Hong Kong Graduate Jobs Plunge 61%, Leaders Urge Local Hiring

Hong Kong industry leaders are calling for companies to prioritize hiring local graduates and to expand overseas exchange programs. The push comes as the job market for new university graduates shrinks dramatically. The city’s labour minister revealed Thursday that full-time graduate vacancies fell from about 80,000 in 2022 to roughly 31,000 in 2025. That is a drop of 61 per cent. “If local graduates face significant difficulties...” one leader said, though full details of their concerns were not immediately available. The decline is blamed on a combination of economic pressures and the growing use of artificial intelligence, which is replacing some entry-level roles.