Singapore retrenchments climb in Q1, with sharpest rise in incidence among degree holders, older workers: MOM

These gains were in administrative and support services, mainly in employment activities and travel-related services, and in jobs such as customer service, administrative clerks and travel agency clerks.

Resident employment also grew in transportation and storage, and public administration.

Despite higher employment by financial institutions, resident employment shrank in the financial and insurances services category, which reflects that the effect is largely concentrated among self-employed workers in this sector.

“Firms may be prioritising leaner but permanent headcount, while workers gravitate towards stability amid uncertainty,” said MOM.

Job vacancies fell to 73,300 in March from 77,700 in December 2025, driven by a decline in non-PMET vacancies.

There continued to be more job vacancies than unemployed people, although the overall ratio of vacancies to the unemployed declined to 1.46 in March from 1.58 in December 2025.

Unemployment rates in March remained low and stable, said MOM – at 2 per cent overall, 2.9 per cent for residents and 3.1 per cent for citizens.

The resident long-term unemployment rate held steady at 0.9 per cent.