15,700 new jobs in Singapore over the subsequent 5 years, with most above S$5,000: EDB

Sectors akin to providers, manufacturing, and R&D to paved the way in job creation

Funding commitments secured in Singapore all through 2025 are projected to generate 15,700 new jobs as they materialise over the subsequent 5 years. Considerably, roughly two-thirds of those positions are anticipated to supply a gross month-to-month wage exceeding $5,000, the Financial Growth Board (EDB) mentioned on Monday (Feb 9).

In a press release launched Feb 5, the EDB famous that the 15,700 projected jobs are largely geared towards the skilled, supervisor, government and technician (PMET) workforce. The sectoral cut up sees providers taking the lead at 40%, adopted intently by manufacturing at 37%, and analysis and growth (R&D) and innovation accounting for the remaining 23%.

Addressing the media on the statutory board’s 2025 year-in-review press convention held at its Raffles Metropolis Tower workplace, EDB chairman Png Cheong Boon mentioned the brand new jobs would open doorways for recent graduates and mid-career hires.

“They may supply significant profession pathways for our staff, particularly those that have the required experience and have finished nicely; they may even supply alternatives to study new expertise and to tackle new roles,” he mentioned.

The nation’s mounted asset funding in 2025 reached S$14.2 billion, a modest 5.2% improve from S$13.5 billion in 2024, reflecting continued spending on long-term property akin to amenities, tools, and equipment.

Whereas whole enterprise expenditure, which refers to firms’ incremental working prices together with wages and hire, edged as much as S$8.9 billion in 2025 from S$8.4 billion the 12 months earlier than. The bulk got here from investments in headquarters, skilled providers and R&D.

Much like final 12 months, tech firms had been the most important contributor to HQ investments, reflecting a robust demand for digital options and providers within the area, Loy mentioned.

“And we additionally noticed many firms investing in R&D by means of new centres of excellence, and by finding their product roadmaps and commercialisation capabilities right here in Singapore,” he mentioned.

Regardless of the upper quantity of investments, the 15,700 jobs anticipated to be created are the bottom in a decade, representing a decline of about 16% from the 18,700 projected in 2024.

EDB managing director Jermaine Loy defined that firms are taking a extra cautious method of their projections amid the unsure setting.

He added that there are “some structural shifts at play as nicely, with larger ranges of automation and digitalisation throughout industries”.

The director defined that as industries remodel, they’re more and more seeing job roles evolve.

“Greater than ever, they require robust digital capabilities, and a few require new and specialised skillsets,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, Loy mentioned, “the roles anticipated to be created are good, high-value roles that can supply significant profession pathways for Singaporeans”.

Investments poured into manufacturing

Electronics and biomedical manufacturing had been the main industries for funding commitments final 12 months, contributing 33% and 30.8%, respectively.

It is a stark distinction with 2024, when electronics investments dominated, accounting for 57% of the overall.

EDB reported that of the S$14.2 billion in mounted asset funding commitments for 2025, roughly S$12.1 billion got here from manufacturing-related initiatives.

Loy mentioned this displays Singapore’s continued strengths as a hub for superior manufacturing.

“We additionally noticed robust international demand for AI-related actions—chips, servers, server-related merchandise—
and these had been all key drivers of investments within the semiconductor business,” he added.

“On the similar time, we additionally noticed biomedical producers investing to fulfill demand for high-value biopharma and medtech merchandise, and chemical producers investing in specialty chemical compounds and sustainable supplies.”

Moreover, EDB superior its efforts in progress sectors akin to AI, precision medication, the inexperienced and bio-based financial system, and next-generation {hardware} and mobility.

The company secured new initiatives in knowledge centre {hardware} and infrastructure, in addition to rising areas like quantum {hardware} testing.

Within the mobility sector, new initiatives involving autonomous automobiles and electrification applied sciences helped create new jobs in automation, software program, and {hardware} growth.

