Singapore Q1 Employment Growth Slows to 9,400 as Vacancies Fall to 73,300
Updated
Updated · The Business Times · Jun 15
Singapore Q1 Employment Growth Slows to 9,400 as Vacancies Fall to 73,300
2 articles · Updated · The Business Times · Jun 15
Summary
Singapore added 9,400 jobs in Q1 2026, down from 17,700 in the prior quarter, as non-resident hiring slowed even though resident employment gains strengthened to 5,400.
73,300 job vacancies were recorded in March, down from 77,700 in December, with the decline led by non-PMET roles, though openings still outnumbered unemployed people by 1.46 times.
3,830 retrenchments were logged in Q1, up from 3,690, with manufacturing, financial services and professional services hit by restructuring rather than cost-cutting; degree holders saw the highest incidence.
Unemployment stayed broadly stable at 2.0% overall and 2.9% for residents, while the re-entry rate for retrenched residents rose to 60.7% and firms increasingly used short work weeks or temporary layoffs.
MOM said labour conditions should remain resilient alongside 6% year-on-year GDP growth, but warned firms may turn more cautious on hiring and pay as geopolitical risks, global uncertainty and AI reshape work.