Foreign job seekers' interest to work in Singapore up 96% in 3 years: report

Top job seekers are from Malaysia, India, and the Philippines. 

Job seekers from other markets are actively looking for a career in Singapore, recording a 96% increase in foreign job seekers from August 2020 to August 2023, data from Indeed showed.

In a statement, the job hunting portal, Indeed, said 55.4% of the percentage increase was during the period of 2021 to 2022, when Singapore’s borders reopened.

When ranked by nationality, a substantial proportion of these job seekers hail from Malaysia (32%), India (16%), and the Philippines (7%). Foreign job seekers are looking for opportunities in sectors such as administration (11%), technology (7%), management (5%), sales (5%), and manufacturing (5%). 

Amongst the most sought-after roles by job seekers outside Singapore are administrative assistant (3%), warehouse worker (3%), quality surveyor (2%), production employer (1%), and account executive (1%) take the lead.

“Indeed's data suggests that Singapore's dynamic job market, coupled with its cosmopolitan culture, continues to attract individuals seeking new horizons and career growth,” said Callam Pickering, APAC Senior Economist at Indeed

Last month’s numbers also underscored that Singapore has a greater concentration of jobs in management, tech, engineering and banking compared to Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines. The larger share of jobs in these categories, compared to other Asian economies, shows Singapore’s status as a finance and tech hub.

Pickering said, “Singapore has always been a magnet for global talent due to its open economy and rich opportunities. The surge in job seekers from abroad is a testament to the city-state's resilience and its ability to provide a favourable environment for both local and foreign professionals.”