Hong Kong hiring confidence returns in 2026 driven by IPO recovery

The world’s most trusted talent solutions company Robert Walters today launched its Global Salary Survey 2026, an authoritative analysis and benchmark of salary trends, revealing a cautiously optimistic hiring outlook for Hong Kong’s job market. After two years of economic uncertainty, the city’s IPO resurgence and development are restoring confidence among employers and employees.

The survey shows 34% of employers plan to increase hiring volume in 2026, while only 30% of professionals report low confidence in job opportunities, a 16-point improvement from last year. However, 81% of professionals expect a 10%+ pay rise to move roles, yet 83% of employers plan to offer less than 6%. AI adoption is accelerating, reshaping workforce structures and creating demand for new roles, while flexible hiring models like Statement of Work (SOW) are gaining traction.

In 2025, Hong Kong recorded its strongest first-half IPO performance since 2021, with funds raised sevenfold year-on-year. The momentum has helped restore confidence in Hong Kong’s role as a super connector for cross-border investment, reinforcing its position as a regional financial hub. “Once known as the ‘gateway to China,’ the city is increasingly seen as a launchpad for outbound capital and international expansion for Chinese companies,” said John Mullally, managing director of Robert Walters Hong Kong. “We’re seeing renewed hiring activity across the financial services and professional services sector. This confidence is expected to carry into other sectors in 2026.”

Across Hong Kong’s job market, demand patterns are evolving in response to regulatory and technological shifts. Demand for AI talent remains strong, with companies competing for data scientists, machine learning engineers, and AI product specialists. In financial services, Hong Kong’s new stablecoin licensing regime (effective August 2025) is driving roles in compliance, risk management, and blockchain engineering.

Meanwhile, insurance and public sector hiring remains steady, driven by ongoing digitalisation and operational resilience initiatives. On the commerce side, technology hiring is expanding beyond traditional IT roles into areas such as e-commerce platforms, CRM analytics, and digital marketing, reflecting a pivot toward data-driven growth strategies.

Despite the improving outlook, salary expectations and employer budgets remain misaligned. Job seekers are increasingly prioritising job security since 2023. 40% of professionals rank “Job security & stability” among their top three things they value from an employer, up 1.7 percentage points from the same time in 2024. With salary growth remaining flat and living costs rising, professionals are increasingly seeking double-digit increments to justify a move. While 81% of professionals expect a salary increase of over 10% to consider a move, with 30% targeting 16-20%, 83% of employers plan to offer less than 6%. This gap is prolonging hiring cycles and making it harder to secure top talent.

“Hiring managers often assume there’s an abundance of talent, but the reality is quite the opposite,” added Mullally. “Many strong candidates are still prioritising job stability and are hesitant to move without a compelling offer.”

When asked about challenges of hiring qualified job seekers, the top three struggles include a lack of quality candidates with the right skills/expertise (69%), salary and benefit expectations too high (48%), and qualified professionals are hesitant to move (23%).

Hong Kong employers are increasingly adopting flexible hiring solutions to manage costs and maintain agility in an uncertain economic environment. While contract hiring remains common, Statement of Work (SOW) arrangements are emerging as a preferred model for project-based work. By clearly defining deliverables and timelines, SOW enables organisations to maintain control over budgets while ensuring accountability and quality outcomes.

According to the Robert Walters Salary Survey 2026, 23% of employers are already using SOW, and a further 8.6% plan to implement it in the coming year. This model is particularly popular in technology, digital transformation, and compliance projects, where speed, governance, and cost efficiency are critical.