Unemployment rate (annual) in Singapore

Singapore Department of Statistics · Quarterly · Importance

IMF forecast (WEO): 2026: 2.0% 2027: 2.0% 2028: 2.1% 2029: 2.1% 2030: 2.1% 2031: 2.1%

2.0% (Q2-26) ABS · % · Quarterly · CSV

Period	%
Apr 2026	2.0%
Jan 2026	2.0%
Oct 2025	2.0%
Jul 2025	2.0%
Apr 2025	2.0%
Jan 2025	2.0%
Oct 2024	1.9%
Jul 2024	1.9%
Apr 2024	2.0%
Jan 2024	2.0%
Oct 2023	2.0%
Jul 2023	2.0%
Apr 2023	2.0%
Jan 2023	1.8%
Oct 2022	2.0%
Jul 2022	2.1%
Apr 2022	2.1%
Jan 2022	2.2%
Oct 2021	2.4%
Jul 2021	2.6%
Apr 2021	2.7%
Jan 2021	2.9%
Oct 2020	3.2%
Jul 2020	3.4%
Apr 2020	3.0%
Jan 2020	2.5%
Oct 2019	2.2%
Jul 2019	2.2%
Apr 2019	2.3%
Jan 2019	2.2%
Oct 2018	2.2%
Jul 2018	2.1%
Apr 2018	2.1%
Jan 2018	2.1%
Oct 2017	2.1%
Jul 2017	2.1%
Apr 2017	2.2%
Jan 2017	2.3%
Oct 2016	2.2%
Jul 2016	2.1%
Apr 2016	2.1%
Jan 2016	1.9%
Oct 2015	1.9%
Jul 2015	1.9%
Apr 2015	2.0%
Jan 2015	1.8%
Oct 2014	1.9%
Jul 2014	1.9%
Apr 2014	1.9%
Jan 2014	2.1%
Oct 2013	1.9%
Jul 2013	1.8%
Apr 2013	2.0%
Jan 2013	1.9%
Oct 2012	1.9%
Jul 2012	1.9%
Apr 2012	1.9%
Jan 2012	2.1%
Oct 2011	2.1%
Jul 2011	2.1%

Period	pp
Oct 1999	-0.6
Jul 1999	0.3
Apr 1999	-0.4
Jan 1999	-0.3
Oct 1998	0.1
Jul 1998	1.4
Apr 1998	0.2
Jan 1998	0.2
Oct 1997	0.1
Jul 1997	0.0
Apr 1997	0.0
Jan 1997	-0.1
Oct 1996	0.0
Jul 1996	-0.3
Apr 1996	0.0
Jan 1996	0.1
Oct 1995	0.1
Jul 1995	-0.3
Apr 1995	0.2
Jan 1995	-0.1
Oct 1994	0.0
Jul 1994	0.2
Apr 1994	-0.1
Jan 1994	0.1
Oct 1993	-0.2
Jul 1993	0.0
Apr 1993	0.3
Jan 1993	-0.1
Oct 1992	-0.4
Jul 1992	0.2
Apr 1992	0.0

Period	pp
Oct 1999	-1.0
Jul 1999	-0.3
Apr 1999	0.8
Jan 1999	1.4
Oct 1998	1.9
Jul 1998	1.9
Apr 1998	0.5
Jan 1998	0.3
Oct 1997	0.0
Jul 1997	-0.1
Apr 1997	-0.4
Jan 1997	-0.4
Oct 1996	-0.2
Jul 1996	-0.1
Apr 1996	-0.1
Jan 1996	0.1
Oct 1995	-0.1
Jul 1995	-0.2
Apr 1995	0.3
Jan 1995	0.0
Oct 1994	0.2
Jul 1994	0.0
Apr 1994	-0.2
Jan 1994	0.2
Oct 1993	0.0
Jul 1993	-0.2
Apr 1993	0.0
Jan 1993	-0.3

About this indicator

Source

Singapore Department of Statistics

Frequency

Quarterly

Release

Published annually, covering the full year and subject to revision.

What it is

Singapore's unemployment rate is the share of jobless people as a percentage of the total labour force. It is the main gauge of the state of the labour market and of the economy's capacity to create jobs.

How it's calculated

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), through its research and statistics unit, estimates it from household surveys and labour records, reported for residents and for the total, following ILO criteria. A person is counted as unemployed if they are jobless, available for work and actively seeking it.

Market implications

Its path reveals the momentum of the economy and the strength of the labour market. In an open, trade-dependent economy it is a sensitive barometer of the global cycle; a tight labour market supports consumption and household income.

Limitations

The rate is structurally low and moves within a narrow band, so small changes can look large. Heavy use of foreign labour distorts the reading relative to the resident measure, and preliminary figures are revised.