SINGAPORE – Despite a strong economic performance in 2025 and a robust labour market, many Singaporeans are concerned about jobs, particularly in the face of rapid technological change and a very uncertain external environment, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said on Feb 11 in a video.
To help people navigate these changes, the Government will do more, focusing on managing job transitions, equipping them with the skills to stay competitive and ensuring access to good jobs with rising incomes, he said.
He added that he would speak more about these plans in his
upcoming Budget statement on Feb 12.
Singapore’s economy grew by an estimated 5 per cent in 2025, based on figures from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the growth forecast for 2026 was recently upgraded to a range of 2 per cent to 4 per cent.
Meanwhile, investment commitments made in 2025 are expected to create some 15,700 jobs over the next five years, the Economic Development Board announced earlier in February.
PM Wong had previously spoken about the need to address the anxieties of workers amid changes brought by artificial intelligence, describing this as a key challenge for governments worldwide.
The issue has also been on the radar of the National Trades Union Congress, which disclosed recently that more businesses have been approaching the labour movement for support due to concerns about the disruption from AI.
In the video, PM Wong, who was speaking to two workers, said work will change and evolve, leading to more career transitions for Singaporeans. He reiterated that the Government will help Singaporeans continually upgrade so that they are prepared for the changes and new jobs being created.
Parliament will sit at 1.30pm on Feb 12 for PM Wong’s Budget statement.
Watch the speech and get instant bite-size updates from the special live coverage on the
ST website
. Read more reports and analyses on what the Budget means for you on
ST’s Budget 2026 site
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