Overview of Hiring Activity
Singapore’s online hiring activity inched closer to stabilisation in April 2026, with the foundit Insights Tracker recording a year-on-year decline of just 1% — a marked improvement from the 5% contraction seen in March. Month-on-month, the index rose 2 points to 95, as hiring momentum returned across select industries.
The near-term signals are turning cautiously positive: hiring is up 1% over the last 3 months and 2% over the last 6 months. Taken together, April’s data suggests a shift from cautious stabilisation to the early stages of a modest recovery — with employers selectively adding headcount in advertising, technology, and manufacturing, while structural softness continues in financial services, education, and hospitality.
Hiring Trends by Industry (YoY change)
3 of the 15 industries tracked recorded positive year-on-year growth in April 2026. Four others held flat; the remaining eight registered declines.
In demand
Advertising, Market Research, PR, Media & Entertainment (+13%) The standout performer by some distance. Companies continued to invest in digital marketing, content production, and performance-led campaigns, sustaining a run of strong growth that has now extended across several months.
IT, Telecom/ISP & BPO/ITES (+2%) A return to positive territory, with selective demand in digital transformation and technology services more than offsetting ongoing efficiency-driven rationalisation in BPO and shared services.
Production/Manufacturing, Automotive & Ancillary (+1%) Marginal but meaningful, with continued activity in electronics and precision engineering providing a floor for hiring in the sector.
Holding steady
Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (0%), Government/PSU/Defence (0%), Shipping/Marine (0%), and Oil & Gas (0%) all held flat year-on-year, maintaining workforce levels without incremental expansion.
Facing challenges
Health Care(−3%) A slight decline as cost rationalisation and slower replacement cycles weigh on hiring, despite stable underlying demand.
Consumer Goods/FMCG (−3%) Muted domestic sentiment and margin pressure continue to limit headcount additions across this segment.
Import/Export (−4%) Cross-border trade flows remain soft, and trading firms continue to expand cautiously.
Hospitality (−5%) Operators remain focused on lean staffing models, extending the structural downward trend across this industry.
BFSI (−9%) Banks and financial institutions continue to prioritise cost optimisation and automation over net hiring, sustaining the most significant annual pullback among large sectors.
Education (−13%) The steepest industry decline. Ongoing expenditure management, lower enrolments, and consolidation across institutions have driven a sustained contraction in hiring that has now deepened from the prior month.
Hiring Trends by Functional Area (YoY change)
6 out of 11 functional areas recorded positive annual growth in April 2026, broadly consistent with March.
In demand
Software, Hardware & Telecom (+6%) The top-performing functional category, accelerating from +5% in March as demand for technology talent remained resilient across digital infrastructure and cybersecurity roles.
Marketing & Communications (+4%) Sustained investment in performance marketing and brand functions kept this category firmly in positive territory.
Engineering/Production (+4%) Project-led technical hiring and ongoing infrastructure activity continue to support consistent demand.
Finance & Accounts (+1%), Customer Service (+1%), and Health Care (+1%) each edged positive, signalling a modest broadening of recovery across functions that had previously been flat or declining.
Facing challenges
Sales & Business Development (0%) Held flat after its recovery in March, with employers pausing on frontline commercial expansion.
Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain (−1%) Marginally negative as supply chain hiring remained cautious.
HR & Admin (−3%) Continued its steady retreat as organisations maintained leaner back-office structures.
Hospitality & Travel (−5%) Extended its downward trajectory, consistent with the industry-level weakness in this sector.
Legal (−15%) Remained the most significant functional drag — its year-on-year decline easing slightly from −20% in March but still reflecting a persistent structural shift toward external counsel and leaner in-house teams.
About the foundit Insights Tracker
The foundit Insights Tracker (fit) Singapore (formerly the Monster Employment Index) is a monthly benchmark of online hiring activity across the nation. By analysing millions of job postings, fit provides timely, data-led intelligence on recruitment trends across industries, occupations, and skill categories, helping organisations and talent navigate an evolving labour market.
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