Unemployment declines as job creation strengthens employment situation in Q2

Employment creation strengthened in the second quarter of 2012, while layoffs eased for the second successive quarter. 

This has reversed the slight increase in unemployment registered a quarter ago.

This according to the Manpower Ministry's (MOM) report on "Employment Situation, Second Quarter 2012" released today. 

Total employment grew by 29,200 in the second quarter of this year. It was 27,200 in the first quarter of 2012. 

Construction and manufacturing registered strong employment increases - 9,500 for construction and 4,500 for manufacturing. 

But growth in services employment eased to 15,500. 

Layoffs declined for the second successive quarter. 2,300 workers were made redundant in the second quarter of 2012 compared to 2,600 workers who were laid off in the first quarter. 

The majority of the workers laid off during the second quarter were from services. Another 600 were laid off from manufacturing while construction displaced 200 workers. 

MOM said the seasonally adjusted overall unemployment rate dipped over the quarter by 0.1 percentage-point to 2.0 per cent in June. 

The rate for residents declined by 0.2 percentage-point to 2.8 per cent. 

The rate for citizens fell by 0.3 percentage-point to 2.9 per cent.