Resignation rate hits record low of 1.0% in Q1

The annual resignation rate has fallen every year since 2023 from 1.4% to 1.2%.

Singapore's average monthly recruitment and resignation rates declined in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, extending a longer-term downtrend in labour market churn, according to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Q1 labour report for 2026.

The average monthly recruitment rate fell to 1.6% in Q1 2026 from 2.0% in the previous quarter. The average monthly resignation rate declined to 1.0% from 1.3%, marking the lowest level in the data series.

Both indicators have trended down over the past decade.

Annual recruitment rates eased from 2.2% in 2023 to 2.0% in 2024 and 1.8% in 2025 whilst annual resignation rates fell from 1.4% to 1.3% and 1.2% over the same period.

By sector, accommodation and food services recorded the highest recruitment rate at 2.2% in Q1 2026, followed by admin and support services at 2.0% and construction at 1.9%.

Financial and insurance services posted the lowest resignation rate at 0.6%, whilst transportation and storage recorded 0.9%.

Accommodation and food services had the highest resignation rate at 1.7%, followed by admin and support services at 1.3%.

Amongst occupational groups, clerical, sales, and service workers recorded the highest recruitment rate at 2.1% and resignation rate at 1.4%.

PMETs posted a recruitment rate of 1.2% and a resignation rate of 0.7%.

MOM said resignation rates in food and beverage services and retail trade fell to multi-year lows of 1.8% and 1.4%, respectively.

Financial and insurance services recorded its lowest resignation rate on record at 0.6%.

The data is based on MOM's Labour Market Survey and covers private sector establishments with at least 25 employees, as well as the public sector.