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2013Q1 Labour market report

Unemployment remains low, more jobs become available

The Ministry of Manpower's Research and Statistics Department (MOM) released "Labour Market, First Quarter 2013" report last month.

These are key findings:

1) The overall unemployment rate still remained low at 1.9 per cent in March 2013, 0.1 point up from 1.8 per cent in December 2012.

2) Total employment grew by 28,900 in the first quarter of 2013. Although it is lower than the high increase of 44,000 in the last quarter of 2012, it recorded above the 27,200 in the first quarter of 2012. This brought total employment to 3,386,500 in March 2013, which was 4.0 per cent higher than a year ago.

3) Job openings rose, after declining in the previous quarter. The vacancies increased over the quarter by 17 per cent in March 2013, reversing the decline of 7.0 per cent in December 2012.

The report is available online on the Ministry of Manpower's website at http://www.mom.gov.sg/mrsd/publication