SINGAPORE, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's total employment grew by 27,700 in the third quarter of 2026, accelerating from 11,400 in the preceding quarter and 25,100 a year earlier, with both resident and non-resident employment recording faster growth than the previous quarter, advance data released by the Ministry of Manpower showed on Friday.
Resident employment growth continued to be driven mainly by essential and public services, while outward-oriented sectors remained subdued amid global economic uncertainty, the ministry said in a statement.
Non-resident employment accounted for the bulk of employment gains, particularly in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
The overall unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2 percent in September. However, resident and citizen unemployment rates edged up to 3 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively, from 2.9 percent and 3 percent in August.
Retrenchments increased to 4,800 in the third quarter from 4,620 in the previous quarter, although the incidence remained stable at 2 per 1,000 employees.
Retrenchments remained elevated in selected outward-oriented sectors, with business reorganization continuing to be the main reason.
Forward-looking indicators were mixed. The share of firms expecting to hire in the next three months rose to 42.3 percent in September from 30.5 percent in August, while those planning wage increases climbed to 19.9 percent from 16.9 percent.
However, the share of firms expecting retrenchments also edged up to 3.1 percent from 2.8 percent, pointing to potential labor market weaknesses that warrant monitoring. ■