Technological developments continued to drive demand for skilled workers in 2025: MOM

Software, web, multimedia & game developers, and designers remained one of the most sought-after roles, ranking third among all PMET vacancies in 2025.

Job vacancies in Singapore increased from 69,600 in September 2025 to 77,700 in December 2025, raising the overall vacancy-to-unemployed ratio from 1.50 to 1.58 over the same period. 

Findings from the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Job Vacancies 2025 report indicated that hiring demand was not solely driven by replacement needs — nearly half (49.3%) of available roles were newly created, largely fuelled by business expansion. This trend was particularly pronounced in professional services (58.2%) and financial and insurance services (54.0%), both of which exceeded the national average, signalling sustained sectoral growth.

Technology-related roles continued to feature prominently. Positions such as software, web, multimedia and game developers ranked among the most in-demand ranking third among all PMET vacancies in 2025., alongside systems analysts (ranked ninth) and data scientists (which formed the second highest share of all job vacancies within information & communications, and ranked 15^th among PMET vacancies), reflecting organisations’ ongoing digitalisation efforts.

Similarly, applications and systems programmers (which accounted for the fourth highest share of vacancies within information & communications, including roles such as artificial intelligence/machine learning engineers) remained high in-demand after as companies deepened their use of advanced analytics and AI-driven solutions.

Despite growing automation, employers’ hiring patterns reflect the sustained need for professionals who can integrate these technologies across organisations. This demand for specialised skill sets has also contributed to higher wage levels within these roles.

Beyond tech, hiring momentum was supported by developments in advanced manufacturing and infrastructure (ranked fifth among PMET vacancies), civil engineers (sixth), and industrial & production engineers (seventh). Growth in advanced manufacturing supported demand for electronics engineers (including semi-conductor engineer – the highest share of vacancies within manufacturing) and industrial & production engineers as firms expanded capacity and automated processes. Ongoing infrastructure projects similarly supported the continued hiring of civil engineers.

Meanwhile, teaching and training professionals, along with commercial and marketing sales executives, retained their positions as the most sought-after roles, highlighting continued emphasis on workforce development and business growth.

On the other hand, the demand for financial & investment advisers (10^th) eased compared to 2024, though the occupation remained within the top ten list. This likely reflects improved hiring outcomes, as vacancies for these roles were progressively filled.

Demand for registered nurses (which formed the highest share of all vacancies within health & social services and ranked 24^th among all PMET vacancies) also fell from the list of PMET jobs in demand, likely reflecting successful efforts in hiring and retaining nurses. 

Hiring trends in 2025

The report also revealed some hiring trends in 2025, as follows: 

