Labour Force in Singapore 2023

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KEY FINDINGS

Singapore’s labour market remained tight in 2023 as indicators related to labour underutilisation continued to improve. While employment rate declined due to the weaker economic environment, Singapore maintained its high ranking (fourth in 2023) compared to countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Nominal incomes continued to rise, but due to higher inflation, real incomes fell in 2023. The gap in income between the 20th percentile (P20) and median (P50) worker has narrowed in the last decade, reflecting the efficacy of collective measures to uplift lower-wage workers.
The share of females in the resident labour force has increased, due to the rising educational profile of females and facilitative workplace practices (e.g. flexible work arrangements) that have helped females stay in the labour force.
The proportion of residents in self-employment continued to decline in 2023. This decline was driven by the drop in the share of employers and own account workers. The share of regular own account workers who faced challenges continued to decline in 2023, falling below pre-pandemic levels. This decline followed from longer-term collective efforts from the government and tripartite partners to address key issues that own account workers faced, such as concerns regarding healthcare, retirement, payment-related disputes and loss of income in the event of work injury.

For more key findings, please refer to the highlights of the report.

Report Sections

Preface	PDF	139KB
Infographic	PDF	963KB
Part I: Labour Force in Singapore 2023
Highlights	PDF	100KB
Labour Force in Singapore 2023	PDF	8.1MB
Part II: Survey Coverage and Methodology
Survey Coverage and Methodology	PDF	139KB
Part III: Statistical Tables
Labour Force
Section A - Table A1 - 16: Labour Force Status of the Resident Population, Resident Labour Force Characteristics, Labour Force Participation Rate	EXCEL	73KB
Employment
Section B - Table B1 - 2: Employment Rate	EXCEL	28KB
Section C - Table C1 - 17: Gross Monthly Income from Employment	EXCEL	92KB
Section D - Table D1 - 17: Employed Residents by Occupation and Industry, Crossed by Demographic Characteristics	EXCEL	84KB
Section E - Table E1 - 13: Employed Residents by Employment Status and Nature of Employment Crossed by Demographic Characteristics, Resident Part-Time Workers by Reasons for Working Part-Time, and Time-Related Under-Employed Residents Crossed by Demographic Characteristics	EXCEL	53KB
Section F - Table F1 - 13: Usual Hours Worked	EXCEL	65KB
Section G - Table G1 - 7: Median Age of Employed Residents by Sex Crossed by Occupation and Industry; and Employed Residents by Sex Crossed by Demographic Characteristics	EXCEL	41KB
Section H - Table H1 - 3: Job Mobility and Multiple Job Holding	EXCEL	31KB
Section I - Table I1 - 4: Resident Employees by Type of Employment and Years in Current Job Crossed by Selected Characteristics	EXCEL	44KB
Section J - Table J1 - 3: Resident Own Account Workers by Selected Characteristics	EXCEL	28KB
Unemployment
Section K - Table K1 - 21: Resident Unemployed and Unemployment Rate by Selected Characteristics, Resident Long-Term Unemployed and Long-Term Unemployment Rate by Selected Characteristics, Unemployed Residents by Main Reason for Leaving Previous Job, and Median Duration of Unemployment	EXCEL	83KB
Outside the Labour Force
Section L - Table L1 - 13: Residents Outside the Labour Force and Resident Potential Entrants by Selected Characteristics and Main Reasons for Not Working	EXCEL	68KB
Notations and Abbreviations	PDF	331KB
Copyright Notice	PDF	83kB

​​​KEY FINDINGS

Report Sections

Part I: Labour Force in Singapore 2023

Part II: Survey Coverage and Methodology

Part III: Statistical Tables

KEY FINDINGS