Two dates changed Singapore payroll in 2026. From 1 January 2026, CPF rates are 37% at 55 and below, 34% above 55 to 60, 25% above 60 to 65, 16.5% above 65 to 70 and 12.5% above 70. From 1 July 2026, the retirement age is 64, the re-employment age is 69, and the Local Qualifying Salary is $1,800.
That is the whole of it in one paragraph. The rest of this page gives the exact figures, the source for each one, and the steps to check in your own payroll run — because a rate change only takes effect in your payroll if someone applies it to your employees' ages and wages.
CPF Board publishes the rates in force from 1 January 2026 for monthly wages above $750:
| Employee age (years) | By employer | By employee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 and below | 17% | 20% | 37% |
| Above 55 to 60 | 16% | 18% | 34% |
| Above 60 to 65 | 12.5% | 12.5% | 25% |
| Above 65 to 70 | 9% | 7.5% | 16.5% |
| Above 70 | 7.5% | 5% | 12.5% |
Source: CPF Board — How much CPF contributions to pay, read on 16 September 2026. CPF's table is headed "Contribution rates from 1 January 2026 (monthly wages > $750)".
Two things to do with that table. First, the rate depends on the employee's age in the payroll month, so staff who crossed a band boundary during the year are the usual source of an error. Second, CPF contributions are also subject to CPF's Ordinary Wage ceiling, which CPF raises on a published schedule — read the current ceiling from CPF's own page (What is the Ordinary Wage ceiling) rather than from a summary, including this one.
MOM: "In accordance with the Retirement and Re-employment Act, from 1 July 2026, the minimum retirement age is 64 years, applicable to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents." On re-employment: "The re-employment age was raised from 68 to 69 from 1 July 2026" and "Employers must offer re-employment to eligible employees who turn 64, up to age 69".
Sources: MOM — Retirement and MOM — Re-employment, read on 16 September 2026.
Why this lands on payroll: an employee who reaches 64 must be offered re-employment up to 69, and their CPF band (above 60 to 65, then above 65 to 70) has to be applied to the right payroll months. Where an employee stays on past 64, the salary and CPF records need to continue without a break. If you are unsure how the eligibility criteria apply to a particular employee, MOM's re-employment page sets out the criteria and the dispute process.
MOM states: "The LQS is $1,800 today." The requirement is published as:
Source: MOM — Local Qualifying Salary, page last updated 1 July 2026, read on 16 September 2026. The LQS is not only a wage floor: MOM states it "also determines the number of local employees counted towards a firm's Work Permit and S Pass quota entitlement" — so getting it wrong affects your quota, not just your payroll cost.
CPF Board: "The levy payable for each employee is at 0.25% of the monthly total wages. The minimum payable is $2 for an employee earning less than $800 a month and the maximum is $11.25 for an employee earning more than $4,500 a month." Round the total SDL for all employees down to the nearest dollar.
Source: CPF Board — Skills Development Levy, read on 16 September 2026.
IRAS: employers "are required by law (S68(2) of the Income Tax Act) to prepare Form IR8A and Appendix 8A, Appendix 8B or Form IR8S (where applicable prior to YA 2026) for employees who are employed in Singapore by 1 Mar of the year after the year the income is derived".
Source: IRAS — Reporting Employee Earnings (IR8A, Appendix 8A, Appendix 8B), read on 16 September 2026.
55 and below: 17% employer, 20% employee (37% total). Above 55 to 60: 16% / 18% (34%). Above 60 to 65: 12.5% / 12.5% (25%). Above 65 to 70: 9% / 7.5% (16.5%). Above 70: 7.5% / 5% (12.5%). Monthly wages above $750 (CPF Board).
MOM states the minimum retirement age is 64 years from 1 July 2026, with re-employment up to 69.
$1,800 for full-time employed locals (35–44 hours per week), and at least $10.50 per hour gross for part-time locals under 35 hours per week (MOM, page last updated 1 July 2026).
CPF Board's Skills Development Levy page states 0.25% of monthly total wages, minimum $2 per employee earning under $800 a month, maximum $11.25 per employee earning over $4,500 a month. That is the rate published on 16 September 2026.
CPF and MOM announce later changes separately, and this page only states what is in force now. Check CPF Board's announcements and MOM's employment practices pages before each payroll year rather than relying on a summary page — including this one — for a date you have not seen on the official site.
For a Singapore citizen or PR above 55 to 60, CPF from 1 January 2026 is 16% by the employer and 18% by the employee: a $3,000 monthly wage carries $480 employer CPF, $540 employee CPF, and $7.50 SDL at 0.25% — total employer cost $3,487.50.
ClearHR is a Singapore HR, payroll and compliance system for SMEs. Payroll runs on the CPF rates, SDL and salary records held in the system, and payslips are generated from that same payroll record.
All pages read on 16 September 2026. Figures are quoted verbatim from these sources; where a figure is subject to a published schedule, the page links to the source instead of restating it.
This page summarises requirements published by CPF Board, MOM and IRAS for general information. It is not legal or tax advice, and it does not replace those agencies' own pages. Rates, ages and deadlines are those published on 16 September 2026; always confirm the current position with the agency page linked above before you run payroll.