Employers across Asia Pacific and the Middle East are slowing their hiring plans for the third quarter of 2026, but workers with artificial intelligence (AI) expertise and strong people skills can still expect to command higher salaries as companies compete for increasingly valuable talent, according to a new ManpowerGroup survey.
The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, which covered 13,168 employers across 11 markets in the region, found a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of +28% for the July-September period. While the figure remains positive, it is down 10 percentage points from the previous quarter, indicating a more cautious approach to recruitment amid economic uncertainty.
