Full-time job vacancies suitable for Hong Kong university graduates have fallen by 60 percent as artificial intelligence (AI) sweeps the city’s job market, a minister has said.
Work and Welfare Secretary Chris Sun said on Wednesday that entry-level jobs vulnerable to automation have been hit hardest, with vacancies in administration falling by nearly 90 per cent over the three-year period and roles in information technology and programming falling by 80 per cent.
The number of full-time job vacancies suitable for graduates shrank from 80,000 in 2022 to just 31,000 in 2025, the minister said.
The figures were drawn from the Joint Institutions Job Information System, an online job search platform for students from Hong Kong’s eight publicly funded universities seeking employment, Sun said. answer for investigations by lawmaker Priscilla Leung.
“We all know that the impact of AI is comprehensive and global. We are all exploring how to help young people find jobs in a world changed by AI,” Sun told the Cantonese Legislative Council.
Citing a survey by global consulting firm International Data Corporation, Sun said over 60 percent of companies surveyed worldwide had indicated they would cut entry-level positions in the next three years due to AI.
He pledged that the Labor and Welfare Bureau will analyze the impact of AI on the overall Hong Kong labor market and specific industries.
The findings are expected to be published in the fourth quarter of this year, as part of the medium-term update of the government’s Labor Force Projections, he added.
He also said that, between 2025 and 2028, the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee will introduce 30 new academic programs covering emerging sectors such as AI, cyber security and creative industries.
Sun noted that, despite the drop in job vacancies, the unemployment rate among graduates has not increased significantly.
The number of employed people aged 15 to 29 with a bachelor’s degree or higher was about 268,000 in 2025, compared with 270,000 last year, Sun said. citing government data.
Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, the use of chatbots and AI generation tools has become increasingly common in industries around the world.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has pushed for the expansion of AI applications in government departments and social sectors. In his policy address last year, he said authorities would promote “broad and deep integration of AI” across industries.
During his annual budget speech in February, finance chief Paul Chan announced he would lead a new “AI+ and Industry Development Strategy” Committee..
The government will also provide “AI training for all,” including AI education at various levels of education and vocational training, Chan said at the time.
