What Singapore's 2026 Hiring Data Tells Employers About 2027

By December, most employers have a view on what 2026 felt like: steady in some teams, harder in others. The official data adds a clearer picture. It does not predict 2027, but it does show where the market has been moving, and which assumptions are worth checking before next year's hiring plans are locked in.

In short: Singapore's labour market in 2026 has remained resilient but more measured. Ministry of Manpower (MOM) data shows employment still growing and job vacancies still outnumbering unemployed persons, but vacancies easing from their end-2025 level, retrenchments edging up, and hiring and wage intentions staying below early-2026 levels. Skills shortages in technology, data and engineering roles persist. For 2027, this points to a market where targeted hiring, realistic briefs and earlier planning for specialist roles matter more than broad headcount growth.

Key numbers from 2026 so far Job vacancies eased from 77,700 in December 2025 to 68,600 in June 2026, but there were still 1.48 vacancies per unemployed person (MOM). Retrenchments rose from 3,830 in the first quarter to 4,620 in the second quarter of 2026 (MOM). The share of retrenched residents re-entering employment within six months fell from 60.7% to 54.9% over the same period (MOM). 48.7% of firms planned to hire in the three months after July 2026, below the 54.6% recorded in February 2026 (MOM). 32% of Singapore businesses were hiring selectively and 8% were expanding headcount in June 2026 (Reeracoen x Rakuten Insight, ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026, Singapore n=301).

 

The 2026 Labour Market at a Glance

Indicator	4Q 2025 (Dec)	1Q 2026 (Mar)	2Q 2026 (Jun)
Job vacancies	77,700	73,300	68,600
Vacancies per unemployed person	1.58	1.46	1.48
Overall unemployment rate	2.0%	2.0%	1.9%
Resident unemployment rate	2.9%	2.9%	2.9%
Retrenchments in the quarter	3,690	3,830	4,620
Retrenched residents re-employed within six months	57.4%	60.7%	54.9%

 

Source: MOM Labour Market Reports for 4Q 2025, 1Q 2026 and 2Q 2026.

Signal 1: Employment Is Still Growing, but Resident Growth Slowed

MOM reported total employment growth of 9,400 in the first quarter and 11,400 in the second quarter of 2026. Beneath that, resident employment growth slowed from 5,400 to 2,200, while non-resident growth in the second quarter was driven mainly by Work Permit holders in construction and manufacturing. Resident employment grew mainly in transportation and storage, public administration and education, health and social services, professional services, financial services, and information and communications.

What it may mean for 2027: headline employment growth does not necessarily mean the local professional talent pool is expanding at the same pace. Employers hiring residents for professional roles may want to plan for competition in the sectors where resident employment is growing.

Signal 2: Vacancies Eased, but Demand Has Not Disappeared

Job vacancies fell from 77,700 in December 2025 to 68,600 in June 2026. MOM attributed the second-quarter fall mainly to fewer professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) vacancies in financial services and information and communications. Even so, vacancies still outnumbered unemployed persons, at 1.48 per unemployed person in June. Entry-level PMET vacancies remained broadly stable, making up 45.3% of vacancies in June 2026.

What it may mean for 2027: a softer vacancy count does not automatically make every role easier to fill. Demand has become more selective rather than disappearing, which is consistent with Reeracoen's own research: in June 2026, selective hiring (32%) was the most common hiring position among Singapore businesses, while 8% were expanding headcount.

Signal 3: Retrenchments Rose, but Candidate Availability Still Needs Careful Assessment

Retrenchments rose from 3,830 in the first quarter to 4,620 in the second quarter of 2026, with increases in manufacturing, information and communications, and financial services. At the same time, the share of retrenched residents who found work within six months fell from 60.7% to 54.9%.

What it may mean for 2027: Retrenchments and slower re-employment may create opportunities to engage candidates with relevant experience. However, availability will vary by occupation and skill set. Employers who assess demonstrated capabilities rather than relying on employment gaps alone may identify suitable candidates they would otherwise overlook.

Signal 4: Hiring and Wage Intentions Remain Measured

MOM business expectations poll	Feb 2026	Mar 2026	Jun 2026	Jul 2026
Firms planning to hire (next 3 months)	54.6%	44.6%	43.9%	48.7%
Firms planning to raise wages (next 3 months)	39.3%	25.4%	29.3%	27.9%

 

Hiring intentions recovered somewhat by July, but MOM noted that both hiring and wage expectations remained below their February 2026 levels, and described the outlook as positive but cautious. MOM's Report on Wage Practices 2025 also showed fewer establishments granting wage increases in 2025 (72.4%) than in 2024 (78.3%).

What it may mean for 2027: pay budgets are likely to remain under scrutiny. Our article on 2027 salary budgets looks at when paying more is justified and when the role brief should change instead.

Signal 5: Earlier Vacancy Evidence Highlights Specialist Hiring Challenges

MOM's Job Vacancies 2025 report found that nearly half of vacancies (49.3%) were for newly created positions, and that PMET roles made up 56.3% of vacancies. Among PMET vacancies unfilled for six months or more, the largest shares were for software, web, multimedia and games developers and designers (7.0%), data scientists (5.3%), teaching and training professionals (4.9%), civil engineers (3.5%) and applications and systems programmers (3.2%). Employers most often cited a lack of specialised skills (52.3%) and a lack of work experience (48.2%) as the reasons PMET vacancies were hard to fill.

