In the latest employment statistics by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), employment growth in Singapore was the slowest since 2003 at 0.4% in 2016. Median real income growth also shrank to 3.3% in 2016 as compared to 5.3% in 2015.
In 2016, total employment increased by 16,400 (0.4%) – half of 32,300 (0.9%) in 2015. Employment for foreigners fell for the first time since 2009, at 2,500 jobs (0.2%) lost in 2016. Out of the 16,400 (0.4%) jobs created, 10,700 (0.2%) went to citizens and permanent residents. MOM wrote in its report:
“The moderation in total employment in 2016 took place amid slower growth in the Singapore economy, slowdown in local labour force growth and continued tightening of the supply of foreign workforce.”
As of December 2016, excluding foreign domestic workers, Singaporeans and permanent residents made up 66.4% of the population.