More job seekers now based in Singapore may be eyeing greener pastures abroad. The local arm of a global jobs portal Indeed reports that there has been a 72-per-cent increase in searches for positions based overseas.
Amid a substantial rise in local offers and a recovering economy, locals, and others based here who are seeking employment are also interested in available positions abroad, according to a press release that Indeed issued on Thursday (April 21)
A study by Indeed, comparing data from March 2020 with that from February 2022, found this significant uptick of interest in job searchers, from people based in Singapore.
But these are not necessarily Singapore citizens or permanent residents.
The United States is their preferred choice, accounting for more than 24 per cent of searches, followed by Canada (10 per cent). Britain, the Philippines, Malaysia and India were other countries in the top 10 list, says Indeed.
According to Indeed, job seekers based in Singapore are seeking positions primarily in information technology, namely software engineer, data analyst and data scientist roles, and also in customer service, administration, and health care.
“Singapore has a well-educated and cosmopolitan workforce. With the borders reopening globally, they would want to experience opportunities elsewhere to work in different environments, either as a career boost or to have a different professional experience,” said Florence Yip, senior manager for talent acquisition of Indeed Singapore.
There has also been a growth in job seekers overseas targeting Singapore as their destination. During the pandemic period between March 2020 and March 2022, 36 per cent of total clicks on Singapore job postings on Indeed were made by job seekers located abroad.
“The top four countries from which job seekers are searching for jobs in Singapore are India, Malaysia, the Philippines and the US,” said Indeed, noting that Singapore is becoming more attractive and accessible to foreigners as borders and restrictions ease.
In February, changes to foreign worker policies were announced in the Budget presented by Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.
Starting in September, the minimum qualifying salaries for Employment Pass and S Pass holders will be increased. The dependency ratio ceiling, which sets a limit on the proportion of foreigners a company can engage, will be cut for the construction and process sectors.
Mr Wong made it clear in Parliament in the days following the announcement that this did not mean Singapore was rejecting foreign workers and professionals but calibrating their employment to make sure that they are actually directed towards sectors that are experiencing manpower shortages.
These changes may also be a significant factor in the increase in job searches reported by Indeed.
“Singapore has always been a global city and prides itself to be an open economy. The country’s job market has seen a solid recovery lately and a hike in opportunities that attract foreign workers,” said Ms Yip. /TISG