Engineers and technicians remain among the top skilled employees in demand across Asia, and about half of all employers fear the effect of skills shortages, the 2013 Hays Asia Salary Guide said.

Ninety-three percent of employers said skills shortages have the potential to hamper their businesses, and 49 percent indicate that it will "without a doubt" affect their operations, up from 38 percent in 2012.

The salary guide surveyed about 1,200 employers in the Chinese mainland, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, according to Hays, a global recruitment agency.