softer demand and cautious hiring. Asia Markets: Asia hedge funds posted widespread July losses amid the tech selloff and AI-spending doubts, with major chip names hit hard. Cross-border Social Security: Sri Lankan workers temporarily employed in India can keep contributing to Sri Lanka’s EPF while being exempt from India EPF under a proposed social security agreement. Japan Immigration Rules: Japan proposes tougher permanent residency requirements, including income above the household average and pension-related benchmarks. Pacific Security & Jobs: RIMPAC wrapped after more than a month, with 30 nations training—while the US signals renewed Pacific engagement via a Solomon Islands port plan aimed at thousands of jobs. India Investment Policy: India’s Taxation and Other Laws bill proposes changes to attract global capital, including easing rules for foreign fund managers and extending manufacturing tax benefits for contract electronics suppliers.

Jobs & Skills Shift: Singapore’s hiring market keeps expanding, but entry-level roles are shrinking—Jobstreet says only 16% of AI job ads were for entry-level in Q2, with employers prioritising domain expertise that can work with emerging tech. Offshoring Watch: Qantas is considering outsourcing up to 1,000 roles to India via Accenture as it pushes AI and tech to modernise back-office functions, with a decision expected this year. Workplace Safety: Japan’s Aeon Mall Kumamoto tragedy deepens—two store employees were killed after being told to re-enter the quake-damaged building to secure cash, prompting renewed scrutiny of emergency workplace decisions. Border Trade & Jobs: China-India border trade resumes at Nathu La after years of suspension, with officials linking the reopening to stabilising growth and employment in border areas. Education-to-Work Pressure: India’s NEET-UG protests triggered a ministerial resignation and case withdrawals, underscoring how exam fairness and youth mobilisation are reshaping the path from education to jobs. Data Centres Boom: India’s data centre pipeline could create about 4.33 lakh jobs by 2030 and drive major housing demand, as capacity expansion pulls in power, fibre and construction work. Crypto Compliance: Bitget exits Japan, forcing users to close positions by year-end as new rules tighten crypto licensing and penalties.

AI & Hiring in India: Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu says IT firms are not creating enough new jobs as budgets shift to AI and data-centre costs, with server and memory prices rising; he also warns AI may reduce entry-level roles even if it boosts software output. Manufacturing Jobs Signal Softening: HSBC’s India manufacturing PMI fell to a five-year low in July (53.5), with job creation slowing for a third straight month as new orders growth weakens. Data Centres as Employment Engine: A Square Yards report estimates India’s data-centre pipeline (about 9,030 MW) could generate ~4.33 lakh ecosystem jobs and drive demand for ~195 million sq ft of housing by 2030. Japan Quake Aftermath & Work Safety: In Kumamoto’s quake disaster, two Aeon Mall workers were reportedly told to re-enter to move cash after evacuation; Habita apologised after the deaths. Japan Heat Stress at Work: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Kumamoto as thousands faced water shortages and crowded shelters without air-conditioning, raising heat-illness risks. ASEAN Labour Demand in Japan: Japan’s housekeeping sector is increasingly hiring Filipino workers, with demand growing since foreign staffing was expanded in special zones. US-China Trade Pressure: China’s commerce ministry and cotton industry group protested the US adding 43 firms to the forced-labour entity list, a move that could ripple into supply-chain hiring. Regional Mobility: Korea’s government-supported programs continue placing young Koreans into Japan jobs, though retention remains a challenge.

Japan Labor Demand: Filipino housekeeping services are booming in Japan after Tokyo expanded rules for foreign housekeepers in strategic zones, with one provider’s workforce roughly doubling over a decade. Japan Disaster & Health: A woman in her 70s died of apparent heat stroke while sheltering in a car after last week’s Kumamoto earthquake; officials warn evacuees about extreme heat, water shortages and fuel limits. India Jobs & Skills: Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu says India’s IT sector is not creating enough new jobs as companies shift budgets to AI and data centres. India Youth Unrest: A report on India’s “cockroach” youth protests points to deep frustration with exams, unemployment and broken job pathways. India Energy Work: India’s coal push is accelerating via commercial mining and private participation, supporting energy security and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Retail Tech in Japan: Seven & i Holdings is investing about $1.88B in “phygital” convenience retail with AI payments and loyalty partnerships. Trade & Supply Chains: China defends its industry-first economic model ahead of US/EU talks, while the China Cotton Association rejects US forced-labour claims. Bangladesh AI Tightrope: Bangladesh joins a China-led AI group as an observer while also engaging a US-led AI supply-chain coalition. Semiconductors: India’s Semicon 2.0 clears 12 manufacturing units, aiming to cut reliance on imported chip inputs and equipment.

