Data on Transitions Between Employed and Self-Employed Workers by Age Group in Past Five Years

Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh asked the Acting Minister for Manpower for each of the past five years, whether the Ministry can provide the number and proportion of local residents who changed employment status (i) from employee to own-account worker or employer and (ii) from own-account worker or employer to employee, with breakdowns by age group, where such data is available.

Ms Jasmin Lau: The number and proportion of employed residents who changed employment status from employee to own-account worker or employer, or vice versa, declined overall between 2021 to 2025, as shown in Table 1 below. This occurred alongside a broader reduction in job switching over the same period. 1

Tables 2 and 3 below provide the corresponding breakdowns by age group for each direction of movement.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 86:

1 From 2021 to 2025, the number and proportion of employed residents who had changed jobs in the last one year declined from 198,300 (8.8%) to 145,000 (6.2%).

2 Refers to proportion out of all employed residents and exclude full-time National Servicemen.

3 Refers to proportion out of all employed residents in that age group and exclude full-time National Servicemen.

4 Refers to proportion out of all employed residents in that age group and exclude full-time National Servicemen.