APAC hiring challenges: Why a regional partner makes a strategic difference

Hiring across Asia-Pacific (APAC) offers immense opportunity, but also complexity. For HR leaders and hiring managers, the region’s diversity in laws, languages, and talent markets presents hurdles that can slow recruitment, increase costs, and impact growth.

Whether expanding into Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, or the Philippines, success depends on how well you navigate these challenges. 

This article explores the top hiring challenges in APAC and explains why partnering with a regional recruitment expert can make all the difference. 

The APAC hiring landscape: Diverse, dynamic, and difficult 

Asia-Pacific is not a single market. It’s a mosaic of countries, each with its own labour laws, cultural norms, languages, and economic conditions. Hiring in Malaysia is not the same as hiring in Vietnam. What works in Singapore may fail in Indonesia. This diversity is both a strength and a challenge. 

Let’s break down the most common hiring hurdles companies face across the region.

Complex and varied employment laws

Each APAC country has its own employment regulations, visa requirements, and statutory benefits. For example: 

• Malaysia requires employers to advertise roles locally before hiring foreign talent and mandates contributions to EPF and SOCSO. 
• Philippines mandates a 13th-month salary bonus and strict labour protections. 
• Indonesia enforces rigid termination laws and requires religious holiday bonuses (THR). 
• Vietnam has evolving labour codes and quotas for foreign workers. 
• Singapore has strict criteria for Employment Pass approvals. 

Navigating these laws without local expertise can lead to delays, fines, or halted operations. And the rules change frequently. What was compliant last year may not be today.

Talent shortages and skills gaps

Across APAC, demand for skilled professionals, especially in STEM, tech, and engineering, far exceeds supply. 

• In Singapore, unemployment is low and competition for top talent is fierce. 
• In Vietnam and Indonesia, the workforce is young, but senior-level specialists are scarce. 
• In Malaysia, many highly skilled professionals work abroad, creating a talent drain. 
• In Philippines, the BPO and tech sectors compete aggressively for the same pool of developers, analysts, and digital marketers. 

This shortage drives up salaries and makes hiring slower and more expensive. Without deep market knowledge, companies risk overpaying or losing candidates to better offers.

Cultural and language barriers

APAC is home to hundreds of languages and diverse cultural norms. Miscommunication or a lack of cultural awareness can derail interviews, offers, and onboarding. 

• Candidates may prefer communication in their native language; Bahasa, Vietnamese, Tagalog, etc. 
• Employer branding must be localised. What resonates in Australia or the US may fall flat in Asia. 
• Interview etiquette varies. In some cultures, formality and hierarchy are important. In others, candidates expect a more casual tone. 
• Trust and relationships matter. Candidates may be sceptical of unfamiliar companies, especially if they’re new to the market. 

Without cultural fluency, companies risk alienating top talent.

Fragmented recruitment processes

Hiring across multiple countries often means juggling different agencies, job boards, and processes. This leads to: 

• Inconsistent candidate experiences 
• Poor visibility into metrics like time-to-fill and cost-per-hire 
• Difficulty scaling recruitment efforts 
• Administrative overload for HR teams 

Scheduling interviews across time zones can be a logistical nightmare. Posting jobs on the right local boards requires market knowledge. And onboarding processes vary widely.

Limited brand recognition

New market entrants often lack local employer brand awareness. Candidates may be sceptical of unfamiliar companies, especially in cultures that value stability and reputation. 

Without a strong local presence, attracting top talent becomes an uphill battle. 

Why a regional recruitment partner makes a strategic difference 

A regional recruitment expert brings local knowledge, networks, and infrastructure to help you overcome these challenges efficiently. 

Here’s how:

Compliance and legal expertise

A regional partner ensures you meet all local employment laws and visa requirements. They: 

• Manage Employment Pass applications and government approvals 
• Handle payroll compliance, including EPF, SOCSO, and other statutory contributions 
• Offer Employer of Record (EOR) services, allowing you to hire without setting up a legal entity 
• Stay ahead of regulatory changes and troubleshoot issues in real-time 

This reduces your legal risk and frees up your HR team to focus on strategic initiatives.

Access to local talent networks

Regional partners maintain extensive candidate databases and have recruiters on the ground in each market. They: 

• Tap into passive talent and specialised communities 
• Source candidates across borders to fill hard-to-hire roles 
• Ramp up hiring quickly with dedicated teams 
• Provide market intelligence on salary benchmarks and talent availability 

This accelerates time-to-hire and improves candidate quality.

Cultural fluency and localised engagement

A regional partner bridges cultural gaps by: 

• Communicating in local languages 
• Tailoring job descriptions and employer branding to local norms 
• Advising on interview etiquette and offer structuring 
• Building trust with candidates through established local reputation

This leads to higher offer acceptance rates and stronger employer brand perception.

Streamlined operations

With a regional partner, you get: 

• A single point of contact for multi-country hiring 
• Consistent screening and evaluation standards 
• Centralised tracking and reporting 
• Scalable recruitment support for large projects 
• Administrative relief, including onboarding and relocation support 

This simplifies recruitment management and improves efficiency.

Faster market entry and better retention

Regional partners help you: 

• Launch operations faster by filling roles quickly 
• Improve retention through onboarding support and cultural alignment 
• Gain market insights for workforce planning 
• Focus internal resources on core business growth 

The result is a more agile, compliant, and competitive hiring strategy across APAC. 

Country-by-country comparison 

Real-world impact: What businesses gain

Partnering with a regional expert isn’t just about filling roles. It’s about transforming your hiring strategy. 

Here’s what businesses gain: 

• Speed to hire: Faster recruitment means faster execution. Projects launch on time. Teams are staffed without delays. 
• Quality hires: Better sourcing and cultural vetting lead to stronger candidates who ramp up quickly and stay longer. 
• Retention: Onboarding support and cultural alignment improve employee satisfaction and reduce early attrition. 
• Market insights: Partners provide data on salary trends, talent availability, and competitor moves. 
• Cost efficiency: Avoid fixed costs of setting up local teams. Turn recruitment into a scalable, variable-cost model. 

Optimise local business expansions with regional partners 

Hiring in APAC is complex. But with the right partner, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A regional recruitment expert brings the local insight, infrastructure, and agility needed to turn hiring challenges into strategic wins. 

For HR leaders and hiring managers in APAC, the takeaway is clear: partnering with a regional expert is not just about filling jobs. It’s a strategic move to accelerate growth, reduce risk, and build a competitive workforce. 

If you're expanding in APAC or struggling to fill roles, consider engaging a regional partner. Ask about their experience in your target markets, their compliance capabilities, and how they support employer branding. The right partner won’t just help you hire; they’ll help you grow. 

Ready to make APAC hiring your competitive edge? Airswift can help you optimise your operations with a local flair and knowledge.