Retrenchments in Singapore inch up in Q3 2026

Business reorganisation continued to be the main driver of retrenchments, said the Manpower Ministry, with layoffs remaining elevated in selected outward-oriented sectors such as information and communications, financial services and manufacturing.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Published Oct 30, 2026, 10:30 AM

Updated Oct 30, 2026, 12:16 PM

Retrenchments in Singapore rose in Q3 2026. MOM said 4,800 layoffs were recorded, up 3.9% from 4,620, the highest since late 2020.

Business reorganisation was the main cause. Layoffs stayed high in information and communications, financial services and manufacturing, while total employment grew by 27,700.

Unemployment stayed at 2.0%, but resident and citizen rates rose slightly. MOM said more firms expect to hire and raise wages, yet retrenchment risks need close monitoring.

SINGAPORE – Retrenchments edged up in the third quarter of 2026, according to preliminary labour market data from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Oct 30.

There were 4,800 layoffs between July and September, up 3.9% from 4,620 in the previous quarter, the highest numbers since late 2020. The incidence of retrenchment held constant at 2.0 for every 1,000 employees.

Business reorganisation continued to be the main driver of retrenchments , said MOM, with layoffs remaining elevated in selected outward-oriented sectors such as information and communications, financial services and manufacturing.

Employment grew more quickly than in the previous quarter for both residents and non-residents, with the latter accounting for the majority of employment growth.

Total employment rose by 27,700, up from 11,400 in the previous quarter and 25,100 in the same period last year.

Growth in resident employment was mainly supported by essential and public services, while non-resident employment growth was mainly in sectors such as construction and manufacturing, MOM said.

The overall unemployment rate held unchanged at 2.0% in September, with resident and citizen unemployment rates up slightly at 3.0% and 3.1% respectively, from 2.9% and 3.0% in August.

Looking ahead, more companies in an MOM poll expected to hire and raise wages over the next three months, but a slightly larger share of firms also expected to retrench.

The share of firms expecting to hire in the next three months rose from 30.5% in August to 42.3% in September, while those expecting to raise wages rose from 16.9% to 19.9%. These figures were below July’s levels, suggesting that employers remained cautious amid economic uncertainty, MOM said.

Meanwhile, 3.1% of firms said in September that they expected to retrench, up from 2.8% in August.

“This increase, alongside higher actual retrenchments, points to emerging weaknesses in parts of the labour market that warrant close monitoring, even as the overall market continued to expand,” said MOM.

The ministry urged companies to adapt and invest in their workforce, and workers to keep their skills relevant, amid a more uncertain global outlook and rapid technological change.

Firms can tap schemes such as career conversion programmes and the Mid-Career Pathways Programme to reskill or upskill workers, and a SkillsFuture Workforce Development Grant for workforce transformation.

Singaporean workers can seek out career guidance and job-matching services by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute. They can also upskill using the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme and Workfare Skills Support for mid-career and lower-wage workers respectively.

Fresh graduates may apply for Graduate Industry Traineeships to help enter the workforce, while the involuntarily unemployed can get temporary financial assistance using the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme.

MOM will release fuller labour market data for the third quarter in mid-December 2026 .

Ministry of Manpower

人力部表示，企业重组仍然是裁员的主要驱动因素，信息通信、金融服务和制造业等部分对外导向型行业的裁员人数仍然居高不下。

ST 照片：林耀辉

发布于2026年10月30日上午10:30

更新于2026年10月30日下午12:16

新加坡2026年第三季度裁员人数上升。人力部表示，当季裁员人数为4800人，比上一季度的4620人增加了3.9%，为2020年底以来的最高水平。

企业重组是主要原因。信息通信、金融服务和制造业的裁员人数仍然居高不下，而总就业人数增加了27700人。

失业率维持在2.0%不变，但居民和公民的失业率略有上升。人力部表示，更多企业预计将招聘员工并提高工资，但仍需密切关注裁员风险。

新加坡——根据人力部 (MOM) 10 月 30 日公布的初步劳动力市场数据显示，2026 年第三季度裁员人数略有上升。

7 月至 9 月期间，共有 4800 人被裁员，比上一季度的 4620 人增加了 3.9%，这是自 2020 年底以来的最高数字。裁员发生率保持在每 1000 名员工 2.0 人。

人力部表示，企业重组仍然是裁员的主要驱动因素，信息通信、金融服务和制造业等部分对外导向型行业的裁员人数仍然居高不下。

居民和非居民的就业增长速度均比上一季度加快，其中非居民的就业增长占了大部分。

总就业人数增加了 27,700 人，高于上一季度的 11,400 人，也高于去年同期的 25,100 人。

人力部表示，居民就业增长主要得益于基本服务和公共服务，而非居民就业增长主要集中在建筑业和制造业等行业。

9月份整体失业率维持在2.0%不变，居民失业率和公民失业率分别略微上升至3.0%和3.1%，而8月份分别为2.9%和3.0%。

展望未来，新加坡人力部 (MOM) 的一项调查显示，预计未来三个月将有更多公司招聘员工并提高工资，但预计裁员的公司比例也略高一些。

人力部表示，预计未来三个月将招聘员工的企业比例从8月份的30.5%上升至9月份的42.3%，预计提高工资的企业比例也从16.9%上升至19.9%。这些数据低于7月份的水平，表明在经济形势不明朗的情况下，雇主仍然保持谨慎。

与此同时，9 月份有 3.1% 的公司表示预计将会裁员，高于 8 月份的 2.8%。

人力部表示：“这一增长，加上实际裁员人数的增加，表明劳动力市场某些部分出现了薄弱环节，需要密切关注，即使整体市场仍在扩张。”

鉴于全球前景更加不确定和技术快速变革，该部敦促各公司调整策略并投资于员工队伍，同时敦促员工保持技能的与时俱进。

企业可以利用职业转换计划和中期职业发展计划等方案来重新培训或提升员工技能，还可以利用技能创前程劳动力发展补助金来实现劳动力转型。

新加坡劳动者可以通过技能与劳动力发展局和全国职工总会就业与技能提升学院获得职业指导和工作匹配服务。他们还可以分别通过技能创前程提升计划和面向中年及低收入劳动者的就业福利技能支持计划来提升技能。

应届毕业生可以申请毕业生行业实习计划以帮助他们进入职场，而非自愿失业者可以通过技能创前程求职者支持计划获得临时经济援助。

人力部将于2026年12月中旬发布第三季度更完整的劳动力市场数据。

人力部