Newly created roles formed nearly half of the job vacancies in 2025: MOM report

SINGAPORE: Newly created roles formed 49.3 per cent of the job vacancies available in 2025, an increase from the year before, a report from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) showed on Friday (Mar 20).

Singapore saw an annual average of 75,900 available job vacancies in 2025. 

These newly created positions were mainly generated by business expansion. New positions resulting from the restructuring or redesigning of jobs remained a small share, said the ministry in its annual job vacancies report.

In 2024, newly created roles formed 45.7 per cent of the vacancies. 

Last year, information and communications (74.2 per cent), professional services (58.2 per cent) and financial and insurance services (54 per cent) were among sectors with shares of newly created vacancies that were above the overall average of 49.3 per cent.

Of the job vacancies last year, 56.3 per cent were for professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) roles, while the other 43.7 per cent were for non-PMET roles such as drivers, cooks and construction workers.

The share of available PMET roles increased over the last decade, from 45.4 per cent in 2015.

“Technological developments continue to drive demand for skilled PMETs, particularly in digital and technology‑related roles,” said MOM in a press release. 

“Software, web, multimedia and game developers and designers remained among the most sought‑after occupations.”

Strong hiring demand was also observed for systems analysts, data scientists and applications and systems programmers, including AI and machine‑learning engineers. 

Advanced manufacturing and infrastructure projects also supported demand for engineering professionals across various fields.

Among the available PMET jobs, 21.1 per cent required no prior experience, and were suitable for fresh graduates.

The biggest portion of PMET vacancies, 51.1 per cent, required two to five years of work experience.

Noting the number of entry-level PMET roles available, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng said in a Facebook post on Friday that this means companies are continuing to invest in Singapore.

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

The trends highlighted in MOM’s reports point to a tighter and more dynamic and challenging labour market, he added.

“Opportunities are available, but transitions will become an even more regular fixture in an individual’s career journey.”

Singapore is also monitoring the global situation closely, said Dr Tan in his post.

The evolving conflict in the Middle East will put pressure on electricity prices and business costs, which will have knock-on effects on Singapore and other economies around the world, he added.

“We cannot shield ourselves entirely from these external disruptions. But we are prepared,” said Dr Tan, who is also Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology.

“The hiring criteria for most job vacancies have broadened beyond requirements for academic qualifications, where employers increasingly emphasised skills over qualifications,” said MOM. 

Academic qualifications were not the main determinant in hiring for 79.6 per cent of vacancies in 2025, a further increase from 78.8 per cent in 2024. 

“A key reason cited by employers was the better outcomes they observed from adopting a skills-based hiring approach. These outcomes could be related to faster hiring, access to a broader talent pool and improved employee performance,” said the ministry.

Skills such as software development, systems analysis and data analytics, alongside problem-solving and adaptability, are commonly required for in-demand professions.

Among PMET roles, the share of vacancies unfilled for at least six months rose from 14.4 per cent in 2024 to 16 per cent in 2025, figures from the report showed.

According to MOM’s report, employers cited a lack of specialised skills and relevant experience, within roles such as data scientists, teaching and training professionals and civil engineers.

“Overall, firms are expected to remain cautious in their hiring decisions, with the proportion of firms expecting to hire in the next three months remaining modest – 43.3 per cent in December 2025,” said MOM. 

“Early indications based on polls conducted in January 2026 suggest a pick-up in hiring expectations, pointing to a cautiously positive outlook for labour demand.”