HCMC – Employers across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are expected to increase hiring in the second quarter of 2025, reflecting growing confidence in the regional labor market, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.
The survey collected responses from over 10,078 employers across seven APAC countries and territories. It revealed that businesses are optimistic about expansion and investment in talent.
The net employment outlook (NEO) for Q2 stands at 30%, up by three percentage points compared to both the previous quarter and the same period last year.
Company expansion was cited as the primary driver behind hiring plans, reported by 42% of respondents. Another 33% attributed hiring increases to new business ventures, while 31% pointed to technological advancements requiring more skilled labor.
In Vietnam, ManpowerGroup Vietnam expects recruitment demand to rise in various sectors in Q2 2025, especially in manufacturing.
“Since the beginning of the year, we’ve received the highest number of skilled worker recruitment requests from businesses in industrials and materials, including manufacturing (38%), followed by financials and real estate, consumer goods and services, and IT,” said Vo Thi Bich Thuy, Regional Manager-South, Permanent Recruitment & Consulting Services, ManpowerGroup Vietnam.
The IT sector, in particular, is actively seeking highly skilled and experienced professionals to lead digital transformation initiatives and technological innovation. However, demand for young professionals and fresh graduates in the sector has declined.
“Many companies are monitoring market conditions and economic indicators before expanding their workforce. As a result, they are prioritizing upskilling and reskilling their current employees rather than immediately hiring new staff,” noted Nguyen Thi Thu Thanh, Regional Manager-North, Permanent Recruitment & Consulting Services, ManpowerGroup Vietnam.
Experts at ManpowerGroup Vietnam emphasized the importance of strategic human resource planning. They recommend companies build 3-5 year workforce strategies that focus on developing internal talent pipelines rather than relying heavily on external recruitment.
