Everyone thinks that foreigners are taking Singapore’s high-paying jobs. Everyone is wrong.

In the last 5 years, the number of S Pass and EP holders has increased by just 400

In discussions about foreign workers in Singapore, one claim often comes up: that foreign professionals are stealing well-paid, high-skilled jobs from Singaporeans.

But figures from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) paint a very different picture that challenges the assumptions behind this narrative. According to the statistics provided, the number of foreign workers did not decrease between 2020 and mid-2025, and the highest paying sectors are still managed by locals.

Here’s what the numbers actually show.

There are at least 4 locals for every foreign expert

Among Singapore’s foreign workers, not all passports are created equal.

Of particular concern to Singaporeans are Employment Pass (EP) holders—high-paid professionals who are allowed to work here based on salary and qualifications—and S Pass holders, medium- and low-skilled technical workers.

Together, they are foreign employers who compete directly with locals for PMET jobs (Professionals, Managers, Managers, and Specialists), or positions that generally offer higher salaries and career progression.

According to the online frenzy, you might expect this group to have grown significantly over the years, but surprisingly, the latest Mother of the Workplace Results report, released last month, shows otherwise.

From 2020 to 2025, the total number of S Pass and EP holders has increased 400 only. That is not a mistake.

From 378,500 in 2020, the number of these successful people actually decreased to 331,200 in 2021, slightly increased to 338,000 in 2022, and then increased to 378,900 in 2025.

At the same time, resident workers, including Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, benefit. The proportion of PMETs (Professionals, Managers, Managers, and Technicians) among the employed population increased from 1.3 million in 2020 to 1.5 million in 2025.

This growth exceeded the combined increase in EP and S Pass holders, indicating that locals are not being squeezed out. Instead, they increase their presence in high-skilled roles.

In addition, 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 hold professional and managerial positions in all industries.

The highest paying sectors are still dominated by locals…

Industry-level data reinforces this picture.

According to MAMA’s Workspace report released last year, across all major industries, there is no sector where foreign workers make up more than 25% of PMET roles.

The highest paying sectors are still dominated by locals. In Finance, international graduates account for less than 15% of PMET roles, while Health & Social Services, which includes doctors and specialist health professionals, shows a similar ratio.

Only three sectors—Food and Beverage Services, Construction Services, and Management—have the highest shares of foreign employment, with foreigners making up 40–50% of PMET roles.

These are also sectors that Singaporeans in general have little interest in, even at management levels, and offer very few quality job openings.

… and it will always be that way

The data makes it abundantly clear: while foreigners fill some PMET roles, locals remain firmly in control of Singapore’s high-paying, high-skilled jobs.

It is worth noting, however, that the data does not distinguish between Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, meaning that some of these roles may be held by foreigners.

However, these differences do very 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 reasonable measure of local participation.

Singaporeans can only strengthen their hold on high-paying, high-skilled roles in the coming years.

In Budget 2026, the Government announced further tightening of conditions for foreign workers, including raising the minimum qualifying salary for Employment Pass holders to S$6,000 (plus S$6,600 in finance), and raising the S Pass rate, to S$3,600 (plus S$4,000 in finance).

These changes are not just technical changes. They are part of a wider strategy to ensure that foreign employment remains at a high level and complements, rather than replaces, domestic workers. As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong put it, Singapore will remain open to global talent, while ensuring that Singaporeans “remain firmly at the heart 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 make it even more important.

• Read other articles we have written on Singapore current affairs here.

Featured Image Credit: TK Kurikawa/ Shutterstock.com