New data secures Singapore's status as global employment hub
Job seekers across Asia are setting their sights in Singapore with the city-state seeing a 96% increase in foreign applicants in the past three years, according to the latest Indeed data.
Many of the foreign job seekers who are interested in finding employment in Singapore come from Malaysia (32%), India (16%), and the Philippines (7%).
"Singapore has always been a magnet for global talent due to its open economy and rich opportunities. The surge in job seekers from abroad is a testament to the city-state's resilience and its ability to provide a favourable environment for both local and foreign professionals," said Callam Pickering, APAC Senior Economist at Indeed, in a statement.
The interest in getting hired in Singapore spiked by 55.4% when the city-state's borders reopened to foreign workers in 2021, Indeed's data revealed.
‘Dynamic job market’
According to Pickering, the surge shows Singapore's enduring appeal as a global employment hub.
"Indeed's data suggests that Singapore's dynamic job market, coupled with its cosmopolitan culture, continues to attract individuals seeking new horizons and career growth," he said.
The most popular sectors for foreign jobseekers include administration (11%), technology (7%), management (5%), sales (5%), and manufacturing (5%). The most sought-after roles are:
- Administrative assistant (3%)
- Warehouse worker (3%)
- Quality surveyor (2%)
- Production employer (1%)
- Account executive (1%)
Singapore also has a greater concentration of jobs in management, tech, engineering, and banking, according to Indeed data, reflecting its status as a finance and tech hub in Asia.
Foreign employees in Singapore
The greater interest in working in Singapore comes as the city-state taps on the overseas talent pool to meet vacant roles.
Singapore last year unveiled a new special work visa, dubbed as the Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass), to attract the "best talent" overseas to Singapore.
"These are the rainmakers of the world, whom we hope to bring to Singapore, so that we can tap on their networks, grow teams around them and learn from their expertise, and through these efforts, we can level up our industries as well as our workforce," Manpower Minister Tan See Leng previously said.
The minister, however, told employers to uphold fair hiring practices and develop a "Singaporean core in their organisations" to ensure local talent are not robbed of opportunities.
"The global talent we attract must share knowledge and provide opportunities for others including their local colleagues, and outside of the workplace, to seek to understand and respect the norms in our society," he said.
