The Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) advance release of the labour force in Singapore showed a continued uptrend despite a 2016 dip.
The labour force participation rate (LFPR) fell to 68% (from 68.3% in 2015) though it continued an uptrend in the last five years, they said. The drop in LFPR came after four consecutive years of growth.
They credit the continued uptrend to a rise in female LFPRs, from 57% in 2011 to 60.4% in 2016, as well as a stable male labour force at 76%.
“The stable LFPR at the overall for males reflected the downward trend in LFPR for prime working-age males aged 25 to 54, and the continued increase among older men aged 55 and over,” said the report.
“Among females, LFPR continued to rise across the prime-working and older-aged groups. On the whole the increase in LFPR among older residents has slowed. LFPR among the young declined, after trending up in recent years, as fewer students were working.”
Employment rates also continued to rise for females, offsetting the decline in male employment.
The employment rate for males in the prime working-age group saw a decline from 92.9% in 2015 to 91.9% in 2016 while older workers remained flat at 80%.
Female employment rates in the prime working-age group rose to 77.6% from 77.1% in 2015 while older workers aged 55 to 64 rose to 72.1% from 71.8% in 2015, though MOM said the growth has been at “a slower pace”.
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