Finding a job as an expat can be difficult for many reasons, from language barriers to differences in accreditation and skills. So, where are the best cities to look for jobs in your industry? ExpatFinder.com has published their APAC Job Opportunities Report 2017, a look at job vacancies and availability in nine major cities across the region. Looking at Sydney, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Seoul, the investigation gives a deep insight into which industries are searching for staff across the continent.
Top 5 industries for APAC jobseekers
1. Consultancy & Management
This year, consultancy and management has taken the top spot in five out of the nine cities studied when it comes to job vacancies. The top destination for those searching for work in this sector should be Shanghai, where openings in this industry account for 22.3% of the total. Jobseekers should also look to Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tokyo, and Singapore, where the consultancy and management sector represents over 20.0% of the job market.
2. Sales & Marketing
This industry is the most in-demand in Sydney, making up 21.4% of available positions within the city, where it represents an ideal opportunity for professionals in the sales and marketing sector. Other locations where these talents are sought after include Hong Kong, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, although not to the same extent.
3. Finance
As both Beijing and Seoul are trying to grow into valuable Asian financial hubs, they are looking to employ large amounts of talent in the finance industry. Vacancies in the finance industry currently account for 26.1% and 21.3% of the market in Beijing and Seoul, respectively. On the other hand, the finance sector accounts for under 5% of job opportunities in both Sydney and Singapore, although these cities are already well established in the industry.
4. Communication
Demand for those in the communication industry has grown vastly over the past year, bringing it up to fourth place on our list and replacing the human resources sector, which plummeted due to a reduction in the number of job opportunities available. Communications professionals should look towards Shanghai where they are highly desired, and vacancies account for 20.5% of open positions; also consider Sydney, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore.
5. Technology
Technology has seen a significant drop in the rankings, whereas the industry was the top source of vacancies in the previous report. Those skilled in this sector are still in demand, although jobs in technology now account for less than 10% of opportunities in all cities studied in APAC. Professionals in the industry should look towards Mumbai and Singapore for work, where it represents 9.2% and 9.8% of available positions, respectively.
The downturn in human resources
In 2016 the HR industry accounted for the fourth largest source of job opportunities across Asia, and the largest in Singapore. Dramatic decreases in this sector have been seen all over the region, with an 11.2% drop in Singapore and 12.0% reduction in Kuala Lumpur. In 2017, vacancies in HR place the industry tenth in both APAC.
Companies seek experienced talent
This year's report has seen a significant reduction in the number of vacancies for those seeking work both early and late on in their careers. The majority of positions found to be available are only for middle-career workers. These jobs now account for over 90% of vacancies in six out of the nine cities studied as businesses aim to expand their workforces with skilled professionals. The three exceptions to this finding are found in China and India.
