SINGAPORE — The latest numbers on the labour market situation in Singapore show that the situation in the first quarter was worse than the preliminary findings predicted in April, and Manpower Minister Josephine Teo warned that they are likely to get worse, as the Republic has yet to feel the “full effects” of the Covid-19 crisis.

Speaking to the media last Friday (June 12) ahead of Monday’s release of the labour market report for the first quarter of this year, Mrs Teo harked back to what the first three months of the year were like.

A majority of the travel restrictions that are in place today had yet to start in February, she said, and the circuit breaker to restrict movement and activities was imposed only on April 7 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“In other words, the full effects of Covid-19 will certainly not have been felt in the first quarter of 2020,” she said.

Even so, the final report on the labour market situation here already shows that the situation in the first quarter was worse than inititally estimated, she added.

For example, the contraction in total employment was “sharper” than what the preliminary findings suggested.

.. Read more at Today Online here

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