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Talent Wiki – Singapore

Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Singapore

Capital

Singapore

Currency

Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Languages

English (Official), Chinese, Malay, Tamil‍

Payroll Frequency

Monthly

GDP per Capita

$94,594.57

Employer Tax

17.25% + varying tax

Talent Overview

Singapore is considered the most open economy in the world by the World Economic Forum. As it stands, Singapore has low tax rates and currently sits atop the second highest GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity in the world. The country focuses on exporting electronics, chemicals, and services. Small and medium-sized businesses are the main foundations of Singapore’s economy.

Major economic hubs:

Singapore City

Skills in demand:

Information and Communications Technology, Professionals, Marketing and Design, Construction, Finance, Healthcare, Retail and Tourism

Map 2

Local Universities

The top local universities in Singapore are as follows:

Uni1 8

National University of Singapore

RANKING

Local: 1

World : 114

Uni2 6

Nanyang Technological University

RANKING

Local: 2

World : 244

Uni3 8

Singapore Management University

RANKING

Local: 3

World : 771

Uni4 7

Singapore University of Technology and Design

RANKING

Local: 4

World : 1,780

Uni5 8

Singapore Institute of Technology

RANKING

Local: 5

World : 2,925

Salary Data

Some popular jobs and their monthly salary are listed below

Job Title Monthly Average Salary (SGD) Monthly Average Salary (USD)
IT Project Manager 12,000 9,083
Chief IT Security Officer 10,900 8,250
Web Security Manager 11,900 9,007
Intelligence Manager 10,200 7,721
Project Manager 9,430 7,138

 

Talentsournce

Talent Sourcing Tips

Top Local Job Boards:

Indeed, Neuvoo, InternSG

Number of LinkedIn users:

3,985,000

Top Recruitment Agencies:

Kelly Services, Adecco, GMP Group

Employing in Singapore

When looking into hiring employees in Singapore, employers must know the country’s employment laws, benefits, payroll, and taxes. We’ll discuss the basics of what to prepare when onboarding talents from the country below.

Employee Contract

Employment contracts in Singapore can be expressed through written, oral, or implied means. However, it is recommended by the Ministry of Manpower that contracts be written to minimize unintended disputes.

There is no specific requirement for the language of employment contracts. Most businesses though use English as the medium.

Probation Period

The probationary period for employees ranges from 3 – 6 months.

Public and Provincial Holidays

Date Name Type
1 Jan New Year’s Day National holiday
10 Feb Lunar New Year’s Day National holiday
11 Feb Second Day of Lunar New Year National holiday
12 Feb Day off for Lunar New Year’s Day National holiday
29 Mar Good Friday National holiday
10 Apr Hari Raya Puasa (Tentative Date) National holiday
1 May Labour Day National holiday
22 May Vesak Day National holiday
17 Jun Hari Raya Haji (Tentative Date) National holiday
9 Aug National Day National holiday
31 Oct Diwali/Deepavali National holiday
25 Dec Christmas Day National holiday

Employee Leaves

Type of leave Time period Mandatory
Annual leave/Earned Leave 7 days Yes
Sick Leave 14 days Yes
Maternity Leave 16 weeks Yes

Payroll

Payroll 1

Payroll Cycle

Employees are paid monthly, within 7 days of the end of the salary period.

Payroll 2

Minimum Wage

Singapore has no minimum wage policy.

Payroll 3

Overtime Pay

Employees are only allowed up to 72 overtime hours in a month, unless they apply for exemption to increase it. Overtime pay varies between the following employee category:

Bonus

13th Month Pay

A 13th-month bonus is customary depending on the company. It is usually paid at the end of the year.

