Singapore has topped the Global Talent Competitiveness Index for the first time since the ranking began in 2013.
The city-state claimed first place among 135 economies in the latest GTCI report by business school Insead, released on Nov 26, 2025.
Switzerland dropped to second place after holding the top position for 12 consecutive years. Denmark rose one spot to third, while Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, the US and Australia rounded out the top 10.
Singapore was the only Asian country in the top 20. Japan placed 28th and South Korea came in 31st. European economies dominated the upper rankings.
Insead launched the annual ranking in 2013 as a benchmark for policy thinking on labour markets, work organisation and talent flows.
Education System and Workforce Adaptability Key Factors
The report credited Singapore’s education system and adaptive workforce for the top ranking.
Singapore ranked first for Generalist Adaptive Skills, which includes soft skills, digital literacy and innovation-oriented thinking.
Felipe Monteiro, academic director of the GTCI and senior affiliate professor of strategy at Insead, said Singapore’s rise to first place came largely from improved talent retention.
The improvement stemmed from gains in personal rights, physician density and continued global leadership in personal safety.
Index Revamped After 10 Editions
Singapore ranked second in the last three GTCI reports, with the most recent released in 2023.
No report was published in 2024 as the index underwent a revamp after 10 editions. The overhaul led Insead to partner with Portulans Institute, a Washington, DC-based non-profit research outfit, for the 2025 edition.
The report added new variables including artificial intelligence adoption, soft skills and employee well-being.
This year’s GTCI used the theme Resilience in the Age of Disruption. The report examined how nations and economies are building talent systems capable of handling disruptions.
The ranking of 135 economies is based on 77 indicators across six pillars: enable, attract, grow, retain, vocational and technical skills, and generalist adaptive skills.
Paul Evans, co-editor of the report, said economies that develop adaptable and AI-literate workforces tend to sustain long-term competitiveness better.
