Trends
Nov 2026 · 6 min
Korea could be short 50,000 to 70,000 chip workers within 5 years, and India's industry leaders call manufacturing talent the gating factor for investment.
Short answer: The semiconductor talent shortage is no longer only an American problem. On October 29, 2026, the head of Lam Research Korea said Korea could face a shortage of 50,000 to 70,000 semiconductor workers within 5 years (Seoul Economic Daily). On November 2, leaders of the industry group ISIG said India has strong design talent but a shortage in semiconductor manufacturing (ANI). For leadership hiring, the result is more competition for the people who can run fabs and build teams.
When engineers are scarce, the leaders who can attract, train and keep them become more valuable. Fab general managers, operations heads and site leaders now compete for candidates with hyperscalers and AI hardware companies as well as other chipmakers. In India, ISIG's chief executive said talent drives investment decisions, ahead of business development.
Related: SK hynix's leadership reshuffle.
