The recruitment market is mounting a rapid recovery across Asia in the second quarter of 2021 amid pent-up demand in wake of restrained hiring due to Covid-19, according to the latest white-collar recruitment market report from JAC Recruitment.

In Singapore, the number of job listings increased by 67% relative to the second quarter of 2020 amid a scenario of an active job market due to Singapore’s economic recovery.

In Malaysia, the number of job listings increased by 128% over the same period last year. An increasing number of employers have been proceeding with hiring targets set with an eye toward a post-Covid-19 landscape.

In Thailand, although the number of job listings was 55% higher than in the second quarter of 2020 due to pent-up demand in the wake of a supressed market for recruitment last year, corporate appetite for hiring has once again hit a lull amid a third wave of Covid-19. This scenario is likely to persist as long as there is no future beyond the Covid-19 pandemic in sight, according to JAC.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the number of job listings has rebounded substantially, having increased by 93% relative to the second quarter of 2020 amid a scenario of intensifying economic activity among Japanese multinationals.

In Vietnam, the number of job listings increased by 61% relative to the second quarter of 2020. The report said A lack of highly skilled professionals in Vietnam is hampering the nation’s ability to achieve business recovery and growth.

In China, corporate appetite for recruitment has remained strong since the first quarter. The number of job listings was up by 6%.

The total number of job listings in Hong Kong has been trending toward recovery, with the job market having been achieving evident growth particularly since May. Job listings were up 16%.

South Korea’s number of job listings in the second quarter achieved rapid recovery, having increased by 67% relative to the previous quarter and by 95% relative to the second quarter of 2020. This increase is attributable to a situation where resurgence of the global economy helped fuel a substantial increase in South Korean exports.

In India, the second wave of the virus hit recruitment activity andjob listings fell by 10%.

In Japan, the nationwide ratio of applicants to job offers for April 2021 was 1.09. There was a 70% increase relative to the second quarter of 2020 in the number of new job listings.