Unemployment fell amid fewer layoffs in the third quarter of this year, according to preliminary figures released on Thursday by the Manpower Ministry.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 1.8 per cent in September, down from 2.1 per cent in June. The resident unemployment rate also fell, from 2.9 per cent to 2.6 per cent, while citizen unemployment fell from 3.1 per cent to 2.8 per cent.

Layoffs also fell, reversing an increase in the previous quarter. There were 2,600 workers laid off in the third quarter, down from 3,080 in the quarter before.

Employment growth also remained high, with 28,100 more workers in jobs in the third quarter. This was down from the employment growth of 33,700 in the quarter before, but higher than in the same period last year.