Singapore job postings were 35.6% higher in June when compared to 1 February 2020 (pre-pandemic) and increased by 5.5% in the month of June alone, according to data from Indeed.

Job postings in every occupation category were above pre-pandemic levels. Leading the way were production jobs, where postings were 90% higher than 1 February last year. Transportation jobs were 69% higher than 1 February last year and installation & maintenance roles were 66% higher.

Occupations in areas such as food & beverage, engineering, construction and management fluctuated around the national average of 35.6%. Meanwhile, human resources job postings were tracking at 31.4% above their 1 February 2020 levels. That is slightly below the national average, but throughout the year, the two have moved in lock-step.

"The June figures show a sustained recovery in the Singaporean job market across all sectors," Indeed APAC economist Callam Pickering said. "The fact that we continue seeing strong demand for HR professionals is another sign of the market's strength."

After a gradual recovery from May last year, job postings exceeded pre-Covid-19 levels from mid-October, and surged in the new year, Indeed added.

“Strong hiring activity is typically a leading indicator for future employment growth. It means that businesses are reasonably optimistic about their prospects and confident in Singapore's broader economic recovery,” Indeed stated.

Meanwhile, Indeed’s data also found that the share of job postings featuring remote keywords, such as “work from home”, in their job descriptions also reached a new pandemic high during June, with 6.9% of postings, exceeding the previous peak of 6.7% in April and four times higher than before the pandemic began. Remote job postings remain fairly elevated across most occupational groups, and there are few signs of significant moderation.

“The ability to work remotely is attracting more candidates to job opportunities,” Indeed stated. “Job seekers are likely to continue valuing the ability to work from home, even as the Singapore economy recovers. Employers also show signings of embracing a hybrid model where workers share their time between the office and the home.”