The numbers of foreign workers also increased in response to rising demand.
The ‘Employment situation, 2011’ report released by the Ministry of Manpower's research and statistics department found that employment growth remained strong in 2011. Preliminary estimates show that total employment grew by 36,300 in the fourth quarter of 2011, bringing growth in the whole of 2011 to 121,300, slightly higher than the gains of 115,900 in 2010.
The bulk of the employment gains continued to come from services, which added 95,100 workers in 2011. Boosted by public projects, construction employment rose by 22,200 in 2011, much higher than the 2010 gains of 3,400.
With slower resident population growth and most economically active residents already employed, foreign employment (excluding foreign domestic workers) grew by 79,800 in 2011, after increasing by 54,400 in 2010.
As at December 2011, locals accounted for 67.2% of people employed in Singapore (excluding foreign domestic workers). Foreigners formed the remaining 32.8%, up from 31.4% in December 2010.
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