Unemployment rate (9/26/2025) in Singapore
Singapore: Unemployment rate (9/26/2025) was 2.1 in 2031. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Singapore, 1980–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Singapore recorded 2.1 for unemployment rate in 2031.
The figure is down 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Singapore peaked at 6.28 in 1982 and was at its lowest, 1.43, in 1997.
That places Singapore 21st out of 22 countries with data for 2031, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (9/26/2025) in Singapore, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.75 | — |
| 1981 | 5.93 | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 6.28 | +6.0% |
| 1983 | 5.57 | -11.3% |
| 1984 | 6.13 | +10.1% |
| 1985 | 4.57 | -25.6% |
| 1986 | 2.01 | -55.9% |
| 1987 | 3.9 | +93.8% |
| 1988 | 2.58 | -34.0% |
| 1989 | 1.77 | -31.1% |
| 1990 | 1.77 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.75 | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 1.8 | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 1.7 | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 1.73 | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 1.75 | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 1.65 | -5.7% |
| 1997 | 1.43 | -13.6% |
| 1998 | 2.5 | +75.4% |
| 1999 | 2.8 | +12.0% |
| 2000 | 2.67 | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 2.65 | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 3.55 | +34.0% |
| 2003 | 3.95 | +11.3% |
| 2004 | 3.35 | -15.2% |
| 2005 | 3.12 | -6.7% |
| 2006 | 2.65 | -15.2% |
| 2007 | 2.12 | -19.8% |
| 2008 | 2.23 | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 3.02 | +36.0% |
| 2010 | 2.17 | -28.1% |
| 2011 | 2.02 | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 1.95 | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 1.9 | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 1.95 | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 1.9 | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.08 | +9.2% |
| 2017 | 2.17 | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 2.1 | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 2.25 | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 3 | +33.3% |
| 2021 | 2.65 | -11.7% |
| 2022 | 2.1 | -20.8% |
| 2023 | 1.93 | -8.3% |
| 2024 | 1.95 | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 1.98 | +1.3% |
| 2026 | 1.98 | +0.0% |
| 2027 | 1.98 | +0.0% |
| 2028 | 2.1 | +6.3% |
| 2029 | 2.1 | +0.0% |
| 2030 | 2.1 | +0.0% |
| 2031 | 2.1 | +0.0% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 2.1 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.67, 79% of the median. (7 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 2.1 is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.98, 53% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate (9/26/2025) in Singapore changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +93.8% | 2.01 | 3.9 |
| 1998 | +75.4% | 1.43 | 2.5 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.45 | 1.77 | 6.28 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.89 | 1.43 | 2.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.93 | 2.12 | 3.95 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.05 | 1.9 | 2.25 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.17 | 1.93 | 3 | 10 |
| 2030s | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More work & labour data for Singapore
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.967 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9557 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9779 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1059 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,575 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 0 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,077 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,086 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 4,163 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, per unit 0 1000 No per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Singapore?
- Unemployment rate in Singapore was 2.1 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 6.28 in 1982.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.43 in 1997.
- How does Singapore rank for unemployment rate?
- Singapore ranks 21st out of 22 countries with data for 2031.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Singapore data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Unemployment rate (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.