Jobseekers in Singapore are increasingly looking for job opportunities overseas, even as the internal job market shows a substantial rise in local offers, according to research from Indeed which showed growth of 72% in the search for jobs in other countries by job seekers based in Singapore when comparing March of 2020 and February 2022.

The US is the preferred country of choice, accounting for more than 24% of searches. Canada was the second most favoured destination, with almost 10% of the queries. The UK, the Philippines, Malaysia, and India were other destinations among the top ten most desired nations.

Jobseekers in Singapore are looking for jobs primarily in IT, customer service, administration, and healthcare. Some of the most common tech roles searched by jobseekers in Singapore are Software Engineer, Data Analyst and Data Scientist.

Florence Yip, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition, Indeed Singapore, said, "Singapore has a well-educated and cosmopolitan workforce. With the borders reopening globally, they would want to experience opportunities elsewhere to work in different environments, either as a career boost or to have a different professional experience."

Indeed’s data also shows a growth of job seekers seeking opportunities to work in Singapore from other countries. In the pandemic period (March 2020 - March 2022), 36% of total clicks on Singapore job postings on Indeed were made by job seekers located abroad, led by rising interest in Asia and the US.

The top four countries from which jobseekers are searching for jobs in Singapore are India, Malaysia, the Philippines and the US.

The opening of Singapore's borders and the relaxation of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions have made it more attractive and accessible for foreigners to get back to the market, Indeed stated.

Yip added, "Singapore has always been a global city and prides itself to be an open economy. The country's job market has seen a solid recovery lately and a hike in opportunities that attract foreign workers.”