The Singapore Department of Statistics is responsible for developing national statistical standards and promoting the adoption of these standards. The Singapore Standard Occupational Classification (SSOC) is the national standard for classifying occupations. It is used for censuses of population, household surveys and administrative databases. The adoption and use of a common standard in the collection, analyses and dissemination of statistics ensure consistency and comparability of data, facilitating relevant and meaningful analyses as well as data sharing.

The SSOC adopts the basic framework and principles of the International Standard Classification of Occupations 2008 (ISCO-08). It is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect developments in the labour market, particularly the emergence of new occupations, as well as to align with changes in the international standard.

This sixth edition of the SSOC supersedes previous editions. More details on the classification at the four- and five-digit levels are available in the publication, Singapore Standard Occupational Classification 2010. It describes the occupational codes, scope and structure of the classification as well as descriptions of the principles. To facilitate better understanding and appropriate use of the classification, detailed write-up is provided at the unit group (four-digit) level. A comparison table of SSOC 2005 and SSOC 2010 up to the unit group level is also included.