Nearly one in five Singapore workers is overqualified for their jobs, but most aren’t stuck there by accident.

New data from MOM shows 19.4% of resident workers in 2025 hold qualifications above job requirements, up from a decade ago. But the surprising part? Most say it’s by choice.

Other findings from NTUC and SUTD echo the same trend, pointing to a growing group of workers deliberately taking on roles below their qualifications.

So what’s behind this shift and what does it say about how Singaporeans view work today?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Professor Lawrence Loh, Department of Strategy and Policy, National University of Singapore, to unpack what this means for Singapore’s evolving labour landscape.