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Singapore's overall unemployment rate has hit a three-year high of 3.3 per cent. In the first quarter of 2009, 10,900 workers were retrenched, while 1,860 had their contracts prematurely terminated, contributing to a total loss of 12,760 jobs.

The labour market is experiencing its first quarterly contraction in nearly 6 years, as the number of workers who lost their jobs exceeded the number of workers hired. According to the Ministry of Manpower, a total of 95,700 residents were unemployed in March.

Most job losses come from the manufacturing sector, which has been affected by falling external demand. Services industries with external exposure like hotels and restaurants were also hit, while financial services saw a net loss of 1,900 jobs.

Domestic services and construction experienced gains, with the latter growing by 8,300 jobs. As for domestic services, gains came mainly from community, social and personal services, boosted by public sector hiring.

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Opposition leader Low Thia Khiang has requested the Government to take steps to set aside skilled jobs for locals. Citing the construction industry which is heavily saturated by foreign workers, Mr. Low suggested that jobs like safety managers, crane operators and tractor drivers can still be given to Singaporeans.

Likewise, Mr. Yeo Guat Kwang from Aljunied GRC advised bosses in the services sector to continue hiring Singaporeans, especially older retrenched workers who have gone through retraining.

Most foreigners are employed in the services and construction sectors which Singaporeans tend to shun, but Labour MP Halimah Yacob of Jurong GRC warned that if foreign workers crowded out Singaporeans in any sector, Singaporeans may lose the skills to work in that sector.

In an uncertain time when local workers are pit against their foreign counterparts for employment, Mr. Low urged the Government to assure Singaporeans that the Government will guard the interests of Singaporean workers.

Yet on the other hand, MP Sam Tan from Tanjong Pagar GRC, feels that Singaporeans rely too heavily on the Government.

On April 4th, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo was quoted saying that half of the 10,000 jobs at Resorts World, Sentosa’s upcoming IR, will be given to Filipinos.

This was reported by two Philippine papers, which also mentioned that she sent a delegation here in March to discuss job opportunities for Filipinos with Resorts World officials. It was even claimed that Labour Secretary Marianito Roque had met with CEO Tan Hee Teck.

When questioned by the local media, Resorts World spokesman Robin Goh confirmed that such a meeting had indeed taken place, but insisted that “Resorts World stated our commitment to hire Singaporeans first, particularly in this recession.”

However, he declined to commit to a figure, and would only say, “Resorts World will offer 10,000 jobs when we open, and we expect the bulk of them to go to Singaporeans”

In yesterday’s media preview of four of the six Resorts World hotels, the management reiterated that Singaporeans will be prioritized when hiring, but did not comment on what proportion of the IR’s jobs will go to locals.

The Ministry of Manpower estimates jobs lost in the last half a year to total 17,500. With the economic recession having yet to bottom out, retrenchment is also set to continue.

This is in spite of the government's much publicised efforts to save the jobs of Singaporeans. Most notably, the government has budgeted $5.1 billion to introduce the Jobs Credit Scheme and to enhance SPUR (Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience).

The money may have only just begun to flow into both schemes, but doubts have already emerged in the form of not just continued retrenchment, but also downward revisions of GDP growth.

Nonetheless, PM Lee insists that the stimulus package is working, and that there is no need to introduce additional measures.

What do you think? Has the government done enough? Make your point by first voting in our new poll, and next discussing at the JobsCentral Forum.

In our previous poll, nearly 90% of Singaporeans found a pastor's $500,000 pay to be exorbitant. Click here to find out more.

Bad news or good, we’ll give you the labour market blow-by-blow so you’ll be in the know.

Bad news: 70% spike in job losses between July and September this year. In all, 3,178 people were retrenched or were prematurely terminated from their jobs, according to the latest Manpower Ministry report.

Seven in 10 of retrenchments came from the manufacturing sector, which was still expanding as late as August this year.

Good news: Jobs are still on the table, especially as the government boosts its recruitment efforts to take up the slack left by the private sector.

- 800 jobs, mainly in the service industry, were on the table at North East CDC’s recent job fair. This sector is expected to hire well into the upcoming festive season.
- The Home Team is also seeking 1,000 new employees, mainly police officers and immigration specialists; look out for their recruitment event sometime this month.
- If you’re up to it, consider teaching – the Ministry of Education is looking to bump up its ranks with 1,000 fresh teachers and counsellors by 2010.


Being retrenched isn't a good thing but if you are, take heart in the fact that 65,399 other Singaporeans share your fate.

Singapore’s economy is expected to recover in 2010, assuming a moderate recovery in Europe and the US next year, according to UBS economists.

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