Written Answer to PQ on Entry Level Job Vacancies

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1240 FOR THE SITTING ON 08 SEPTEMBER 2026
QUESTION NO. 1920 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Dr Wan Rizal

To ask the Acting Minister for Manpower regarding the 32,800 entry-level Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians (PMET) job openings as at March 2026 (a) what criteria are used to classify a vacancy as entry-level; (b) what proportions of these openings required (i) no prior work experience (ii) up to one year work experience and (iii) more than one year work experience, respectively; and (c) what proportions are (i) permanent positions (ii) fixed-term positions and (iii) traineeships.

Answer:

Entry-level PMET job vacancies are defined as PMET job vacancies with a minimum offered salary of between $2,300 and $5,000. This is a proxy measure which broadly corresponds to the range of starting salaries typically observed among tertiary-educated new entrants to the workforce. Not all employers may specify their job requirements in sufficient detail to provide the precise breakdown requested. Nonetheless, nearly 80% of entry-level PMET job vacancies required three years or less of work experience.

2 At least eight in ten of the 32,800 vacancies were permanent positions, while the remainder comprised temporary or fixed-term contract positions.