Singapore Has 68,600 Job Vacancies. So Why Is It Taking Longer to Find a Job?

Singapore had 68,600 job vacancies in June 2026 and overall unemployment of just 1.9 percent. On paper, that looks like good news for anyone job hunting. Yet workers who lost their jobs in the second quarter took noticeably longer to find their next role than those retrenched just three months earlier. Both facts are true at the same time, and understanding why matters for every employer planning headcount and every professional planning a career move in the second half of 2026.

This article is based on the Ministry of Manpower's full Labour Market Report for the second quarter of 2026, released on 21 September 2026. It builds on the Advance Release figures MOM published in July, adding the fuller picture: vacancy data, entry-level PMET numbers, and, critically, how long retrenched residents are taking to re-enter employment.

Singapore's Labour Market Is Still Growing, But Not Evenly

Total employment grew by 11,400 in Q2 2026, ahead of the 9,400 added in Q1 and continuing an unbroken run of quarterly growth. Non-resident employment did most of the heavy lifting, up 9,200 and led by Work Permit holders in Construction and Manufacturing. Resident employment growth slowed to 2,200, down from 5,400 the previous quarter, though residents still gained ground in Transportation & Storage, Public Administration & Education, Health & Social Services, as well as outward-oriented sectors including Professional Services, Financial Services and Information & Communications.

Singapore's economy grew 5.9 percent year-on-year in Q2, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry as cited in MOM's report, easing slightly from 6.3 percent in Q1. Growth is continuing, in other words, but the composition is shifting, and residents are not capturing the expansion at the same pace as before.

68,600 Vacancies, Yet Job Searches Are Taking Longer

Here is the tension at the heart of this report. Job vacancies eased from 73,300 in March to 68,600 in June, largely due to fewer PMET vacancies in Financial Services and Information & Communications. Even so, there were still 1.48 vacancies for every unemployed person in Singapore, similar to the 1.46 recorded in March. By that measure, the market remains relatively tight.

At the same time, the proportion of retrenched residents who found new employment within six months fell from 60.7 percent in Q1 to 54.9 percent in Q2. MOM's own report is direct on this point: retrenched workers were taking longer to secure new employment. Importantly, the 12-month re-entry rate held broadly stable, edging up from 69.4 percent to 69.8 percent. Taken together, the figures point to longer job searches in the near term, while longer-term re-entry outcomes have so far remained broadly stable.

Separately, Reeracoen's Singapore Hiring Manager Survey, conducted with Rakuten Insight among 375 Singapore-based hiring managers, offers additional context on one challenge some jobseekers may face during a search. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they hold reservations about candidates who have been unemployed for more than three months, and only 30.5 percent view such candidates as equally qualified to those in continuous employment. This is offered as general context on the current hiring environment, not as an explanation for MOM's Q2 2026 findings.

The Number Employers Should Watch: 1.48 Vacancies Per Unemployed Person

A ratio above 1.0 means there are, in theory, more open roles than people looking for work. That sounds like a straightforward hiring advantage, but it can be misleading if read as “talent is now easy to find.” The ratio is an economy-wide average; it says nothing about whether the specific skills an employer needs actually match the residents currently searching.

Reeracoen's hiring managers flagged tech engineers (both hardware and software), sales and business development professionals, and logistics, skilled trades and planning roles as consistently the hardest to fill, even in a market with more vacancies than jobseekers overall. This is consistent with MOM's note that the fall in vacancies was concentrated in specific sectors rather than spread evenly. We would suggest employers treat 1.48 as a market-level signal to plan around, not a guarantee that any individual role will be filled quickly. A skills-based, role-specific approach to sourcing, rather than assuming general market slack will produce suitable candidates, remains the more reliable path.

31,700 Entry-Level PMET Vacancies: What This Means for Early-Career Talent

Entry-level PMET vacancies held up well relative to the overall vacancy decline. They stood at 31,700 in June, representing 45.3 percent of all vacancies, up from 43.6 percent (32,800 vacancies) in March. In other words, even as total vacancies fell, entry-level PMET roles became a larger share of what remained open.

For fresh graduates and early-career professionals, this is a meaningfully different picture from the retrenchment headlines. MOM highlighted the GRaduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) scheme, open to the 2026 graduating cohort, as one route into the workforce via MyCareersFuture and Careers@Gov. From an employer's perspective, this entry-level pool represents a genuine opportunity to build talent pipelines at a stage when competition for experienced hires in harder-to-fill roles can remain challenging.

Retrenchments Are Rising, But the Longer-Term Picture Matters

Retrenchments increased from 3,830 in Q1 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 employees) to 4,620 in Q2 (2.0 per 1,000), driven by business reorganisation and restructuring in Manufacturing, Information & Communications and Financial Services. Resident long-term unemployment also edged up, from 0.9 percent in March to 1.0 percent in June.

