Assessment of Entry-level PMET Job Postings by Experience Requirements and Employment Type

Dr Wan Rizal asked 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.

Entry-level Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (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.

At least eight in 10 of the 32,800 vacancies were permanent positions, while the remainder comprised temporary or fixed-term contract positions.