DiscovergleCareer advice
Reading Singapore's Labour Market Data: A Practical Guide
Headlines compress a lot. Here is what the main labour figures actually measure.
Key takeaways
- Unemployment and job vacancy figures tell different stories.
- Look at the sector and role, not just the headline number.
- Wage figures are medians, not promises.
- Use official publications first, commentary second.
Unemploymentshare of the labour force looking for work
Vacanciesopenings reported by employers
Median wagethe middle, not the average
Unemployment rate
Shows how many people are looking for work. It is low in Singapore, but it does not show underemployment or mismatches.
Job vacancies
Counts openings employers report. It is different from the number of listings you see online.
Wages
Medians help you see the middle of the range. Individual pay depends on experience and employer.
A simple routine
- Read the summary of the latest MOM report.
- Check the sector table for your field.
- Compare with recent listings.
See also which sectors are hiring.
Common questions
What is the difference between job vacancies and openings you see online?
Official figures count vacancies reported by employers. Listings online may be duplicated or already filled.
Where are the official tables?
The MOM Manpower Research and Statistics pages and SingStat publish them.