It would be a mistake, however, to read rising retrenchments as a sign that hiring has become easy. As MOM's report notes, the 12-month re-entry rate for retrenched residents remained broadly stable at 69.8 percent. The 12-month re-entry rate remained broadly stable at 69.8%, while the weaker six-month rate indicates that retrenched residents were taking longer to secure new employment.

What Employers Should Take From the Q2 2026 Data

●    Do not assume rising retrenchments automatically mean talent is easier or faster to hire; sector and skills alignment still matter more than headline numbers
●    Build realistic hiring timelines, particularly for roles Reeracoen's data flags as among the hardest to fill, such as tech, sales and logistics
●    Consider a skills-based, targeted recruitment approach over broad postings, especially where the specific skill set is scarce
●    Treat entry-level PMET hiring as a genuine pipeline-building opportunity while the segment remains sizeable
●    Look beyond headline employment growth when planning headcount. Candidate availability can vary significantly by sector, occupation and skill set.

What Jobseekers Should Take From the Q2 2026 Data

●    A relatively tight labour market, on paper, does not guarantee a quick job search; matching still depends on sector, occupation and skills alignment
●    A longer search should not automatically be read as “there are no jobs.” MOM's data shows vacancies remain sizeable and entry-level PMET opportunities are holding up
●    Reeracoen's survey data suggests employers respond well to recent certifications or training, a clear motivation or re-entry narrative, and strong, relevant work experience; these are worth prioritising if a search is extending
●    Widening the search to adjacent sectors or roles, and working with a recruitment partner who understands where demand actually sits, can help surface opportunities that are not always visible through direct applications alone

What to Watch in Q4 2026

Hiring sentiment is cautiously improving: the share of firms intending to hire in the next three months rose from 43.9 percent in June to 48.7 percent in July, though it remains below February 2026 levels. Wage increase intentions eased slightly, from 29.3 percent to 27.9 percent, over the same period. Whether resident employment growth recovers, and whether the six-month re-entry rate stabilises or continues to soften, will be the two figures worth watching when MOM's next report is released.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Singapore's job market still resilient in 2026?

MOM describes Singapore's labour market in Q2 2026 as resilient overall, with continued employment growth and low unemployment. At the same time, MOM notes that conditions became less favourable for some resident workers, with resident employment growth moderating, retrenchments increasing and six-month re-entry outcomes weakening. “Resilient” therefore does not mean equally easy for every jobseeker.

How many job vacancies are there in Singapore in 2026?

There were 68,600 job vacancies as of June 2026, according to MOM, equivalent to 1.48 vacancies for every unemployed person. This is down from 73,300 in March 2026, mainly due to fewer PMET vacancies in Financial Services and Information & Communications.

Why is it taking longer for retrenched workers to find jobs?

MOM's data shows the six-month re-entry rate for retrenched residents fell to 54.9 percent in Q2 2026, from 60.7 percent in Q1. The 12-month re-entry rate remained broadly stable at 69.8 percent, suggesting most retrenched residents do find new roles, but the process is taking longer.

Are there still PMET jobs available in Singapore?

Yes. Entry-level PMET vacancies stood at 31,700 in June 2026, representing 45.3 percent of all job vacancies, an increased share compared with March 2026 even as overall vacancies declined.

Are Singapore employers still hiring in 2026?

Yes. The share of firms intending to hire over the next three months rose to 48.7 percent in July 2026, from 43.9 percent in June, though hiring and wage intentions both remain below their February 2026 levels.

Ready to Act on Singapore's Q2 2026 Labour Market Data?

For employers: If you are planning headcount for the rest of 2026 and want hiring timelines and role-specific insight grounded in current market data, speak with a Reeracoen recruitment consultant to discuss your workforce plan. 

For jobseekers: If your search is taking longer than expected, register with Reeracoen to be matched with roles aligned to your skills and experience across our Singapore and regional network.

Related Articles

●    Should You Keep Hiring? What Singapore's Labour Market Is Actually Telling Us Right Now 
●    Singapore’s Hottest Careers for H2 2026: 10 In-Demand Roles With the Best Pay and Work-Life Balance 
●    Class of 2026: A Realistic Job-Hunting Guide for Singapore Fresh Graduates 

About the Author

Valerie Ong, Regional Head of Marketing, Reeracoen Group

Valerie leads content and market insights for Reeracoen across Southeast 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.

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

References

●    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
●    Ministry of Trade and Industry, Economic Survey of Singapore, Second Quarter 2026 (as cited in MOM's Q2 2026 Labour Market Report)
●    Reeracoen Singapore x Rakuten Insight, Singapore Hiring Manager Survey 2025-2026
●    Reeracoen Singapore, Hiring Pulse, March 2026 edition

This article is based on official government data and Reeracoen's proprietary research as of the publication date. It is intended for general informational purposes and should not be construed as professional, legal, financial or investment advice. Market conditions may evolve.