Employment Contract in Singapore: Template, Clauses and Local Law (2026)

What is a Singapore employment contract, and what does the law require? A Singapore employment contract is a contract of service between an employer and an employee. In Singapore the key statute is the Employment Act, which sets minimum terms for most employees. On top of the written contract, employers must give covered employees a set of Key Employment Terms (KETs) in writing, and make the compulsory Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. A good contract does more than state the salary. It records the job, the hours, leave, notice, probation, and the rules the employee must follow, and it does so in a way that matches the Employment Act and the KETs requirement. This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Employment law changes, so confirm the current position with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or a qualified adviser before you rely on any clause. Last verified October 2026. ## Singapore employment contract template Copy the block below and fill the bracketed fields. ```

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT This Employment Contract is made on [DATE] BETWEEN: [COMPANY NAME], [UEN], of [address] ("Company") AND [EMPLOYEE NAME], [NRIC / FIN], of [address] ("Employee") 1. POSITION The Company employs the Employee as [JOB TITLE], with the main duties of [summary]. The Employee reports to [ROLE]. 2. START DATE AND PROBATION Employment begins on [START DATE]. The first [N] months are a probation period, during which the notice period is [N] days. 3. HOURS AND REST DAY Normal hours are [hours] per [day/week], with [one] rest day each week. [For employees covered by Part IV: overtime beyond 8 hours a day or 44 hours a week is paid at 1.5 times the hourly basic rate of pay.] 4. SALARY The Company will pay a basic salary of S$[AMOUNT] per month, paid by [date] each month, by [method]. [Allowances / bonus / incentives.] Salary is paid within 7 days after the end of the salary period; any overtime is paid within 14 days after the end of that period. 5. CPF The Company will make CPF contributions for the Employee at the rates set by the CPF Board, where the Employee is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident. 6. LEAVE Annual leave: [N] days per year. Sick leave, hospitalisation leave, public holidays and other statutory leave apply as the law provides. [Parental and other leave as applicable.] 7. CONFIDENTIALITY The Employee will keep the Company's confidential information secret during and after employment and use it only for the Company's benefit. 8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Work the Employee creates in the course of employment belongs to the Company, and the Employee assigns such rights to the Company. 9. NOTICE AND TERMINATION After probation, either party may end the employment on [N] [days / weeks / months] written notice, or payment of salary in lieu. The Company may dismiss without notice for misconduct after due inquiry. 10. RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS [Non-solicitation of clients and staff for [N] months after employment. Any restraint must be reasonable to be enforceable; see note below.] 11. GOVERNING LAW This contract is governed by the laws of Singapore. Signed for the Company: __________ Employee: __________ Name / designation / date Name / NRIC / date

- **Hours and overtime (clause 3).** Part IV of the Employment Act, which covers overtime and rest days, applies to a workman earning a basic monthly salary of not more than S$4,500 and to a non-workman earning not more than S$2,600. Managers and executives are outside these overtime rules. Where Part IV applies, overtime is at least 1.5 times the hourly basic rate for work beyond 8 hours a day or 44 hours a week. <!-- [VERIFY: confirm current Part IV salary thresholds S$4,500 / S$2,600 on mom.gov.sg] --> Last verified October 2026.
- **Salary timing (clause 4).** Salary must be paid within 7 days after the end of the salary period, and overtime within 14 days after it. These are statutory timings, not optional.
- **CPF (clause 5).** For Singapore Citizens and PRs, CPF is compulsory. For employees aged 55 and below the total rate is 37 percent, split 17 percent employer and 20 percent employee, up to the Ordinary Wage ceiling, which is S$8,000 a month in 2026. Rates step down for older workers. Foreign employees on work passes are not subject to CPF. <!-- [VERIFY: confirm 2026 CPF rates and S$8,000 Ordinary Wage ceiling on cpf.gov.sg] --> Last verified October 2026.
- **Key Employment Terms.** Separately from this contract, employers must give covered employees who will work for at least 14 days a written set of Key Employment Terms within 14 days of starting. Many employers put the KETs in the contract itself so one document satisfies both. ## Common mistakes to avoid - Not issuing Key Employment Terms in writing within 14 days, which is a legal requirement for covered employees.
- Assuming CPF applies to foreign pass holders; it does not.
- Treating managers and executives as entitled to statutory overtime; Part IV does not cover them.
- A non-compete that is too wide; Singapore courts only enforce restraints that are reasonable and protect a legitimate interest.
- Ignoring the salary and overtime payment timing rules. ## A note on jurisdiction and current law - **Employment Act coverage.** The Employment Act covers most employees, but some terms (notably Part IV on overtime and rest days) apply only within salary thresholds. Confirm which parts apply to a given role.
- **Retirement and re-employment.** From 1 July 2026 the prescribed minimum retirement age rises to 64 and the re-employment age to 69, part of a plan to reach 65 and 70 by 2030. <!-- [VERIFY: confirm 1 July 2026 commencement on mom.gov.sg] --> Last verified October 2026.
- **Restrictive covenants.** Singapore does not enforce unreasonable restraints of trade. A non-compete or non-solicit must be no wider than needed to protect a legitimate business interest in scope, time, and area. ## Where a contract workspace helps A template gets you a sound Singapore employment contract. The ongoing work is keeping terms consistent across every hire, making sure each contract reflects the right Employment Act coverage, CPF position and notice, and keeping signed versions and key dates straight as the team grows. Keeping that drafting, review and tracking in one AI workspace tuned to how your company hires holds the Employment Act coverage, CPF position and notice consistent across every Singapore hire, with edits made in plain English. [Adira](https://adiralaw.com) is one workspace built for Singapore hiring this way. This template alone is enough to put a fair Singapore contract in place.