FOREIGNERS got the lion's share of jobs created last year, but nearly all of these were in the construction and service sectors.
The latest official figures showed a record 156,900 of them joined the workforce, soaking up seven in 10 of the new jobs. The remaining 64,700 new jobs went to Singaporeans and permanent residents.
These new numbers are derived from the labour market report for 2008 released by the Manpower Ministry yesterday.
While the stark difference in the share of new jobs may raise eyebrows, analysts say it does not indicate that locals were losing out.
They noted that most of the jobs taken by foreigners were shunned by locals.
Economist Choy Keen Meng of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said: 'I wouldn't say that locals have been sidelined; it's just that most of the new jobs created are in construction and low-skilled service industries.
'So they naturally went to cheaper foreign workers.'
Labour MP Halimah Yacob agreed: 'If you boil it down to the sectors, you will see they are working in jobs like construction, where it is not easy to attract locals.'
All in, a total of 221,600 jobs were created last year. But most came onstream at the start of 2008, before recession in the second half brought the carnage towards the end.
- The Straits Times
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