• Newly created positions made up 49.3% of vacancies in 2025, up from 45.7% in 2024, mainly arising from business expansion
  • This included growth in both new and existing functions. Information & communications recorded the highest share of newly created roles (74.2%), followed by professional services (58.2%) and financial & insurance services (54%), all above the overall average.
  • In contrast, food & beverage services saw a continued decline in newly created vacancies, falling to 40.6% in 2025 amid subdued sectoral growth and shifting consumption patterns.
• Share of PMET vacancies showed a longer-term uptrend, with keener demand within growth sectors
  • Share of PMET vacancies showed a longer-term uptrend, rising from 45.4% in 2015 to 56.3% in 2025, with keener demand within growth sectors such as information & communications, financial & insurance services and professional services, which made up 37.1% of PMET vacancies.
  • While PMET vacancies remained robust in 2025, the overall share dipped slightly from 57.7% in 2024 to 56.3% as non-PMET vacancies increased, driven mainly by growth in the construction sector.
• Hiring difficulties have eased, with fewer vacancies remaining unfilled for long periods
  • The share of vacancies unfilled for at least six months declined from 19.4% in 2024 to 17.1% in 2025, less than half the 39.0% in 2015, driven mainly by improvements in non-PMET roles such as drivers, cooks and waiters.
  • In contrast, unfilled PMET vacancies rose from 14.4% to 16.0%, with employers citing a lack of specialised skills and relevant experience in roles such as data scientists, teaching & training professionals and civil engineers. Despite typically higher pay, these roles take longer to fill due to more extensive assessment processes, underscoring the need for reskilling and workforce transformation efforts.
• Hiring criteria for most job vacancies have broadened beyond requirements for academic qualifications
  • Academic qualification was not the main determinant for 79.6% of vacancies in 2025, up from 78.8% in 2024, with 69.2% of such vacancies reflecting better outcomes from skills-based hiring, including faster hiring, a broader talent pool and improved performance.
  • Employers also prioritised relevant work experience, skills and abilities (43.6%), with many open to hiring candidates below stated qualifications (66.9%). This flexibility was higher for non-PMET roles (82.9%) than PMET roles (55.7%), and varied across sectors, reflecting a growing focus on skills and potential over formal qualifications.
• Job opportunities remain available across levels of work experience, though the experience bar was higher within sectors with specialised or technical functions
  • Most vacancies were suitable for candidates with limited to moderate prior experience, with 31.5% requiring no prior experience, 20.2% requiring 1 year, and the rest requiring at least two years. This was more pronounced among non-PMET roles, where 46.2% required no experience and 29.6% required one year.
  • Among PMET vacancies, 51.1% required mid-level experience (two to five years), while 21.1% required no experience and 13.5% required one year, reflecting practicum and industry training requirements.
  • Overall, this spread indicates opportunities for both fresh entrants and mid-career job switchers, with senior roles remaining a small minority.
• Entry-level PMET job vacancies remained available across most industries
  • There remained a robust supply of entry-level PMET job openings, with entry-level vacancies making up 42.9% (32,500) in December 2025. These opportunities were available across most industries, with higher shares observed in health & social services (54.4%) and professional services (44.4%).
  • Within these sectors, entry-level demand was seen in roles such as nursing, social work and pre-primary education, as well as auditing and IT support, indicating continued openness to hiring fresh graduates and new entrants into professional roles.
• Remote-capable jobs are becoming more common, while overseas recruitment for such roles has declined
  • With increased digitalisation, the proportion of vacancies that can be performed remotely rose from 14.4% in 2024 to 22.7% in 2025, while those involving overseas recruitment declined from 23.0% to 16.5%.
  • Remote-amenable roles were mainly supported by communication tools (51.4%) and computer-based tasks (22.0%), while roles requiring in-person interaction (63.1%) or on-site equipment (33.7%) remained less flexible.
  • For remote roles open to overseas applicants, employers cited a lack of suitable local applicants (23.1%) and the need to access a larger talent pool (22.1%).

Overall, these findings suggest that the labour demand for Singapore in 2025 remained supported by business expansion and continued investments in digitalisation and infrastructure. While overall hiring conditions improved, shortages persisted in specialised roles, and the rising share of remote-capable positions points to a gradual shift in how some jobs are organised.

Taking to social media, Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng said in a Facebook post that the results of the report reflect that "companies are continuing to invest in Singapore, transforming and creating new opportunities" through expanding their use of digital technologies and AI-enabled systems, and in turn, Singapore is seeing stronger demand in tech, data and engineering roles.

"Our priority is to ensure Singaporeans are well-positioned to access these emerging roles, especially as job scopes and skills continue to evolve," he added. 

Touching on skills, the Manpower Minister said with skills becoming the "new currency of opportunity", and with close to 80% of vacancies not placing academic qualifications as the main criteria for hiring, this marks an important shift towards more skills-based hiring, with academic qualifications becoming less of a barrier.

"This is a promising sign and I’m confident it will open up more opportunities for Singaporeans at various stages of their careers."

These trends, he highlighted, point to a labour market that is not just tighter, but more dynamic and challenging. Despite available opportunities, transitions have become an even more regular fixture in an individual’s career journey.

"This is where the Government is playing an active role. We are doubling down on job matching, career guidance and training support to help Singaporeans move into good, meaningful jobs. We are here to support Singaporeans to navigate these changes with greater confidence."

Minister Tan also cautioned that the evolving conflict in the Middle East will have resulting pressures on electricity prices and business costs, and therefore having knock-on effects on economies around the world, including Singapore.

"We cannot shield ourselves entirely from these external disruptions. But we are prepared. We will stay vigilant, act early where needed, and stand firmly with Singaporeans — supporting workers, helping businesses adjust, and ensuring that our labour market remains resilient in times of uncertainty."

READ MORE: Impact of PWM wage levels felt across broader labour market, says MOM 

Lead image / Minister Tan See Leng's Facebook