MOM linked demand for software, systems and data roles to firms expanding advanced analytics and AI-enabled systems. Reeracoen's June 2026 research points the same way: 33% of Singapore businesses cited technology or AI as their top growth opportunity, the highest share among the six ASEAN markets surveyed.

What it may mean for 2027: The 2025 vacancy evidence identifies specialist roles that employers may need to plan for carefully in 2027. Before assuming these shortages persist, employers should check current candidate availability, refine essential requirements and allow realistic recruitment lead times.

What Employers Should Watch Before January

• MOM's third-quarter 2026 labour market data, which show whether the trends above continued into the second half of the year.
• The National Wages Council 2026/2027 guidelines, which cover 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2027.
• Confirmed 2027 policy changes, including higher CPF contribution rates for senior workers from 1 January 2027 and higher Employment Pass and S Pass qualifying salaries for new applications from January 2027. Our upcoming article on 2027 hiring costs covers these in detail.

From Data to Decisions

The 2026 data does not describe a market in retreat. It describes one that is more selective: still creating jobs, still short of specialist skills, but more careful about headcount and pay. Based on Reeracoen's observations, employers who plan earlier, brief more precisely and look beyond conventional candidate profiles are likely to be better placed as 2027 begins.

Plan Your 2027 Hiring With Reeracoen Singapore

For employers: Turning 2026 market signals into a 2027 hiring plan? Speak with Reeracoen Singapore's specialist recruitment consultants about role priorities, salary benchmarks and candidate availability.

Get the guide: Download Reeracoen's Singapore Salary & Hiring Guide 2026/2027 for salary benchmarks and hiring insights.

For professionals: Planning your next move in 2027? Register with Reeracoen Singapore to explore opportunities in your field.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the hiring outlook for Singapore in 2027?

Official forecasts for 2027 hiring are not yet available. MOM data for 2026 so far shows a resilient but cautious market: employment growing, vacancies still above the number of unemployed persons, and hiring and wage intentions below early-2026 levels. This suggests a selective rather than broad-based hiring environment heading into 2027.

How many job vacancies were there in Singapore in 2026?

MOM reported 73,300 seasonally adjusted job vacancies in March 2026 and 68,600 in June 2026, down from 77,700 in December 2025. There were 1.48 vacancies per unemployed person in June 2026.

Are retrenchments rising in Singapore?

Retrenchments rose from 3,830 in the first quarter of 2026 to 4,620 in the second quarter, according to MOM, with increases in manufacturing, information and communications, and financial services.

Which jobs are hardest to fill in Singapore?

MOM's Job Vacancies 2025 report found that software, web, multimedia and games developers and designers, data scientists, teaching and training professionals, civil engineers, and applications and systems programmers accounted for the largest shares of PMET vacancies unfilled for six months or more.

What should employers do now to prepare for 2027 hiring?

Review which roles are most critical, check salary budgets against current benchmarks, allow longer lead times for specialist roles, and monitor MOM's latest labour market data and the NWC 2026/2027 guidelines before finalising plans.

Related Articles

• 2027 Workforce Planning: Five Critical Roles Singapore Employers Should Map Before January
• Singapore Salary Budgets for 2027: Where Should Employers Pay More, and Where Should They Recheck the Role?
• Singapore's Labour Market in Q2 2026: Growth, Restructuring and Why Selective Hiring Isn't the Same as a Slowdown

About the Author

Valerie Ong

Regional Head of Marketing, Reeracoen Group

Valerie leads content and market insights for Reeracoen across Asia. She works closely with Reeracoen's specialist recruitment consultants to translate hiring data, salary benchmarks and labour market trends into practical guidance for Singapore's employers and professionals. Her work draws on Reeracoen's proprietary research including the annual Salary Guide, Hiring Pulse, and Hiring Manager Survey.

Language note: This article is published in English. Reeracoen Singapore also publishes selected content in Chinese and Japanese for our bilingual and Japanese-speaking professional community.

References

1. Ministry of Manpower. Labour Market Report, Fourth Quarter 2025 (20 March 2026). https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0320-labour-market-4q-2025
2. Ministry of Manpower. Labour Market Report, First Quarter 2026. https://stats.mom.gov.sg/iMAS_PdfLibrary/mrsd-Labour-Market-Report-1Q-2026.pdf
3. Ministry of Manpower. Labour Market Report, Second Quarter 2026 (21 September 2026). https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0921-labour-market-report---second-quarter-2026
4. Ministry of Manpower. Job Vacancies 2025 (20 March 2026). https://stats.mom.gov.sg/iMAS_PdfLibrary/mrsd_JV2025.pdf
5. Ministry of Manpower. Report on Wage Practices 2025 (28 May 2026). https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0528-report-on-wage-practices-2025
6. Ministry of Manpower. Convening of the National Wages Council 2026/2027 (7 August 2026). https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0807-convening-of-nwc-2627
7. Reeracoen x Rakuten Insight. The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Report 2026 (fieldwork June 2026; Singapore business sample n=301).

 

 

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only and does not constitute professional advice. Official statistics are correct as of the dates cited; please refer to MOM for the latest figures. Interpretations are Reeracoen's views and are not forecasts.