Singapore, Sep 15 (IANS): Amid Singapore's weaker economic conditions, the employment of locals fell by 8,900 in the first half of 2015 while foreign employment growth slowed to a seven-year low, an official report said on Tuesday.

According to the report issued by manpower ministry, the decline in local employment was largely due to the exit of casual workers under the age of 25 from the workforce, after a spike in the hiring of such workers in the second half of 2014, Channel News Asia reported.

Foreign employment growth, excluding foreign domestic workers, slowed to 8,000 in the first six months - the lowest half-yearly growth since 2009.

The services sector accounted for the majority of the growth, and work permit holders accounted for the largest proportion of foreign employment, according to the report.

The overall unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.9 percent in June 2015. The resident long-term unemployment rate also remained low at 0.7 percent.

Overall employment dipped by 1,000, a decline from the growth of 52,200 in the same period last year.