Oral Answer to PQ on Graduate employment

NOTICE PAPER NO. 462 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 4 FEBRUARY 2026
QUESTION NO. 1374 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Mr Saktiandi Supaat

To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether Singaporeans who graduated overseas were included in the fresh graduate employment data published by the Ministry in September 2025; (b) of these graduates who found employment, how many were underemployed; and (c) how have recent labour market conditions affected these graduates’ employment outcomes.

Answer:

The fresh graduate employment figures published by the Ministry in September 2025 covered graduates from local Autonomous Universities, and did not include Singaporeans who graduated from overseas universities.

2. Based on the internationally recognised measure of time-related underemployment, which refers to part-time workers who prefer full-time employment, the underemployment rate among residents aged 25 to 29 who graduated from overseas universities was 0.8% in 2025, slightly above the 0.7% recorded for graduates from local Autonomous Universities.

3. Overall, employment outcomes for graduates aged 25 to 29 remain generally strong for both local Autonomous University and overseas university graduates, with around 9 in 10 employed. Even so, graduates from local Autonomous Universities continue to have slightly more favourable outcomes on balance, reflected in their lower unemployment and higher median wages.

4. We will continue to support our fresh graduates’ entry into the workforce. Students and fresh graduates from our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) can access Education and Career Guidance services within IHLs. All students and fresh graduates, including those from overseas universities, may also make use of the career matching and coaching services offered by Workforce Singapore and NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute.