Graduate job openings in Hong Kong plunge 55% as AI reshapes hiring

HONG KONG: The city’s fresh graduates have been struggling to find employment. Over the past few years, graduate-level vacancies have seen a sharp decline. One significant reason is that artificial Intelligence (AI) has replaced entry-level roles, especially in administration, coding, customer service, and clerical functions. 

However, aside from AI, the newest cohort of Hong Kong’s workers is also having a hard time finding work due to less favourable economic conditions as well as greater competition from talent from China, according to reporting from the South China Morning Post.

Graduates have been carrying out extensive efforts to get a job, sending out hundreds of applications and receiving answers from only a small number of prospective employers. 

One report, citing data from the Joint Institution Job Information System, says that the number of available jobs declined by 55%.

In 2024, there were 68,728 available jobs, while in 2025, the figure plunged to 30,798, the lowest in half a decade. In comparison, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, there were still 63,543 available jobs.

The report added that yearly salary growth has also been in decline. Last year, the average salary for graduate jobs was HK$20,961 (S$3,445.24). It only went up by HK$112 (S$18.40) from the year before, and the 0.5 increase was the smallest over the past several years.

The city’s Labour Secretary Chris Sun Yuk-han noted last month that some of the sharpest declines have been in administration, which saw a 90% drop in the three years, and IT and programming, which declined by 80% over the same time period. 

“We all know the impact of AI is sweeping and global. We are all exploring how to help young people find jobs in a world changed by AI,” he told the Legislative Council.

Youth unemployment (individuals aged 20 to 29) in Hong Kong is higher than the average across the city, as multinational firms have relocated to cities that are less expensive, including Shanghai and Singapore. 

Nevertheless, SCMP noted some bright spots on the employment horizon, with growth in sectors such as wealth management, finance, sports, and entertainment. It added that advisers have suggested that graduates pursue internships, freelance work, or multiple income streams to gain experience while searching for permanent employment. /TISG

Read also: Singapore job market sees 3.7% decline in postings: AI jobs grow but lower skilled jobs shrink