Job Market

Corporate India is expected to scale back hiring plans in the July-September quarter of this year, signaling a slowdown in hiring momentum, as employers are likely to opt for a more measured approach to hiring amid rising geopolitical challenges, a survey said on Tuesday. According to ManpowerGroup's latest Employment Outlook Survey, the Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for Q3 2026 stood at 48 per cent, down 20 points from the previous quarter but stronger by 6 points since Q3 2025. The Net Employment Outlook (NEO) is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity. In the survey of more than 3,100 employers across India conducted from April 1 to 30, 2026, employers cited economic uncertainty, above AI, as the key driver of hiring uncertainty. "India's Q3 2026 hiring outlook remains the strongest globally, with a Net Employment Outlook of 48 per cent,

Weak hiring and AI-driven disruption threaten recent graduates with lower wages, slower career growth and higher unemployment, economists warn

Hiring may slow and recovery could take up to two years if West Asia conflict persists, says Heidrick & Struggles partner, citing inflation pressures and global uncertainty

The labor market has been stuck in what economists call a "low-hire, low-fire" state which they blamed on uncertainty stemming from Trump's import tariffs and mass deportations

Between 2004 and 2023, 5 million graduates were added annually, but only 2.8 million found jobs; just 7% of unemployed graduates secure permanent salaried roles within a year

Demand for immediate joiners has risen 58 per cent since 2022, far outpacing candidate availability, as employers seek professionals who can contribute from day one

At the India AI Impact Summit, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said AI could significantly boost global output and drive stronger economic growth worldwide

Vinod Khosla told the AI Impact Summit that AI could remove the need for most jobs by 2050, transform white-collar work and unlock near-free healthcare and personalised education for every Indian

India's unemployment rate climbed to 5% in January, a three-month high, as rural seasonal factors and post-harvest slack pushed joblessness up, even as labour force participation softened

The overall US unemployment rate continued to climb throughout 2025, reaching 4.6 per cent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

For every ₹10 lakh of output generated on such platforms, output yielded for the economy is ₹20.5 lakh

White-collar jobs relying on cognitive skills face the highest AI disruption risk, but reskilling and new job creation will outweigh losses, says MeitY Secretary S Krishnan

Government data shows PLI schemes for 12 sectors drove over ₹18.7 lakh crore in incremental production/sales as of September 2025

The study urges a reorientation of incentives toward textiles, garments and food processing to boost employment

After a year of muted single-digit growth, hiring intent has returned to double digits at 11 per cent, up from 9.75 per cent last year, supported by formalisation and regional expansion, says a report. According to the India Decoding Jobs 2026 Report, launched by digital recruitment platform Taggd in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), sectors such as BFSI, manufacturing, and infrastructure are set to drive hiring momentum. "This resurgence marks a shift from recovery to reinvention, powered by digital acceleration, formalisation, and regional expansion," Devashish Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO, Taggd, said. This edition of the report captures insights from nearly 300+ talent leaders across 21 industries, offering a data-backed view of India's job and talent story. As per the report, AI is transforming how organisations hire, with 60 per cent of recruiters using it for resume screening and 45 per cent for interview automation. As a result, AI-related skills

The 10 sectors in terms of factory employment showed a median 12.6 per cent increase in fixed capital, which includes plant and machinery, land and other long-term assets after depreciation

India's smaller cities are driving the country's job market momentum, with tier II and III locations recording a sharp 21 per cent year-on-year surge in hiring during September, surpassing growth in metro hubs, a report said on Monday. According to the latest foundit Insights Tracker (fit), a monthly report by jobs and talent platform foundit, India's tier II and III cities led the hiring surge in September, posting a 21 per cent year-on-year growth. Hiring in tier II and III cities, such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Coimbatore, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Kochi, Surat, Nagpur, and Chandigarh, grew 21 per cent year-on-year, boosted by e-commerce warehousing, retail expansion, customer support hubs, and festive tourism. At the same time, overall hiring activity remained strong, with the Tracker recording over 17 per cent year-on-year and 4 per cent month-on-month growth, pointing to steady baseline hiring beyond festive demand, the report added. "September's hiring momentum reflects a powerful ...

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased to a seasonally adjusted 224,269 for the week ended September 27 from 218,589 in the prior week, Haver Analytics calculated

First-ever quarterly estimates of unincorporated enterprises show job and enterprise losses in manufacturing, raising concerns over India's growth outlook