Hays sees salary rises moderating this year in China

Salary increases are expected to moderate this year in China, with professionals from industries associated with industrial upgrade and transformation being the sole exception to the rule, a new survey said.

According to the latest salary guide released by global recruitment specialist Hays, 44 percent of the surveyed employers plan to offer salary hikes of 3 to 6 percent this year. The survey, which tracked responses of 1,700 employers from 17 industries in China, said 35 percent of the employers were willing to offer pay hikes in excess of 6 percent. Both trends, however, are significantly lower than the 6 to 10 percent hikes that most of the employers were planning to offer last year.

Simon Lance, managing director of Hays Greater China, said the hike, though slightly lower this year, is still higher than other markets in Asia.