In line with Loy, the precision medication sector is rising as a key progress space for Singapore, pushed by rising healthcare calls for and wellness traits which can be boosting the necessity for data-driven medical tools.

China’s rising stake

By area, most mounted asset funding commitments originated from Europe, China, and the US.

The US’s share of funding commitments dropped sharply from 55.5% in 2024 to 17.3% in 2025, whereas China’s share rose from 2.5% to twenty.6% over the identical interval.

For the primary time, China surpassed the US in mounted asset funding commitments. When it comes to whole enterprise expenditure commitments, China now accounts for the most important share at 50.7%, up sharply from 15% in 2024.

“Singapore has at all times been an open financial system. Overseas firms with substantive enterprise actions are welcome to arrange right here so long as they abide by our legal guidelines and laws,” Png mentioned.

Many Chinese language firms want to develop internationally in response to slower home progress. In recent times, companies headquartered in China throughout varied sectors have been rising their presence in Singapore, Loy added.

Notable examples embrace e-commerce and gaming manufacturers akin to Bytedance and Mihoyo.

Singapore has a “good monitor document” of internet hosting multinational companies from the US, Europe, Japan, India, China, and different Southeast Asian international locations, he added.

“We proceed to look in direction of the US and Europe to be key sources of funding commitments when it comes to inventory and circulation,” he added.

Png famous that MNCs in 2025 typically adopted a “wait-and-see” method to determine how to answer the evolving geopolitical setting.

“This 12 months, enterprise leaders have instructed us that whereas they count on volatility and uncertainties to stay, with the worldwide financial system remaining fragmented, they’re able to make calculated strikes to develop or remodel,” he added.

What lies forward

Png noticed that an rising variety of international companies are looking for progress alternatives and stronger provide chain resilience by increasing past their conventional markets and working bases.

He added that Southeast Asia presents “brighter progress prospects”, with Singapore “nicely positioned” to assist firms trying to develop into the area.

Nevertheless, he cautioned that Singapore is now working in a special context than earlier than and may stay “clear-eyed” about these adjustments.

Trying forward, EDB expects continued intense international competitors for investments. With structural shifts within the international enterprise panorama, creating jobs will develop into more difficult.

To create the identical variety of jobs, EDB should usher in much more new initiatives, Png defined. This suggests partaking extra firms throughout extra sectors and areas, and of various firm sizes and progress levels.

“To stay aggressive and safe extra investments, we should double down on sectors the place Singapore has built-up robust capabilities, established international management positions and due to this fact has a aggressive benefit,” he mentioned.

He gave the instance of Singapore’s aerospace sector, which has a “international management place in plane engine element repairs” and is among the nation’s strongest progress sectors.

In its report, EDB highlighted key areas for growth, in keeping with the priorities of the Financial Technique Evaluate Committee.

One focus is reinforcing Singapore’s management in progress sectors akin to AI, with the purpose of creating the nation as a number one AI hub and a totally AI-empowered financial system.

Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Gan Kim Yong, mentioned in a media interview in January that the city-state can not take without any consideration that financial progress will mechanically create jobs.

“With automation, AI and productiveness, as all of us hope to realize, there can be larger value-adding industries and enterprise actions. Which means with larger value-add per employee, you’ll not want as many staff,” he mentioned.

EDB said that it continues to collaborate with firms, coaching companions, and business associations to reinforce the competitiveness of Singapore’s workforce.

EDB may even discover rising alternatives to develop new progress engines and give attention to figuring out, attracting, and anchoring high-growth firms with the potential to develop into future business leaders.

“We may even proceed our partnerships with firms to coach and upskill our native workforce to make sure they’ve a robust expertise pipeline with future-ready expertise to gas future progress,” Png mentioned.

Monday’s EDB knowledge was launched forward of Singapore’s price range, which Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong is scheduled to ship on Feb 12.

• Learn extra articles we’ve written on job traits right here.

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