Labour market extends 19‑quarter expansion on non‑resident hiring

Unemployment remained stable in June at 2%.

Singapore’s labour market expanded for the 19th consecutive quarter in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026, with total employment rising by 10,700 despite higher retrenchments.

Employment growth accelerated from 9,400 in Q1 and was broadly in line with the 10,400 increase recorded a year earlier, according to advance estimates from the Ministry of Manpower.

The increase was attributed to non-resident employment in construction and manufacturing, it added.

Resident employment also grew, but at a slower pace than in the previous quarter, with gains concentrated in transportation and storage, health and social services, and public administration and education.

Meanwhile, retrenchments grew to 4,500, or 1.9 per 1,000 employees, from 3,830, or 1.6 per 1,000 employees, in the previous quarter.

The rise was concentrated in outward-oriented sectors, including information and communications and manufacturing.

The ministry said most retrenchments were linked to business reorganisation or restructuring rather than business downturns.

The proportion of firms expecting to retrench workers declined to 2.7% from 3.2%. However, hiring and wage expectations remained below their February levels.

Unemployment remained stable in June, with the overall rate at 2% and the resident rate at 2.9%. The citizen unemployment rate eased to 3% from 3.1% in March.

The share of firms planning to hire over the next three months rose to 43.9% from 40.6% in May, whilst those expecting to raise wages increased to 29.3% from 23.7%.

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