Negative employment change for locals for 21 months already?

By: Leong Sze Hian

Total employment fell for the 2nd time since 2009

I refer to the article “Tech disruption may push up unemployment rate”. It states that “Data out yesterday showed that total employment fell for the second time since the 2009 global financial crisis.

4,100 layoffs in the 3rd quarter

Layoffs fell slightly in the third quarter to 4,100, down from 4,800 in the previous three months.”

Employment change contracted -3,300

According to the accompanying infographic chart – in the third quarter of 2016, employment change contracted by -3,300.

Employment change has turned negative for locals in the last 21 months?

Since in the last 18 months from January 2015 to June 2016 – employment change was 49,000 foreign jobs against only 500 jobs for locals – does it mean now that the employment change for locals for the last 21 months to September 2016 has turned negative?

If so, what is the negative employment change for Singaporeans?