AI & Jobs: China’s rapid AI rollout is already displacing workers, from Wuhan taxi drivers hit by robotaxis to wider fears of unemployment as more people shift into gig work. Tech Talent & Hiring: Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu says AI is threatening India’s IT job creation as companies move from hiring to automation and “advisory-first” global hiring models replace tech-only EOR speed. Semiconductors & Skills: China’s chip push (including Huawei’s “Tau’s Law” and Hualong One 2.0 nuclear approvals) underlines a long-run talent strategy, while India’s IT and semiconductor ambitions face pressure to create enough roles. Labour Rights in India: Courts back menstrual leave and pregnancy protections in public employment, while a case in Uttar Pradesh orders a pregnant candidate’s PET to be rescheduled. Migration & Work Visas: Indian professionals in China flagged declining work visas and spouse employment limits at an embassy Open House, alongside anti-India social media abuse. Trade & Employment Spillovers: India’s textile sector may gain as global sourcing shifts away from China; Bangladesh’s China-backed economic zone in Chattogram targets 100,000 jobs. Workplace Safety: Japan’s quake response highlights heat risks for evacuees, while Japan firms roll out cooling toilets and shorter hours for construction workers. Regional Disruption: WestJet cabin crew strike in Canada grounds flights, a reminder that pay structures and scheduling remain flashpoints for HR and staffing.

India-China Trade Revival: Border trade via Nathula and Shipki-La is back after years-long gaps, with the first batches of traders flagged off and a new trade mart in Shipki-La aimed at boosting local jobs, transport and border commerce. Gig Work Protections: India’s Labour Codes are set to extend social security to gig workers, with the government citing e-Shram registrations and legal status for gig workers. Cybersecurity & Skills: India’s cyber threat scale is rising fast, while employers are being pushed toward applied skills and AI-ready hiring models. Workforce & Workplace Health: A report highlights higher hospitalisation risk for employees skipping health check-ups, and India is expanding youth volunteer support in hospitals through Project SARATHI. Recruitment on the Ground: A Nagaland job fair shortlisted 36 candidates for the next recruitment stage. Seasonal Hiring Reform: New Zealand announced changes to its Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme to simplify recruitment and strengthen worker protections. Renewables Jobs Push: Brookfield’s Lumara platform targets bottlenecks in India’s renewable buildout, aiming to accelerate projects and create capacity. Regional Workplace Rankings: Philippine firms dominate Southeast Asia’s Best Workplaces in Technology 2026, led by Cisco.

Aviation Hiring: Emirates is running global roadshows for pilots, pitching its Dubai-based career path with direct-entry captain options, pay/benefits details, and relocation support. Disaster & Safety: Japan’s 7.1 quake response has ended at a devastated mall after 34 deaths; thousands still face heat, water shortages, and shelter life. Security & Labour Protections: Jammu & Kashmir’s LG Manoj Sinha ordered intensified anti-terror operations and tighter SOPs to protect outside workers, including insurance and police registration. AI Hiring & Skills: Uplers says its AI matching can deliver screened startup candidates in 48 hours, aiming to cut the sourcing bottleneck. Energy Jobs Pipeline: India’s Cabinet cleared PM-SSY for 5,000 MW floating solar with at least two hours storage per project—built to be dispatchable and investment-attracting. Heat Threat to Work: A World Bank report warns extreme heat is costing South Asia ~31M job-equivalents annually and could cut GDP by ~7% by 2050. Employment Formalisation: India’s PM-VBRY first-year update targets formal jobs via EPFO-linked incentives for first-time workers and employers. Food Compliance: India’s FSSAI suspended Switz Foods’ licence over serious hygiene and pest-control failures. Regional Growth: Sri Lanka secured a $200M ADB loan programme to modernise trade and boost private-sector growth and jobs.

Japan Disaster Response: Sniffer dogs helped search a quake-damaged Aeon mall in Kumamoto after a suspected gas blast, as Japan’s death toll rose to 35 and rescuers pulled out survivors. Japan Work-Life Balance: Japan hit a record 50.9% parental leave take-up for working men, with companies increasingly encouraging use of the system. Asia Workforce & Skills: Singapore’s workplace planning gaps remain stark, with long-term care preparedness low, while AI adoption is reshaping roles and prompting job fears. India Jobs & Mobility: Telangana’s Tomcom will handle overseas employment end-to-end, including training, job fairs, and passport facilitation, after reports of agent fraud targeting workers. India Education & Hiring Integrity: India’s NEET paper-leak protests forced a minister’s resignation, spotlighting weak exam governance and the impact on millions of students’ careers. US-China Tech & Jobs: A proposed $100,000 OPT fee for international graduates could reshape hiring pipelines, especially for STEM students. AI Video Race: ByteDance’s Seedance 2.5 and MiniMax’s H3 split the market between closed and locally run AI video tools, changing how teams build and hire for content work. Corporate Dealmaking: TPG and Permira are frontrunners in Cloudnine’s ~₹11,000 crore stake sale, a signal for healthcare investment and potential staffing shifts.

Workplace Law (Singapore): Singapore’s Workplace Fairness Act is set to take effect end-2027, giving employers time to audit hiring, promotion, training, dismissal and even job ads for protected traits like age, nationality, sex, pregnancy, disability and mental health. Talent & Hiring (India): A new India campus-hiring report finds only 9% of employers say fresh grads are job-ready on Day 1, while 68% of students think they are—highlighting a skills gap and the limits of academic-score hiring. AI Skills Pipeline (China): Hubei opened an embodied AI talent training base with practical programs and job-placement support, plus internships via partnerships with 20+ robotics firms. EV Jobs (Philippines): The Philippines launched an EV Incentive Strategy under EO 121 to attract domestic EV production with time-bound, performance-based support—aiming to build a manufacturing ecosystem and quality jobs. Corporate HR/Compliance (Japan): Mie prefecture’s survey on whether to keep hiring foreign nationals was ruled discriminatory by an advisory panel, raising pressure on local hiring rules. Industrial Policy (China): China moved to curb cross-border total return swaps for private funds, tightening a grey-area route for overseas exposure. Disaster & Safety (Japan): After a Kumamoto earthquake and suspected gas blast at an Aeon mall, sniffer dogs helped a final sweep as the death toll rose to 35.

Japan Business Succession: Kobe beef chain Kisshokichi highlights Japan’s succession squeeze as aging owners sell via M&A when no successor is ready. China Robotics & Jobs: A US FCC move to restrict advanced foreign robots clashes with UK hype about Chinese robots “transforming” retail, underscoring how policy can reshape hiring. India Youth & Education: India’s Public Examinations anti-cheating bill clears Rajya Sabha amid protests over recurring exam leaks and student crackdowns, keeping graduate-job anxiety in focus. AI & Work: Reports and bank strategy pieces point to AI-driven restructuring—Lloyds’ AI push in the UK raises retraining and job-loss fears. Auto Restructuring: BMW plans voluntary cuts of about 8,000 jobs in Germany by end-2027 as EV transition and China pressure bite; Jaguar Land Rover also signals UK job reductions. India Telecom Jobs: Madhya Pradesh signs MoU for India’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Gwalior, targeting major investment and thousands of jobs. Seafarers & West Asia: India’s government reiterates war-zone compensation for seafarers and updates evacuation support for nationals from Iran. Global Dealmaking: CPE to buy Swiss outdoor brand Mammut, aiming to accelerate growth in Asia and North America.

Japan Disaster Response: A 7.1 quake in Kumamoto left at least 30 dead as rescuers battled heat to reach survivors in and around the Aeon mall, where a suspected gas blast followed the tremor. Workplace Tech Adoption: In India, 89% of employees say AI improves day-to-day work, but only 32% believe it’s embedded in core systems—highlighting a gap between readiness and enterprise rollout. Extreme Heat & Jobs: A World Bank report warns extreme heat is already costing South Asia the equivalent of 31m full-time jobs annually and could cut the region’s economy by ~7% by 2050. Auto Sector Layoffs: BMW reported a sharp earnings hit tied to China weakness and plans to cut about 8,000 jobs in Germany via voluntary redundancy by end-2027. China-Backed Industrial Expansion: Bangladesh has started building China’s first national-level industrial park in the country, targeting up to 100,000 jobs across textiles, machinery, electronics, biomedicine and green energy. AI Capital Markets: Chinese AI firms are pushing IPOs despite losses, as regulators loosen listing pathways and investors chase valuations.

