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APAC Edition
20th November 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Australia's right to disconnect laws reduce unpaid overtime hours

Labour laws in Australia are effectively reducing unpaid overtime for full-time workers, according to a report from the Australian Institute's Centre for Future Work. The average full-time employee worked 6.2 hours of unpaid overtime weekly in 2023, before Labor's right to disconnect laws were introduced, a figure which decreased to 3.8 hours in 2025. Report author Dr Fiona Macdonald did however note that while full-time workers have benefited, part-time workers face rising unpaid overtime, which has been attributed to their employment conditions. Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said that no significant disputes arose regarding the right to disconnect laws, which have reportedly improved employee engagement and productivity.
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WORKFORCE

WHO to shed over 2,000 jobs by mid-2026

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts that its workforce will shrink by 2,371 posts by June 2026 after Donald Trump withdrew the US from the agency. “This year has been one of the most difficult in WHO’s history, as we have navigated a painful but necessary process of prioritisation and realignment that has resulted in a significant reduction in our global workforce,” said Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a message to staff, adding that the process was now nearing an end. “We are now preparing to move forward with our reshaped and renewed Organisation,” he added.
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HIRING

China's urban youth unemployment rate falls slightly

China's youth unemployment rate slightly decreased to 17.3% in October, down from 17.7% in September, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. However, intense competition persists, especially after 12.2m graduates entered the job market. Many young jobseekers are resorting to unconventional methods, such as distributing résumés at trade expos. Others are opting for further education or preparing for the national civil service exam. South China Morning Post notes Nancy Lu, a master's graduate, who spent nearly a year job hunting without success and is now focusing on the civil service exam in December.

Hiring outlook improves for Hong Kong's financial sector

Hong Kong's financial services sector is poised for a hiring increase of up to 15% next year, driven by strong equity markets and asset growth, according to Robert Walters' managing director, John Mullally. The sector employed approximately 268,000 people in the second quarter of 2023, marking a 4.5% rise from the previous year. However, this figure remains below the 2021 peak of 287,800. Mullally noted a 20% increase in job openings recently, but cautioned that confidence is still low, affecting the number of job offers. He said: "It'll be slower but steadier."
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LEGAL

ANZ faces record penalty scrutiny

ANZ chief executive Nuno Matos will face a parliamentary committee regarding a record A$240m penalty for misconduct. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) accused ANZ of mishandling a bond sale, costing the federal government $26m, and failing to refund fees to nearly 65,000 deceased customers. Despite the penalty being the largest ever imposed on a single entity, committee chair Ed Husic said: "It should have been higher."
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SUSTAINABILITY

Momentum grows at COP30 for 'road map' to quit fossil fuels

Almost 20 government ministers and more than 80 countries at the UN COP30 climate summit in Brazil have called on the almost 200 nations to sign up for a "road map" away from fossil fuel use. Supporters said that none of the options to accelerate the shift included in a draft agreement were sufficient, and they called on Brazil to do more. Panama’s climate envoy, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez, told the Financial Times that any road map would need a “lot of flexibility” to allow for the different circumstances of countries.
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INVESTMENT

US tops China's global lending list

A new AidData report reveals the US is now the largest recipient of Chinese official sector lending, receiving over $200bn across nearly 2,500 projects. While China previously focused on developing countries through its Belt and Road Initiative, it has shifted to higher-income nations, funding critical infrastructure and tech assets like semiconductors, clean energy, and data centres. “Much of the lending to wealthy countries is focused on critical infrastructure, critical minerals and the acquisition of high-tech assets,” said AidData's Brad Parks. By 2023, 76% of Chinese lending targeted upper-middle and high-income nations.
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INTERNATIONAL

Chinese agents use LinkedIn to target British MPs

UK lawmakers are being actively targeted by Chinese state agents with lucrative job offers on LinkedIn, according to security agency MI5. An espionage alert issued to MPs, peers and parliamentary staff by security services identified two LinkedIn profiles, which it said are used on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS). House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle circulated the alert, which warned that two "recruitment head-hunters" are "known to be using" profiles on the career-focused social network "to conduct outreach at scale" for the Chinese security services.  The message from Hoyle to MPs went on to say: "Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf."

Irish public asked for their views on right to request remote working

The Irish government has launched a public consultation to gather feedback on the right to request remote working. The rules, which came into force in March last year, require employers and employees to refer to a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) code of practice when considering applications for remote working arrangements. Employees can forward a dispute to the WRC if they believe an employer has failed to fulfil their obligations under the code. Since its introduction, the WRC has received 60 complaints, with only one upheld. Minister of State for Small Business Retail and Circular Economy, Alan Dillon, emphasised the importance of this consultation, saying: "This is an important opportunity to hear directly from members of the public, employers and other stakeholders." Submissions are open until 9 December.

Judge says Tesla lawsuit cannot proceed as a class action

A California judge has said that more than 6,000 Black workers at Tesla's flagship assembly plant In Fremont cannot sue over alleged racial harassment as a class. The ruling by California Superior Court Judge Peter Borkon reverses an earlier decision. Borkon said the 2017 lawsuit could not move forward as a class action because many of the 200 workers who were chosen at random to testify ahead of a trial scheduled for next year were unwilling to do so. “Either together with other victims, or separately, these courageous Black workers will overcome Tesla’s endless delays and continue fighting to hold the company accountable,” Lawrence Organ, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said.

Nissan cuts 87 jobs in France office

Nissan will cut 87 roles at its European headquarters in Montigny-le-Bretonneux as part of chief executive Ivan Espinosa’s global restructuring, which includes a 15% headcount reduction and a 30% cut in production capacity. Most affected roles are in marketing and sales, though 34 new positions and redeployment options will offset some losses. "This decision is driven by the need to reflect the reality of today's business environment," the company stated. A voluntary separation program starts first; forced redundancies may follow in February. Despite the cuts, Nissan emphasized the office remains “absolutely vital” to regional operations.
 
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