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- Smaller companies continue to prioritise cross-border hiring for software developers, sales managers, and software testers.
- Mainland China is emerging as a fast-growing talent source amidst deeper Greater Bay Area integration.
- Salary growth is strongest in revenue-driving and operations-focused roles.
AI trainer (general) has become the single most in-demand cross-border role among Hong Kong enterprises, across both employees of record and contractors – ranking above mobile application developer, software developer, and business developer as AI becomes a growing enterprise priority.
This trend is distinctive among larger Hong Kong companies, while smaller companies continue to focus their cross-border hiring on software developers, sales managers, and software testers.
The findings are drawn from Deel’s annual State of Global Hiring Report, which is based on data from more than 1mn worker contracts across over 37,000 companies in more than 150 countries.
The growing appetite for AI talent reflects a broader market shift. According to Deel’s employment marketplace partner SEEK, demand for AI-related skills in Hong Kong has increased 38% since 2019, with AI skills now appearing in 4.8% of all Hong Kong job postings on SEEK as of February 2026, up from around 1% in 2022.
Tapping into the global talent pool
As competition for high-skill talent intensifies, Hong Kong companies are strategically expanding their hiring beyond borders – not outsourcing for cost reduction, but to access specialised expertise globally.
Across Hong Kong companies, the top three cross-border roles among employees of record are:
- Sales manager
- Business developer
- Software developer
The sectors driving the highest demand for cross-border hiring are:
- Technology & telecom
- Professional & business services
- Finance & insurance
The top source markets for cross-border hires are:
- India
- United States
- United Kingdom
Notably, Mainland China is emerging as a fast-growing talent source, ranking as the fifth most common worker country for Hong Kong companies across both employees of record and contractors. Hiring from the Mainland rose 56% year-on-year, reflecting deeper integration within the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Meanwhile, Hong Kong professionals are themselves increasingly being hired across borders. The most common roles Hong Kong employees are hired for internationally are business developer, software developer, and sales manager.
The top destination markets for Hong Kong employees hired internationally under the employer-of-record model are:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Singapore
Revenue-driving roles see the fastest pay growth
Mature markets tend to reward specialisation and execution over generalist functions. As such, salary growth is concentrated in roles that drive revenue or oversee operations.
Pay growth by role:
- Sales account managers: +35.7%
- Operations managers: +25.7%
- Software developers: +22.5%
- COOs: +22%
- ICT account managers: +8.9%
- Project managers: +7.2%
By contrast, business developer compensation declined year-on-year, suggesting that while organisations continue to hire for the role across borders, they are containing local pay growth for the function, prioritising execution over exploration.
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