Japan Earthquake Aftermath: Rescuers raced through wreckage at Kumamoto’s Aeon mall after a 7.1 quake and a later explosion, with at least 13 deaths reported and more people feared trapped as aftershocks continued. AI & Work in India: Goldman Sachs says GenAI will mostly reshape tasks (not wipe out jobs), with only 8–12% of Indian non-farm jobs at high substitution risk while many roles get complemented. Auto Jobs in Germany: BMW plans voluntary redundancy for about 8,000 German desk roles by end-2027, citing EV pressure, Chinese competition and tariffs—production staff are largely spared. AI Hardware Export Controls: Taiwan prosecutors allege Nvidia advanced AI servers reached China via falsified paperwork and shell logistics, leading to detention of a senior manager. India Tech Hiring Signal: India’s IT sector added about 1.35 lakh jobs in FY26 and remains a net hirer, even as automation shifts entry-level work. Platform Work Rights: India abstained from ILO’s binding platform-economy convention, a move critics say leaves app workers without a global floor on pay, safety and algorithmic management. Cambodian Workers in Japan: Cambodia urged nationals in quake-hit Kyushu to stay alert and follow local guidance, coordinating with embassies and recruitment agencies. Public Sector AI Push: India approved 58 AI Centres of Excellence and 543 data/AI labs under IndiaAI, aiming to scale AI use cases across ministries.

Clean-Energy Skills: India-Australia Rooftop Solar Training Academy (Pandit Deendayal Energy University) has finished its first technician cohort, aiming to train 2,000 rooftop solar workers in two years with a focus on women and youth for PM Surya Ghar. Workplace Skills Shift: A study of nearly 5,000 job postings finds employers prioritise behavioural skills—communication, teamwork and positive attitude—over pure technical credentials. AI & Jobs (India): Goldman Sachs says generative AI could automate 8–12% of India’s non-agricultural jobs, but also lift productivity for much of the workforce. Restructuring (BMW): BMW plans voluntary redundancy for about 40,000 German desk-role employees to cut roughly 8,000 jobs by end-2027, sparing production line workers. Earthquake & Safety (Japan): A 7.1 quake in Kyushu killed at least 13 and left people trapped after a suspected gas explosion at Aeon Mall; rescue teams are racing against time. Digital Economy (ASEAN): ASEAN Business Advisory Council chair Jose Ma. Concepcion III urged a more inclusive, borderless digital economy so MSMEs and women entrepreneurs can scale. Labour Policy (Japan): Japan is tightening permanent residency income requirements for foreign applicants supporting five-plus relatives.

Japan Earthquake & Workplace Safety: A 7.1-magnitude quake hit Kumamoto, Kyushu, toppling buildings and triggering fires and an explosion at Aeon Mall Kumamoto; 20–30 employees were reported unaccounted for, with dozens injured and fears of fatalities, while separate reports said a smokestack collapse at a Nippon Paper plant left two in cardiac arrest and nine missing. Corporate & Jobs Impact: Panasonic will stop TV production in Malaysia, shutting a plant by March 2027 and cutting about 400 jobs, as supply chains keep shifting across Asia. Semiconductor Economy: TSMC and Tencent entered the Fortune Global 500 top 100 as AI demand boosts chip and platform revenues, reinforcing hiring pressure across the Asia tech stack. AI Policy & Work: U.S. debate over open Chinese AI models is intensifying, with industry leaders pushing back on potential bans that could reshape AI-related jobs and training pipelines. Labour Market Signal (Japan): Japan’s national minimum wage is set to rise 55 yen to 1,176 yen per hour for FY2026, a direct cost-and-pay benchmark for employers. Philippines Compliance Risk: Philippine authorities warned that substandard steel from a Chinese-owned plant may have been used in infrastructure after a raid found structurally substandard and radioactive materials. Criminal Economy & Youth Risk: UNODC flagged illegal online gambling in Southeast Asia as fast-growing and increasingly targeting young people, raising risks of debt, scams and mule work.