Jobs outlook: 72% of employers plan new hiring in H2 2025, AI seen as catalyst not threat

India’s white-collar job market is expected to see strong momentum in the latter half of 2025, with nearly 72% of employers planning workforce expansion through net new job creation, according to Naukri’s bi-annual Hiring Outlook report released on Friday.

The report, based on inputs from 1,300 employers across sectors, said hiring sentiment remains upbeat, with 94% of employers indicating plans to recruit in the second half of the current fiscal. Among them, nearly three-quarters (72%) said they expect to expand teams by creating new roles rather than relying solely on replacement hiring, PTI reported.

The findings come even as concerns continue globally over job losses linked to artificial intelligence (AI). In India, however, 87% of employers surveyed said they do not foresee any significant impact of AI on overall employment. On the contrary, 13% believe AI will act as a catalyst for job creation, especially in emerging roles.

Sectors identified as key beneficiaries of AI-led opportunities include IT (42%), Analytics (17%), and Business Development (11%), where employers anticipate fresh demand for talent.

“It is encouraging to see that 72% of employers are planning workforce expansion through net new job creation, rather than just replacement hiring. Equally noteworthy is that nearly 87% of employers do not foresee significant job losses due to AI — a striking contrast to the global narrative around AI-led job cuts,” said Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri.

The report noted that the robust hiring sentiment is driven largely by demand for specialised technology roles. Around 37% of employers plan to hire for IT positions, with a clear tilt towards emerging technologies such as machine learning, data science, and AI-related capabilities, which are becoming essential across industries.

Hiring intentions are strongest for mid-level professionals with 4–7 years of experience, with 47% of employers planning recruitment in this category. Entry-level candidates with up to three years’ experience account for 29% of planned hiring.

Meanwhile, only 17% of employers said they would hire professionals with 8–12 years of experience, and just 3% plan to recruit talent with 13–16 years of experience, the report added.