The number of white-collar job listings returned to pre-Covid-19 levels in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, India, and Japan in the first quarter of 2021 when compared to Q1 2020, according to data from JAC Recruitment.

In Singapore, during the first quarter of 2021, the number of job listings was 31% higher than in the first quarter of 2020. An increasing number of employers have been seeking recruitment services since the outset of the year, particularly in the manufacturing sector. There were also more job listings that involve filling vacated positions amid an upturn in employee resignations due to seasonal factors whereby professionals tend to more actively seek new jobs during the months of January to February around the time of the Chinese New Year after they have received their year-end bonuses.

In the first quarter of 2021, Singapore saw a 20% increase in the number of registered job candidates relative to the fourth quarter of 2020. This is attributable to an upward trend in the number of job seekers who are enthusiastic about making career changes since the beginning of the year as the Singaporean economy mounts a recovery.

The number of job listings in Malaysia increased by 50% relative to the previous quarter and by 4% relative to the first quarter of 2020. Corporate appetite for hiring appeared to be heightening more than ever before as suggested by a 9% increase in job listings relative to the first quarter of 2019 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The number of job listings increased substantially in the first quarter of 2021 with respect to foreign multinationals and local Malaysian companies, by 75% relative to the previous quarter and 31% relative to the first quarter of 2020.

Meanwhile, in Thailand, candidate selection was subject to delays in the month of January given that many factories and corporate offices had been prohibiting visits by outsiders. However, candidate selection has been returning to normal given that such entities began lifting those restrictions in February and the number of Covid-19 cases has been decreasing. The number of job listings in the first quarter consequently increased by 43% relative to the previous quarter given that this year companies have resumed hiring initiatives put on hold last year due to pandemic.

Indonesia’s recruitment market rebounded rapidly with the number of job listings up by 86% this quarter relative to the previous quarter. Still, it has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels with the number listings down by 51% relative to the same quarter of the previous year.

In Vietnam, the number of job listings were at 74% of the level seen in Q1 2020 and 88% of the level seen in Q4 2020. In Vietnam’s manufacturing and construction sectors, job openings held firm amid robust appetite for hiring. On the other hand, Covid-19 resulted in persisting stagnation since last year when it comes to job vacancies in eating and drinking establishments, hotels, and other such employers.

In China, corporate appetite for recruitment has remained strong since the latter half of 2020. Current job listings vary substantially in terms of quantity and job description content relative to listings prevalent this time last year, JAC Recruitment stated. The number of job listings were 172% of 2020 Q1 levels while job listings were 101% of Q4 2020.

In Hong Kong, there were considerably fewer job openings in the first quarter of 2021 relative to the first quarter of 2020, momentum now seems to be greater than was the case last year given that there has been a substantive increase in demand for job-placement services and recruitment inquiries. The number of job listings were 58% of Q1 2020 levels and 123% of 2020 Q4 levels.

The number of job listings in the first quarter remained largely unchanged in South Korea, having increased by 2% relative to the previous quarter and having decreased by 4% relative to the first quarter of 2020.

“Since the Korean New Year in February, the recruitment market has been seeing more vigorous activity among job seekers hoping to find new jobs,” JAC Recruitment stated.

In India, since the fourth quarter of 2020, there was a gradual trend of more companies in India restarting recruitment drives thanks to a phase of recovery in economic activity emerging in the latter half of 2020. The number of job listings in India increased by 10% relative to the previous quarter amid a scenario where companies have been resuming their recruitment drives since 2021, thereby bringing recruitment nearly back to levels prevailing before the pandemic struck.

In Japan, the number of new job listings filed with JAC Recruitment Japan (for employees of Japanese Multinational corporations overseas) was 18% higher than that of the October to December quarter, but 3% lower relative to the same quarter of the previous year, thereby nearly recovering to the level prevailing before the outbreak of Covid-19. Nevertheless, most companies have not achieved their quantitative recruitment targets given that employers continue to show discretion when it comes to hiring which has caused them to be very selective when it comes to taking on top talent.