Graduate hiring resilient, but most jobseeker support bids rejected

By June 2025, the employment rate for the 2024 cohort had climbed to 88%.

Graduate employment in Singapore has remained resilient despite economic headwinds, with more members of the 2025 cohort in work compared to their predecessors at the same point last year.

As of June, approximately 9,300 fresh graduates—representing 52% of the cohort—had secured employment, up from 8,600 or 48% in 2024. Permanent employment also improved, rising to 44% from 37% a year earlier.

By June 2025, the employment rate for the 2024 cohort had climbed to 88%, indicating a steady pace of workforce absorption, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng told Parliament.

In a broader indication of labour market pressures, more than 7,200 individuals applied for the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support (JS) scheme between April and August, but only about 2,900 applications were approved.

The scheme, which offers up to $6,000 over six months, targets unemployed individuals who meet income and employment history criteria. More than half of applicants were rejected for not meeting eligibility requirements, according to The Straits Times.

Despite the stronger graduate employment numbers, concerns persist among jobseekers, partly due to the larger number of graduates entering the job market this year—about 2,400 more than in 2024.

This has intensified perceived competition, compounded by external risks including trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainty, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on entry-level roles.

To support new graduates, the Government has introduced the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) scheme.

The first phase will offer 800 placements—500 in the private sector and 300 in the public sector—focusing on growth areas such as financial services and information and communications technology.

Traineeships will run for up to six months, with monthly allowances capped at $2,400, roughly half the median starting salary for local graduates.