Over the last 5 years, the number of S Pass and EP holders grew by just 400
In debates over foreign labour in Singapore, one claim often surfaces: that foreign professionals are stealing well‑paid, high-skilled jobs from Singaporeans.
But data from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) figures paint a more nuanced picture that challenges the assumptions behind this narrative. According to provided stats, the number of foreign professionals barely budged between 2020 and mid-2025, and the best-paying sectors are still overwhelmingly held by locals.
Here’s what the numbers actually show.
There are at least 4 locals for every foreign professional
Among Singapore’s foreign workforce, not all passes are created equal.
The ones Singaporeans are particularly worried about are Employment Pass (EP) holders—high-earning professionals cleared to work here based on salary and qualifications—and S Pass holders, the mid-skilled technical workers one rung below.
Together, they’re the foreign hires competing directly with locals for PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) jobs, or positions that typically offer higher wages and career progression.
According to online outrage, you might expect this group to have grown significantly over the years, but surprisingly, MOM’s latest Local Employment Outcomes report, released last month, shows otherwise.
From 2020 to 2025, the total number of S Pass and EP holders increased by only 400. That’s not a typo.
From 378,500 in 2020, the total number of these pass holders had actually dipped to 331,200 in 2021, rose slightly to 338,000 in 2022, and then gradually climbed to 378,900 in 2025.
At the same time, the resident workforce, comprising Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, is gaining ground. The proportion of PMETs (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) among employed residents rose from 1.3 million in 2020 to 1.5 million in 2025.
This growth outpaced the combined increase in EP and S Pass holders, showing that locals are not being crowded out. They are, instead, expanding their presence in high-skill roles.
Moreover, there are at least four times more local PMETs employed than foreign S Pass and EP holders in comparable roles—a clear sign that Singaporeans still dominate professional and managerial positions across industries.
The best-paying sectors remain primarily held by locals…
Industry-level data reinforces this picture.
According to MOM’s Job Vacancy report released last year, across all major industries, there is no sector where foreign workers make up more than 25% of PMET roles.
The best-paying sectors still remain dominated by locals. In finance, foreign pass holders account for less than 15% of PMET roles, while Health & Social Services, which includes doctors and specialised healthcare technicians, shows a similar proportion.
Only three sectors—Food & Beverage Services, Construction, and Administrative Services—have the highest foreign employment shares, with foreigners accounting for 40–50% of PMET roles.
These are also the sectors that Singaporeans are typically the least interested in, even at managerial levels, and they offer the fewest quality job openings.
… and it will stay that way
The data makes it very clear: while foreigners do fill some PMET roles, locals remain firmly in control of Singapore’s high-paying, high-skilled jobs.
It is worth noting, though, that the data does not distinguish between Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, which means some of these roles may be held by foreigners.
However, this distinction does little to change the broader picture. SCs and PRs are both part of the resident workforce, with similar access to opportunities and responsibilities, making them a meaningful measure of local participation.
Resident Singaporeans may only strengthen their hold on high-paying, high-skilled roles in the years ahead.
In Budget 2026, the Government announced further tightening of the foreign workforce criteria, including raising the minimum qualifying salary for Employment Pass holders to S$6,000 (and S$6,600 in finance), and increasing S Pass thresholds as well, to S$3,600 (and S$4,000 in finance).
These changes are not just technical adjustments. They are part of a broader strategy to ensure that foreign hires remain high-quality and complementary, rather than substitutes for local workers. As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong put it, Singapore will remain open to global talent, while ensuring that Singaporeans “remain firmly at the centre of our workforce and our policies.”
In other words, the data already shows that locals dominate the country’s most desirable jobs—and policy is moving in a direction that will prioritise them even further.
- Read other articles we’ve written on Singapore’s current affairs here.
Featured Image Credit: TK Kurikawa/ Shutterstock.com
