Nearly half of Singapore’s job vacancies in 2025 were newly created roles

The labour market in Singapore remained tight through 2025, with job vacancies continuing to outnumber job seekers, even as companies adjusted hiring plans and shifted demand towards growth sectors such as technology, engineering and professional services.

According to the Job Vacancies 2025 report released by the Ministry of Manpower Singapore, nearly half of all job openings in 2025 were newly created roles, reflecting business expansion and restructuring across industries. 

Newly created positions accounted for 49.3% of vacancies, up from 45.7% in 2024, indicating that companies are not just replacing workers but creating new jobs as they evolve their business models.

Demand strongest in tech and engineering roles

Technology and engineering roles continued to dominate hiring demand. Positions such as software developers, data scientists, systems analysts, and AI and machine learning engineers remained among the most sought-after roles. Demand was also driven by advanced manufacturing and infrastructure projects, which supported hiring for engineering professionals across multiple fields.

These roles were also among the hardest to fill, largely due to specialised skills requirements and experience gaps, despite overall improvement in job matching across the labour market.

Skills-based hiring gains ground

One of the most significant trends highlighted in the report is the continued shift towards skills-based hiring. Employers reported that academic qualifications were not the main hiring criteria for nearly 80% of vacancies in 2025, as companies increasingly prioritised practical skills, competencies and adaptability.

Employers cited faster hiring, access to a broader talent pool and better employee performance as key reasons for moving towards skills-based recruitment.

Entry-level and mid-career opportunities remain available

The report also showed that job opportunities were available across experience levels. About 31.5% of vacancies required no prior experience, while over half of the openings were for roles requiring two to five years of experience, particularly in technical and professional fields. This indicates continued opportunities for fresh graduates as well as mid-career professionals looking to transition into growth sectors.

More remote jobs, but less overseas hiring

Digitalisation is also changing how companies hire. Remote-capable jobs increased significantly, rising to 22.7% of vacancies in 2025 from 14.4% in 2024. However, employers showed a stronger preference for local hiring, with overseas recruitment for remote roles declining during the year.

Despite restructuring and retrenchments in some sectors such as financial services and information and communications, demand for professional, managerial, executive and technical roles remained strong. Many of these jobs involve tasks with high AI potential, suggesting that workers will need to build AI and digital skills to stay relevant.

Overall, the labour market outlook remains cautiously positive, with hiring expectations expected to pick up gradually in 2026 as economic growth improves, although companies are likely to remain selective in recruitment amid global economic uncertainty.