Unemployment rate in Singapore
Singapore: Unemployment rate was 2.82 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
2.82
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
154th
of 186 countries
All-time high
5.93
in 2003
All-time low
2.18
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Singapore, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Singapore stood at 2.82.
The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and down 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Singapore peaked at 5.93 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 2.18, in 1991.
Singapore ranks 154th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Unemployment rate in Singapore, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.18 | — |
| 1992 | 3.09 | +41.7% |
| 1993 | 3.07 | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 3.03 | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 3.3 | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 3.57 | +8.2% |
| 1997 | 2.5 | -30.0% |
| 1998 | 3.41 | +36.4% |
| 1999 | 4.85 | +42.2% |
| 2000 | 3.7 | -23.7% |
| 2001 | 3.76 | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 5.65 | +50.3% |
| 2003 | 5.93 | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 5.84 | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 5.59 | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 4.48 | -19.9% |
| 2007 | 3.9 | -12.9% |
| 2008 | 3.96 | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 5.86 | +48.0% |
| 2010 | 4.12 | -29.7% |
| 2011 | 3.89 | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 3.72 | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 3.86 | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 3.74 | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.79 | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 4.08 | +7.7% |
| 2017 | 4.2 | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 3.61 | -14.0% |
| 2019 | 3.1 | -14.2% |
| 2020 | 4.1 | +32.3% |
| 2021 | 4.64 | +13.2% |
| 2022 | 3.59 | -22.6% |
| 2023 | 3.44 | -4.1% |
| 2024 | 2.74 | -20.5% |
| 2025 | 2.82 | +3.0% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 2.82 is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.04, 56% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 2.82 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.05, 92% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.22 | 2.18 | 4.85 | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.87 | 3.7 | 5.93 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.81 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.55 | 2.74 | 4.64 | 6 |
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 2.82 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 5.93 in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.18 in 1991.
- How does Singapore rank for unemployment rate?
- Singapore ranks 154th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Singapore data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).