Singapore — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Singapore, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Singapore was 2.82% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.93% in 2003. The lowest was 2.18% in 1991 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.76% per year.
Singapore ranks 155 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 83%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.05%, so Singapore sits below it. It peaked in 2003 and has fallen 52% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 26%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 16 of 29 economies; Hong Kong SAR, China (2.80%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 50% in 2002. That is 23% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 1999. Doubling roughly every 92 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 154th of 187 in 1991 → 144th of 187 in 2000 → 136th of 187 in 2010 → 144th of 187 in 2020 → 150th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.82% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 2.74% | -0.7 pp |
| 2023 | 3.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 3.59% | -1.0 pp |
| 2021 | 4.64% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 4.1% | +1.0 pp |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 3.61% | -0.6 pp |
| 2017 | 4.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 4.08% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 3.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 3.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 3.86% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 3.72% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 3.89% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 4.12% | -1.7 pp |
| 2009 | 5.86% | +1.9 pp |
| 2008 | 3.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 3.9% | -0.6 pp |
| 2006 | 4.48% | -1.1 pp |
| 2005 | 5.59% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 5.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 5.93% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 5.65% | +1.9 pp |
| 2001 | 3.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 3.7% | -1.1 pp |
| 1999 | 4.85% | +1.4 pp |
| 1998 | 3.41% | +0.9 pp |
| 1997 | 2.5% | -1.1 pp |
| 1996 | 3.57% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 3.3% | +0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 3.03% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 3.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 3.09% | +0.9 pp |
| 1991 | 2.18% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Singapore’s Unemployment in 1992?
3.09% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Singapore’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +29.3% in total — about 0.8% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 2.82%; 2024: 2.74%; 2023: 3.44%; 2022: 3.59%; 2021: 4.64%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.