Singapore's unemployment rates back to pre-pandemic levels in January

SINGAPORE'S unemployment rates declined to pre-pandemic levels in January, according to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Manpower on Tuesday (Mar 8).

The overall unemployment rate declined to 2.3 per cent, from 2.4 per cent the month before.

Resident unemployment fell to 3.1 per cent from 3.2 per cent previously, while citizen unemployment fell to 3.3 per cent from 3.4 per cent the month before.

There were 75,000 unemployed residents in January, of whom 67,900 were citizens.

MOM began releasing monthly unemployment rates during the pandemic, for August 2020 onwards. Previously, they were released only on a quarterly basis.

The unemployment rates for January were around those seen in December 2019, when the overall unemployment rate was 2.3 percent.

Resident unemployment in December 2019 was at 3.2 per cent, while citizen unemployment was at 3.3 per cent.

January's unemployment rates also closed in to the average levels in 2018/2019, MOM said.

The quarterly average unemployment rates then were 2.2 per cent at the overall level, 3 per cent among residents, and 3.2 per cent among citizens.