Singapore's employment expands for 19th straight quarter

(ECNS) -- Singapore's labour market sustained its upward momentum in the second quarter of 2026, with total employment rising for the 19th consecutive quarter.

Advance data from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), released Friday (Jul 31), showed total employment gained 10,700 in Q2. The growth outpaced the 9,400 rise in the first quarter and was roughly on par with the 10,400 increase in the same quarter last year.

The quarterly employment growth was mainly fuelled by non-resident workers, with hiring concentrated in construction and manufacturing. Growth in resident employment came chiefly from essential and public services, though at a slower pace than the prior quarter.

Unemployment stayed stable in June. The overall unemployment rate stood at 2.0 per cent. Resident unemployment was 2.9 per cent and citizen unemployment hit 3.0 per cent, largely unchanged from March readings.