State of Hiring: October 2026

October in one sentence: employers still plan to hire, but most of them are hiring for a version of the job that did not exist a year ago, and they are choosing more carefully than at any point this year. India's white-collar postings grew just 2% in September. Worldwide, nearly two in three employers adding staff say they are doing it because the job itself has changed.

• Hiring slowed and got pickier. India's largest white-collar postings index rose 2% on the year in September, down from 14% in August. AI and ML roles grew 20%; IT services fell 4%; Delhi NCR and Mumbai fell 6% each. Job portal index, Sep 2026, released 2 Oct
• Intent is still the highest in the world. 65% of Indian employers plan to add staff in October to December and 11% to cut, a net outlook of 54%, first of 42 countries. ManpowerGroup MEOS India Q4, 8 Sep
• The reason for hiring has changed. Among employers adding staff worldwide, 62% say the roles and skills they need are changing. About two in three are hiring for new capabilities; one in three is replacing like for like. ManpowerGroup global release, 8 Sep
• The US froze green card filings at eight big employers. Microsoft, Adobe, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Cognizant and Capgemini can file no new PERM labour certifications, and pending ones are on hold. H-1B status was not cancelled. Section 04 explains what to do. US Labor Dept, 8 Oct, via TechCrunch and The Tribune
• Money got dearer. The RBI raised the repo rate by 0.25 points to 5.50% and moved its stance from neutral to calibrated tightening, with inflation forecast at 6.0% for October to December. RBI MPC, 7 Oct