Singapore unemployment situation keeps improving in April for citizens, residents

SINGAPORE'S unemployment rates for residents and citizens continued to decrease in April, though the overall unemployment rate stalled, according to a Manpower Ministry (MOM) release on Thursday.

The overall, resident and citizen unemployment rates have been declining since September's peak.

In April, both the resident and citizen unemployment rates fell a further 0.1 percentage point, to 3.9 per cent and 4.1 per cent respectively.

The overall rate was unchanged from March at 2.9 per cent, having earlier fallen from February's 3 per cent figure.

In April, 92,100 residents were unemployed, of whom 82,800 were citizens. This was down from 95,500 unemployed residents in March, according to the MOM's Labour Market Advance Release for the first quarter, which did not include a figure for citizens.

In a Facebook post, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said: "While I am thankful that our various partners and stakeholders have worked with us collectively to boost job matches and keep unemployment rates on a downward trend, I am also mindful that our unemployment rates remain elevated."

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"We will continue to monitor our unemployment rates closely, especially as businesses in certain sectors are again faced with challenges with the recent tightening of measures in Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)," he added.

He urged businesses to tap available support measures to pivot and transform for the new normal, and highlighted a range of support for jobseekers, from opportunities in the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, to virtual career fairs and workshops by Workforce Singapore, and career guidance from career coaches and ambassadors.

READ MORE: Singapore unemployment rates fall for fourth straight month in February