The construction and professional services sectors continued to be the fastest-growing employment sectors in Singapore in the first quarter of 2013.

Growth of 1.6% growth in professional services’ 210,800 strong workforce and a 1.9% increase in the construction industry’s headcount to 450,300 are reported by the Ministry of Manpower’s First Quarter 2013 Labour Market Survey.

Total employment in the city-state rose by 28,900 to 3.39m.

Professional services and construction are the only two sectors to have added more than 2,000 jobs every quarter for the last 12 months, although community, social & personal services and transportation & storage have done so in all but Q3 2012.

Singapore was last month named one of the world’s most competitive markets, and has seen expansion recently from recruitment firms Selby Jennings, Adecco brand Spring and VMA Group, as well as trade body APSCo's new local chapter.