Singapore flag Singapore: Operating a Business in Singapore

Work conditions in Singapore

The Active Population in Figures

	2018	2019	2020
Labour Force	3,493,603	3,525,665	3,472,519

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

Employed Persons, by Occupation (% of Total Labour Force)	2015
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles	16.9%
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security	13.5%
Manufacturing	11.1%
Transportation and storage	8.8%
Financial and insurance activities	7.8%
Professional, scientific and technical activities	7.8%
Accommodation and food service activities	6.5%
Administrative and support service activities	5.2%
Construction	5.1%
Human health and social work activities	4.9%
Information and communication	3.9%
Real estate activities	2.6%
Arts, entertainment and recreation	1.7%

For Further Statistics: Ministry of Manpower
For Further Information About the Labour Market: Statistics, Labour, Employment and Wages

Legal Weekly Duration: 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week with one-hour lunch break.
Retirement Age: 62 years
Working Contracts: The nature of the contract depends on the type of contract, which could include the following: annual hours contract, casual workers contract, fixed-term contract, home-workers contract, job sharing contract, flexi-time contract, part-timers contract, self-employed workers contract.
Labour Laws: Consult Doing Business Website, to obtain a summary of the labour regulations that apply to local entreprises.

Minimum Wage: As a matter of national policy, the Ministry of Manpower does not prescribe minimum wages.
Average Wage: According to data from the Ministry of Manpower, the average monthly wage for full-time resident employees was SGD 4,680 in 2021.
Social Contributions: Social Security Contributions Paid By Employers: Employers contribute up to 17%, capped at a maximum average monthly salary of SGD 6,000 (contributions are payable by Singapore citizens and permanent residents only).
Reduced rates apply for employees who are earning less than SGD 750 per month as well as for those above 55 years of age.
Social Security Contributions Paid By Employees: Only employees who are Singaporean citizens or permanent residents must contribute 20% income to the CPF, with graduated rates available for the first three years of an employee's permanent residency.

Social Dialogue and Involvement of Social Partners: Trade Union Act does not allow the unionisation of government employees and uniformed personnel. The act also restricts the Trade Unions' right to select the leader and whom to employ.
Most of the Trade Unions are part of National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) which is closely associated with the government. The government grants renewable licences to trade unions on a yearly basis and strictly controls them.
Unions: National Trade Union Congress (NTUC)
Unionisation Rate: 24%
Labour Regulation Bodies: Ministry of Manpower
Singapore National Employers' Federation (SNEF)

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