Employee Benefits

Employees in Singapore has the opportunity to avail of the following benefits during their employment:

  • Relocation assistance
  • Healthcare insurance
  • Pension fund
  • Housing allowance
  • Child care benefits
  • Transportation reimbursements
  • Central Provident Fund (CPF)
  • Annual Leaves

Taxes

Employer Payroll Tax

Type of Tax Contribution (%) Notes
CPF Contribution (Pension) Employees aged 55 & Below 17% Payable for monthly salary ≥ SGD$750
Employees aged above 55 to 60 14%  
Employees aged above 60 to 65 10%  
Employees aged above 65 to 70 8%
Employees aged above 70 7.50%  
Skills Development Levy 0.25% / SGD 2 for employees earning less than SGD 800 monthly / SGD 11.25 for employees earning more than SGD 4,500 Whichever is highest, capped at SGD 11.25
Worker’s Injury Compensation Insurance Depends on Insurance Plan Offers All employees involved in manual work, regardless of salary level.All employees doing non-manual work, earning a salary of $2,600 or less a month, excluding any overtime payment, bonus payment, annual wage supplement, productivity incentive payment and any allowance.

Employee Payroll Tax

Type of Tax Contribution (%)
CPF Contribution (Pension)
Employee Age
55 & below 20%
Above 55 to 60 14%
Above 60 to 65 8.50%
Above 65 to 70 6%
Above 70 5.00%
Community Contribution $0.50 – $30.00

Employee Income Tax

Income tax levied in Singapore is at a progressive rate on all annual income as follows:

Taxable income (SGD*) Years of assessment 2022 and 2023 Year of assessment 2024
Over (column 1) Not over Tax on column 1 (SGD) Percentage on excess (%) Tax on column 1 (SGD) Percentage on excess (%)
0 20,000
20,000 30,000 2.00 2.00
30,000 40,000 200 3.50 200 3.50
40,000 80,000 550 7.00 550 7.00
80,000 120,000 3,350 11.50 3,350 11.50
120,000 160,000 7,950 15.00 7,950 15.00
160,000 200,000 13,950 18.00 13,950 18.00
200,000 240,000 21,150 19.00 21,150 19.00
240,000 280,000 28,750 19.50 28,750 19.50
280,000 320,000 36,550 20.00 36,550 20.00
320,000 500,000 44,550 22.00 44,550 22.00
500,000 1,000,000 84,150 22.00 84,150 23.00
1,000,000 194,150 22.00 199,150 24.00

Non-Resident Tax Rate

Fixed at 22% of income.

VAT

The Goods and Services Tax/ VAT in Singapore is 7%.

Offboarding & Termination

Termination of an employment contract in Singapore may happen in the following circumstances:

  • Employee resignation
  • Employer dismisses an employee due to misconduct
  • Expiration of the contract or project

A notice must be given by either of the parties when deciding to terminate a contract. It must follow the terms and conditions set out in the contract of service.

The notice period for Singaporean employees will be up to 30 days.

In practice, the severance pay in Singapore is equated to Responsible Retrenchment which the employees who served at least 2 years in the company are entitled to. The retrenchment benefit is usually paid for two weeks to one month of salary per year of service depending on the financial standing of the company.

Visa and Immigration

Generally, Visas in Singapore are issued before entry into the country. It is not considered as an immigration pass but is needed in order to do business in the country. Many of the countries do not require a Visa to enter Singapore however those who do need Visas have individual requirements depending on the country.

There are three types of passes (visas) to be able to have the authorization to operate a business or work in Singapore depending on the nature of your business.

Visa 28
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Payroll

Minimum Wage

Overtime Pay

Employees are only allowed up to 72 overtime hours in a month, unless they apply for exemption to increase it. Overtime pay varies between the following employee category:

  • White-collar worker earning up to $2600: 1.5x of hourly wage
  • Blue-collar worker earning up to $4500: 1.5x of hourly wage

It should be paid within 14 days after the last payroll period and is capped at SGD$13.60/hr.

Visa & Immigration

Types of Work Passes (Visa) Who are eligible Requirements
Employment Pass Professionals, managers, and executives At least $4,500.00 monthly salary
Personalized Employment Pass Professionals, managers, and executives High-earning employment pass holders and overseas workers
EntrePass Entrepreneurs Those who are keen to start and operate a business that is venture-backed or possess innovative technologies