Intermediate level roles remain hardest to fill in Hong Kong SAR amid restructuring and selective hiring
A recent Hays survey reveals that skill shortages remain widespread in Hong Kong, with 83 percent of organisations experiencing skill shortages in the past 12 months.
Key findings at a glance
Mid‑level talent is hardest to secure, with 53 percent of organisations struggling to hire for intermediate roles
Demand for human and transferable skills continues to grow, with the most in‑demand capabilities being the ability to learn and upskill (38 percent)
Competition from other employers is the leading driver of skill shortages, cited by 38 percent of organisations
Only 35 percent of organisations currently offer training or support to help employees adapt to AI tools at work
Mid‑level roles hardest to secure
The Salary Guide found that hiring challenges are most acute at the middle and senior levels:
Intermediate‑level roles (53 percent)
Managers and directors (27 percent)
Entry/junior roles (25 percent)
This is occurring against a backdrop of subdued hiring sentiment, with Hong Kong recording the lowest expansion intentions, as just 33 percent of organisations expect headcount growth in 2026, lagging behind China (44 percent) and Japan (60 percent).
Human skills increasingly in demand
As organisations adapt to continued economic uncertainty and technological change, demand for human and transferable skills remains strong. The most sought‑after skills in Hong Kong were:
Ability to learn and upskill (38 percent)
Ability to adopt change (36 percent)
Communication and interpersonal skills (36 percent)
These findings underscore the growing importance of agility and learning capability as organisations look to future‑proof their workforce.
Competition and pay cited as primary drivers
At the same time, the emphasis on these in‑demand skills is intensifying competition for a relatively limited pool of experienced talent. When asked about the main causes of skill shortages, employers in Hong Kong pointed to external market pressures:
Competition from other employers (38 percent)
Pay levels (35 percent)
Lack of progression opportunities (26 percent)
With multiple organisations seeking professionals who possess similar technical expertise and human skills, competition has become especially pronounced for experienced candidates who can make an immediate impact.
AI adoption outpacing organisational support
While the use of AI is already widespread among professionals in Hong Kong, organisational support has yet to keep pace. The research found that:
71 percent of professionals already use AI technologies at work
Only 35 percent of organisations currently offer training or support to help employees adapt to these technologies
Despite this gap, professionals are proactive about staying relevant. An overwhelming 87 percent said they are willing to take part in upskilling programmes to better adopt AI in the workplace.
Adrian Lam, Regional Director of Hays Hong Kong SAR
“Hiring pressure in Hong Kong continues to be most pronounced at mid management levels, despite relatively low headcount expansion intentions. These roles often sit at a critical junction between execution and leadership, requiring professionals who can combine technical capability with strong communication and decision-making skills.”
“As a result, demand has remained concentrated around human and transferable capabilities such as learning agility, adaptability and interpersonal skills. With organisations increasingly operating with leaner structures, these attributes have only become more desirable as an effective response to economic uncertainty and technological change.”
“Meanwhile, AI has become an integral part of how many professionals approach their work, with those investing time to build practical AI capability gaining a clear advantage. As the technology evolves quickly, professionals who are proactive in developing these skills are better positioned to keep pace with changes in role expectations and workplace productivity in Hong Kong.”
About Hays
Hays plc (the "Group") is the world’s leading specialist in recruitment and workforce solutions. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional, and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK, Germany, and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 31 December 2025, the Group employed over 9,100 staff operating from 198 offices in 30 countries. For the year ended 31 December 2025:
the Group reported net fees of £453.3 million and operating profit of £20.1 million.
the Group placed around 21,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 53,000 people into temporary roles.
12% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 32% in Germany, 20% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 36% in Rest of World (RoW).
the temporary placement business represented 64% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 36% of net fees.
Technology is the Group’s largest division, with 26% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%), Construction & Property (12%), and Engineering (10%) are the next largest.
Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK, and the USA.
