This brief reports on a rapid assessment of labor demand in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to help understand the impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The analysis uses job postings at leading online job portals in the two countries.

Governments ramp up efforts to support vulnerable businesses, workers, and people through social protection measures. However, with the limited fiscal space in developing Asia, expanding access to social protection measures requires better targeting based on real-time labor market data. Analysis of online job portal data could provide valuable input to help guide policy direction without a time lag.