{
  "id": 8837083,
  "title": "Singapore labour market expands in Q2 even as retrenchments rise and job vacancies fall",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/singapore-labour-market-expands-in-q2-even-as-retrenchments-rise-and",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-21T04:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/spore-labour-market-expands-in-q2-even-as-retrenchments-rise-and-job-vacancies-fall"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singapore's labour market experienced a mixed outlook in the second quarter of 2026, with retrenchments reaching a post-pandemic high while job vacancies fell. According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), 4,620 workers were laid off in the second quarter, the highest number since the third quarter of 2020. This translates to approximately two workers being retrenched for every 1,000 employees, up from 3,830 retrenchments in the first quarter. The rise in retrenchments is primarily attributed to restructuring efforts in sectors such as manufacturing, information and communications, and financial services. However, the labour market shows signs of softening, with a decrease in job vacancies from 73,300 in March to 68,600 in June, mainly due to a drop in vacancies for professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs). Despite the overall decline, there were still more job vacancies than unemployed people, with 1.48 vacancies per unemployed person. Retrenched workers also took longer to find new jobs, with only 54.9 per cent finding employment within six months, down from 60.7 per cent in the first quarter. However, 70 per cent of retrenched workers found new jobs within a year. Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau acknowledged the challenges faced by some workers during the transition to new roles, stating that the government would support them through career conversion programmes, allowing them to gain real experience and build on their existing skills. While retrenchments increased, total employment rose by 11,400, marking the 19th consecutive quarter of growth. Resident employment growth, however, slowed in the three months to June, mainly driven by sectors like transportation, public administration, education, and health and social services. Non-resident employment growth was driven by work permit holders in construction and manufacturing sectors. Despite a slight rise in the long-term unemployment rate to 1 per cent, unemployment rates remained low and stable at 1.9 per cent overall and 2.9 per cent for residents in June. MOM's business expectation polls suggest a positive but cautious outlook for the labour market, with near-term hiring expectations improving across more sectors, but wage expectations remaining below February levels.",
  "summary": "Despite the overall decline, there are still more job vacancies than unemployed people.",
  "key_points": [
    "Retrenchments hit post-pandemic high with 4,620 workers laid off in Q2 2026.",
    "Job vacancies fell from 73,300 in March to 68,600 in June, driven by PMET vacancies drop.",
    "Government to support retrenched workers through career conversion programmes."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Straits Times Business",
        "title": "Singapore labour market expands in Q2 even as retrenchments rise and job vacancies fall",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/singapore-labour-market-expands-in-q2-even-as-retrenchments-rise-and-8839746",
        "published": "2026-09-21T04:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}