Singapore the eighth most preferred work destination in the world: report

For Singaporeans, nearly a two-thirds are willing to work abroad.

Singapore has remained the most desired city to work in Asia since 2020 and ranked as the eighth top job destination globally, according to a report by Jobstreet.

Professionals from neighboring Asian countries were also the ones who most wanted to move to the city-state, led by Malaysia (30%), Thailand (22%), Indonesia (19%), the Philippines (14%), Hong Kong (13%), China (6%) and India (5%).

An abundance of quality job opportunities as well as the quality of life, income, tax and cost of living were among the top reasons driving workers to seek jobs in the Lion City. Employees are also drawn to the safety, stability and security; as well as innovation and digitalisation in the country.

Citing June 2023 data from the Ministry of Manpower, the report noted that the number of foreign employees in Singapore accounted for 38% of Singapore’s total labour force.

For Singaporeans, close to two-thirds (64%) are willing to work abroad, with Australia (33%), China (16%) and Japan (14%) as their most preferred destinations.

However, only 14% plan to work overseas long-term or indefinitely, while 52% willing to stay past the first year, 13% for less than a year and 21% were still undecided.

Singaporeans’ hunt for work abroad was mainly driven by financial and economic reasons; career considerations like to earn work experience or for career progression; as well as a better overall quality of life.

Meanwhile, the main deterrents for overseas work were: the inability to bring family or partner, high cost of relocation, and personal safety and security.

The report noted that only 3% of the city-state’s total population reside overseas, based on data from the Department of Statistics.

“Employers in Singapore must strive to attract and retain both local and foreign talent, as we could expect talent shortages in the future with the country’s small and ageing population,” said Chew Siew Mee, managing director for Singapore at Jobstreet by SEEK. “With Singapore being a popular destination for the global workforce, local employers are already well-positioned to do so.”