Singapore trails peers at 177th in global outsourcing talent index

Three Southeast Asian markets placed in global top 10 with Philippines topping 193-country list.

Singapore placed 177th out of 193 countries in the 2026 Global Outsourcing Talent Index ranking by offshore talent/virtual assistant firm Ataraxis, also placing last among Southeast Asian markets.

The index evaluates countries across five variables, namely labour cost, English language proficiency, talent availability, digital infrastructure, and political stability. It is based on a weighted model where labour cost carries the highest weighting, followed by English proficiency and talent availability.

Singapore scored 100/100 in English proficiency but recorded a labour cost score of 46/100, which Ataraxis said reduces its overall competitiveness in outsourcing and offshore hiring comparisons.

The index ranked the Philippines number 1 globally, followed by Malaysia at 2nd and Indonesia at 8th. Southeast Asia placed three countries in the global top 10, more than any other region.

The Philippines is the only country in the index scoring 90 or above across labour cost, English proficiency, and talent availability simultaneously, according to Ataraxis.

Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines all rank ahead of China at 37th whilst also ranking above all G7 economies and EU member states, including the United States , Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Ataraxis said the index is intended to provide a structured comparison of outsourcing destinations using public datasets and a consistent scoring framework across 193 countries.

A NOTE FROM SINGAPORE BUSINESS REVIEW

If you've been wondering whether SBR could work for your company — yes, probably.

A lot of the companies we partner with started as readers. They'd been following our coverage for a while, saw their own customers and competitors in it, and eventually asked the obvious question: could we do something with you? The answer is usually yes. The shape of it depends on what you're trying to do.

The options are broader than most people assume — thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. Some partners use one channel; most use a mix. We figure out the right combination by starting with your brief, not with our rate card.

So if the question has been on your mind, here's the easy way to ask it.

We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia