The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) counts retrenchments every quarter. A retrenchment is the termination of a permanent employee, or the early end of a term contract, because the job is redundant.
Retrenchments in Singapore at a glance
- Latest quarter: 4,620 workers were retrenched in Q2 2026, up 790 from Q1 2026.
- Rate: 2.0 per 1,000 employees, up from 1.6.
- Back in work: 54.9% of residents retrenched in Q2 2026 had a job within six months, 5.8 percentage points fewer than in the quarter before.
- Next update: MOM's advance release for Q3 2026 is due on 29 to 30 October 2026.
How many workers were retrenched?
| Quarter | Retrenched | Per 1,000 employees | Back in work within 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2025 | 3,540 | – | 56.3% |
| Q3 2025 | 3,670 | – | 55.4% |
| Q4 2025 | 3,690 | – | 57.4% |
| Q1 2026 | 3,830 | 1.6 | 60.7% |
| Q2 2026 | 4,620 | 2.0 | 54.9% |
Retrenchments rose from 3,830 in Q1 2026 to 4,620 in Q2 2026. Business reorganisation or restructuring was the main reason, given for 72.1% of retrenchments.
Employers can give more than one reason. The counts cover private firms with at least 25 employees and the public sector, rounded to the nearest 10.
Retrenchments by year
| Year | Retrenched | Per 1,000 employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 19,170 | 8.9 |
| 2017 | 14,720 | 7.0 |
| 2018 | 10,730 | 5.1 |
| 2019 | 10,690 | 5.1 |
| 2020 | 26,110 | 12.8 |
| 2021 | 8,020 | 4.4 |
| 2022 | 6,440 | 3.1 |
| 2023 | 14,590 | 6.7 |
| 2024 | 13,020 | 5.9 |
| 2025 | 14,490 | 6.3 |
- 2020: 26,110 retrenched during COVID-19, 12.8 per 1,000 employees, the highest year since 2016.
- 2025: 14,490 retrenched, 6.3 per 1,000 employees.
- Lowest: 6,440 in 2022, 3.1 per 1,000 employees.
MOM's quarterly series starts in 1998. Its highest quarter was Q1 2009, with 12,760 retrenchments, during the global financial crisis.
- 1998: 32,800 over the year, during the Asian financial crisis.
- 2001: 27,570.
- 2009: 23,430.
These yearly totals add up MOM's quarterly counts.
Which industries retrenched more workers?
| Industry | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 670 | 870 |
| Information & Communications | 530 | 720 |
| Financial Services | 560 | 710 |
The rise in Q2 2026 was concentrated in outward-oriented industries: manufacturing, information and communications, and financial services.
Who is most likely to be retrenched?
| Group | Residents | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation | PMETs | 2.6 | 3.2 |
| Occupation | Clerical, sales and service workers | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Occupation | Production and related workers | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Highest qualification | Below secondary | 0.7 | 1.4 |
| Highest qualification | Secondary | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Highest qualification | Diploma and professional qualification | 1.1 | 2.3 |
| Highest qualification | Degree | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Age | Below 30 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
| Age | 40 to 49 | 2.3 | 3.0 |
| Age | 50 to 59 | 3.1 | 3.6 |
- PMETs: 3.2 per 1,000 resident employees in Q2 2026, up from 2.6.
- Degree holders: 3.1 per 1,000, unchanged, and the highest of the education groups.
- Residents in their 50s: 3.6 per 1,000, the highest of the age groups.
- Under 30: 1.0 per 1,000, the lowest.
How many find work again?
- Within six months: 54.9% of residents retrenched in Q2 2026, down from 60.7% in Q1 2026.
- Within twelve months: 69.8% for earlier cohorts, against 69.4% the quarter before.
- By occupation, within twelve months: 69.2% of PMETs, 72.6% of clerical, sales and service workers and 76.9% of production and transport workers.
What the figures cover
- Source: MOM's Labour Market Survey of private-sector establishments with at least 25 employees, and the public sector.
- Retrenchment: permanent employees let go, and term contracts ended early, because the job is redundant.
- Incidence: retrenched employees per 1,000 employees. Rates for groups such as PMETs use resident employees.
- Re-entry: the share of retrenched residents who are in a job six or twelve months later.
Questions
How many people were retrenched in Singapore in 2026?
3,830 in Q1 2026 and 4,620 in Q2 2026, according to MOM's Labour Market Report released on 21 September 2026. The incidence rose from 1.6 to 2.0 retrenched per 1,000 employees.
Which industries had the most retrenchments?
The rise in Q2 2026 came mainly from manufacturing (870 retrenched), information and communications (720) and financial services (710).
How many retrenched workers find a new job?
54.9% of residents retrenched in Q2 2026 were back in work within six months, and 69.8% of earlier cohorts within twelve months.
What was the highest number of retrenchments in Singapore?
In MOM's quarterly series since 1998, the highest quarter was Q1 2009, with 12,760. By year, 1998 had the most, at 32,800, and 2020 had 26,110.
Latest news
Related guides
Sources
MOM Labour Market Report Q2 2026, Summary Table: Retrenchment, data.gov.sg
- MOM, Labour Market Report, Second Quarter 2026 Released 21 September 2026. Retrenchments, incidence, groups, reasons and re-entry, pages 11 to 13.
- MOM, Summary Table: Retrenchment Annual counts and incidence per 1,000 employees.
- data.gov.sg, Number of Retrenched Employees, Quarterly 1998 to Q2 2026; Singapore Open Data Licence.
- data.gov.sg, Rate of Re-entry Into Employment Within 12 Months by Occupation, Quarterly