THE PHILIPPINES has emerged as the most active job market among Southeast Asian countries, having the highest number of employers hiring jobseekers and reducing employees in the past year, according to Jobstreet by SEEK’s latest survey, Hiring, Compensation & Benefits Report 2025.
The Philippines recorded an 83% activity level, followed by Indonesia at 75%, Malaysia at 74%, Singapore at 58%, and Thailand at 51%. Despite economic challenges and uncertainties, the leading online job portal reported that Southeast Asia has demonstrated a resilient job market with consistent employment growth.
Hiring activity
Jobstreet by SEEK shared that 93% of companies in the region were able to successfully recruit at least one employee in 2024.
In the Philippines, the report showed that 94% of employers had hired candidates, with 87% employing permanent full-time employees, 49% bringing in permanent part-time candidates, 44% hiring contractual/temporary full-time employees, and 26% onboarding contractual/temporary part-time employees.
Notably, the Philippines and Indonesia saw significant growth when it comes to the hiring of contractual/temporary full-time employees. This trend, according to Jobstreet by SEEK, can be attributed to business expansion, increasing preference for a temporary workforce and workforce flexibility, and demand for new skill sets.
Currently, a few of the top companies that are actively hiring on the Jobstreet by SEEK platform are Procter & Gamble, Meralco, McDonald’s, Ayala Corporation, and SM.
On the other hand, workforce reduction across the region had also increased in 2024, with 34% of the companies doing layoffs, retrenchments, or not replacing employees who resigned.
Among the countries, the Philippines and Indonesia experienced the highest workforce reductions last year, likely due to their greater preference for flexible workforces. Meanwhile, Singapore and Thailand had the lowest workforce reduction rates.
However, Jobstreet by SEEK noted that several factors may have contributed to this trend. For instance, affected candidates may have transitioned to new roles, as national statistics agencies across these countries indicate continued employment growth and declining unemployment rates.
The hiring landscape in 2025 is expected to evolve, with 37% of companies in Southeast Asia planning to hire more contract or temporary employees. Moreover, the Philippines’ heavy reliance on contract and temporary candidates is set to continue, with 46% of companies leading this trend in hiring for the first half of 2025.
“As the job market continues to evolve while remaining resilient, Jobstreet by SEEK stays committed to connecting candidates with hirers and delivering valuable insights like this report that empower hiring managers and assist jobseekers in preparing for better, meaningful opportunities,” said Dannah Majarocon, managing director of Jobstreet by SEEK in the Philippines.
The report was conducted among over 7,000 hirers and HR professionals across different industries in the region, between September to October 2024.
