Economists see uneven employment growth in Singapore in 2023

SINGAPORE’S employment growth is expected to become more uneven in 2023, after expanding at a record level last year on the back of a rebound in the hiring of foreign workers.

Total employment grew by an unprecedented 231,700 in 2022, according to a preliminary report from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Tuesday (Jan 31). The increase was driven mainly by a growth in non-resident employment in the construction and manufacturing sectors, which are typically more reliant on foreign manpower.

Resident employment also grew in 2022, but at a slower pace than the year before. Growth was observed across most sectors, and particularly in outward-facing sectors such as financial services; information and communications; and community, social and personal services.