Hiring confidence in Hong Kong is picking up for 2026 as the city’s IPO rebound filters into recruitment plans, though a widening gap between pay demands and budgets could slow job moves, recruiter Robert Walters said.
In its Global Salary Survey 2026 for Hong Kong, the firm said 34% of employers expect to increase hiring next year, while only 30% of professionals reported low confidence in job opportunities, down 16 points from a year earlier.
The improving mood follows a sharp recovery in the equity capital markets. Hong Kong’s IPO fundraising in the first half of 2025 rose about sevenfold year on year, reviving demand for deal-related roles across financial services and professional services, including banking, legal and compliance.
But salary expectations are running ahead of what companies are prepared to pay. The survey found 81% of professionals want at least a 10% pay rise to switch jobs, with the largest group targeting 16–20%, while 83% of employers plan to offer less than 6%.
Robert Walters said the mismatch is already stretching hiring timelines and keeping many candidates on the sidelines.
Employers also reported persistent skills shortages: 69% cited a lack of quality candidates as their top hiring challenge. Alongside that, 58% have introduced AI tools at work, nearly half with the aim of optimizing headcount, putting administration, accounting and finance, and some IT roles most exposed to automation, the survey said.
At the same time, demand for AI specialists remains strong, and Hong Kong’s stablecoin licensing regime introduced this year is spawning roles in blockchain engineering, risk management and compliance, Robert Walters added.
Business News Asia
