Employers Across APME Hold Steady with a Net Employment Outlook of +28%
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The Net Employment Outlook for Q4 2025 in Asia Pacific and the Middle East stands at +28%.
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Employers in UAE (+45%), India (+40%), and China (+34%) report the strongest Outlooks in the region. The UAE continues to rank first globally, exceeding the global average by 22 percentage points.
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Leading hiring intentions are reported in Information Technology and Financials & Real Estate (both at +38%), followed by Transport, Logistics, and Automotive (+32%).
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42% of employers in the region plan to hire in Q4, with 41% citing company expansion as the top reason for staffing increases, followed by new ventures requiring additional roles (34%).
VIETNAM (18 SEPTEMBER 2025) – The latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey shows a steady labor market in Asia Pacific and the Middle East (APME), with a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of +28% for Q4 2025—remaining unchanged from Q3 2025 and up five points compared to Q4 2024. Employers in United Arab Emirates (UAE) continue to lead at +45%.
The Survey, which gathered data from over 12,437 employers across 10 APME countries and territories, found that employers are evenly split, with 42% planning to expand their workforce and another 42% aiming to maintain current staffing levels. Meanwhile, 13% anticipate a reduction in headcount.
“Across Asia Pacific and the Middle East, employers are navigating a complex landscape with a steady hand, focusing on long-term workforce resilience. While expansion and diversification continue to drive hiring across the region, there is a noticeable shift toward more strategic talent planning,” said François Lançon, Regional President, Asia Pacific & Middle East, ManpowerGroup. “Employers are rethinking how work gets done, aligning talent strategies with business continuity and adaptability. This reflects a broader shift toward workforce agility, where stability and flexibility go hand in hand.”
A key highlight of the Q4 2025 Employment Outlook Survey is its deeper focus on workforce structure strategies across organizations, along with current efforts to attract and retain top talent in the region.
Notably, nearly half of employers in APME identify attracting qualified candidates as their most pressing talent acquisition challenge. While Vietnam was not part of the survey, experts at Manpower Vietnam have identified similar challenges within the local market.
“Many of our clients are facing difficulties in sourcing candidates with both technical expertise and strong working proficiency in foreign languages —whether in English, Chinese, or Japanese,” shared Ms. Thuy Nguyen, Manager of Mass Permanent Recruitment, Manpower Vietnam. “For businesses aiming to scale through new plants or large-scale projects, the urgency to secure skilled talent becomes even more pronounced.”
The talent shortage is compounded by increasingly fierce competition for skilled candidates within the industry. At the same time, many organizations continue to operate without robust systems to track and analyze recruitment performance - resulting in fragmented processes, suboptimal allocation of time and resources, and a diminished candidate experience that can hinder long-term.
To navigate these challenges, experts at Manpower Vietnam recommends that businesses reevaluate their recruitment criteria and strategically select optimal channels for talent acquisition, harnessing real-time labor market insights. To strengthen this approach, employers are encouraged to benchmark compensation and benefits against industry peers to fine-tune their offerings, ensuring they remain highly competitive and secure top talent effectively.
To explore the full employment outlooks and shifting talent strategies across the APME region, visit: https://manpower.com.vn/MEOS
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About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years.
About Manpower Vietnam
Manpower Vietnam is the leading global recruitment, staffing and outsourcing company in Vietnam, operating in the country since 2008. We are the first 100% foreign invested company licensed to provide recruitment, staffing and outsourcing services since our first footprints in Vietnam. With our thorough understanding of staffing trends and our deep pool of highly qualified candidates, Manpower can deliver the talent, matching the right individual to the right job – faster and with better business results. For more information, visit www.manpower.com.vn, or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Media Contact
Thao Phan, Marketing and PR Executive, Manpower Vietnam
