Population
6,209,660
Currency
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
Languages
Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil
Capital
Singapore
Cost of Living
79.09
(US 69.92)
Time (UTC)
UTC +8
Government
Parliamentary Republic

Hire in Singapore without an entity and fully compliant with local labor laws

Southeast Asia's marine region is home to the independent island nation and the city-state of Singapore. With an average IQ of 108, it’s not surprising the third most densely populated country in the world is also a global financial center. 

And travelers who fly the 9,544 miles from New York to Singapore are treated to a 131-foot-high waterfall in Changi Airport!

Get to know Singapore

Singapore is made up of 63 satellite islands, including one outlying islet and a main island. Thanks to substantial land reclamation, the overall land area has grown by 25% since the nation gained independence from Malaysia in 1965. The country is home to many different languages, religions, and cultures.

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Singapore's financial services marketplace is sophisticated and robust. The burgeoning venture capitalist sector funds start-up businesses, especially in the technology industry. The beautiful Southeast Asia location and renowned air travel system support a substantial tourism market fueling investments in hotels and commercial areas.

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The World Bank classifies Singapore as a high-income economy with the following trade agreements and alliances: 

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Trade Agreements:

  • APEC - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
  • ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations
  • RCEP - Regional, comprehensive economic partnership
  • TPP - Trans-Pacific Partnership

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Alliances: 

  • ADB - Asian Development Bank
  • Non-Aligned Movement
  • Commonwealth of Nations
  • UN - United Nations
  • UNESCO
  • WTO - World Trade Organization

Entity requirements
Mandatory hiring contracts & clauses
Different compliance risks for full-time vs. contractor employees
Mandatory probationary periods
Allowable working hours & overtime wage laws
Timecard and attendance records
Required employer payroll, labor insurance, and tax payments
Discrimination protection
Notices & termination regulations

Budgeting for Singaporean employees

Hiring remote Singapore professionals is smart and economical, assuming you’re fully compliant with local tax, labor, and wage laws.
Employee Classification–Full-time vs Contractor

Permanent Employees

  • Work more than 35 hours a week
  • Have employment contracts without a set end date
  • Are protected under statutory employment rights

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Part-time Employees

  • Work less than 35 hours a week
  • Hourly pay instead of salary
  • Contract may end without prior notice

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Fixed-Term Contract Employees

  • Work for a set time
Employment Contracts

Employers must provide the following essential employment terms in writing to their employees:

  • Employer’s full name
  • Employee’s full name
  • Job title, main duties and responsibilities
  • Start date & duration of employment
  • Working arrangements, such as daily working hours, number of working days per week, and rest day
  • Salary period & basic rate of pay
  • Fixed allowances & deductions
  • Overtime rate & payment period
  • Leave entitlement
  • Medical benefits
  • Probation period
  • Notice period for dismissal or termination
Probation Period
  • Typically three-six months
  • Ends when the job contract expires
  • New employment contracts required to continue 
Standard Working Hours & Overtime
  • Eight hours per day
  • 44 hours per week
  • 72-hour overtime limit per month
Payroll Frequency

Monthly

Wages & Bonuses
  • No general minimum wage except for businesses covered by the Progressive Wage Model (PWM)
  • 13th-month bonus

USD equivalent median salaries

  • Data Scientist - $77,459 USD
  • Electrical Engineer - $40,997 USD
  • Hardware Engineer - $37,845 USD
  • IT Manager - $69,040 USD
  • Mobile Developer - $53,991 USD
  • Product Manager - $57,300 USD
  • Project Manager - $59,728 USD
  • QA Engineer - $40,388 USD
  • Software Engineer - $49,077 USD
  • System Administrator - $60,701 USD
  • UX Designer - $42,252 USD
  • Web Developer - $38,010 USD
Payroll Taxes & Employer Contributions

Income Tax

  • Citizens = 2% - 22%
  • Foreigners = 22%

Central Provident Fund (CPF)

  • Employers = 17% 
  • Employees = 20%
Benefits

Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS)

  • Citizens = 15%
  • Foreigners = 35%

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Health Insurance 

Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA)

Covers all employees except domestic workers and those working for the Central Narcotics Bureau, Singapore Prisons Services, Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Police Force, Singapore Civil Defense Force, or Singapore Police Force.

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Paid leave

Maternity 

  • Before birth = four weeks
  • After birth = eight weeks

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Paternity 

  • Two weeks

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Vacation/PTO days

  • 12 months = seven days
  • Maximum = 14 days per year

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Sick Days

  • Three-four months employment = five - 15 days
  • Four-five months employment = eight- 30 days
  • Five-six months = 11 - 45 days
  • At least six months = 14 - 60 days

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Additional Leave

  • Polling Day
  • Bereavement Leave: 2-3 days
  • Military Leave/Reservist Leave

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Additional Benefits

  • Paid Childcare Leave

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Holidays

Singapore celebrates 11 national (public) holidays and multiple observances a year. Some have fixed-dates set on the Gregorian calendar and others are based on the Lunar calendar and thus observed on different dates each year. 

 

The most important fixed date holidays are

  • New Year's Day (January 1)
  • Labor Day (May 1)

 

The most important Lunar calendar holidays are

  • Chinese New Year (January or February)
  • Hari Raya Puasa (March or April)
  • Vesak Day (April or May)
  • Hari Raya Haji (May or June)
Termination & Severance
  • Employers and employees must agree on the Notice Period for the employment contract
  • Termination notices must in writing per The Employment Act
  • Investigations are required prior to terminating employees covered by the Employment Act 
  • Employers must inform employees of pending transfers; new employment terms must be at least equal to employee’s terms prior to transfer

A few fun facts about Singapore

  • The world’s first night zoo houses over 1,000 animals from 120 different species, living in their natural night-time settings.
  • The first Formula 1 night race happened in Singapore
  • The oldest structures in Singapore include ancient Chinese and Indian temples, a few of which are designated as national monuments
  • The world’s tallest indoor waterfall is in the Jewel Changi Airport
  • There’s a 26 ft statue of a Merlion, a legendary creature described as half lion and half fish and the national emblem, at the mouth of the Singapore River
  • The largest passenger aircraft in the world, a Singapore Airlines’s Airbus A-380, made its inaugural commercial trip from Singapore to Sydney

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