Retirement Age 65 in Singapore From 2029: Re-Employment to 70 and an Employer Checklist

Short answer: Retirement age 65 in Singapore is coming: the Government has accepted a recommendation to raise the retirement age from 64 to 65, and the re-employment age from 69 to 70, on 1 January 2029, a year ahead of schedule. MOM says details will follow in the first half of 2027.

This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. For matters needing legal advice, we work with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms.

What is changing with retirement age 65 in Singapore from 2029?

The statutory retirement age moves from 64 to 65 and the re-employment age from 69 to 70 on 1 January 2029. MOM announced on 26 October 2026 that the Government fully accepts the TWG-SE report, which recommended bringing these changes forward from the 2030 schedule set by the earlier Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers.

The retirement age is the age before which an employer cannot dismiss a worker because of age. The re-employment age is the age up to which an eligible employee must be offered continued employment, or an Employment Assistance Payment if no job can be found. Nothing changes today. Until the legislation and scheme details are released, the 64 and 69 rules in our employer compliance roadmap for the July 2026 increase still apply.

How have the retirement and re-employment ages moved over time?

The ages have risen in steps since 2017, and the January 2029 step is the last one in the current plan. The table below follows the TWG-SE report and MOM’s re-employment page.

Effective date	Retirement age	Re-employment age	Status
1 July 2017	62	67	In the past
1 July 2022	63	68	In the past
1 July 2026	64	69	In force today
1 January 2029	65	70	Accepted by the Government; details due in the first half of 2027

Source: TWG-SE report annexed to the MOM press release of 26 October 2026, and MOM’s responsible re-employment page (last updated 3 July 2026).

What are the six TWG-SE recommendations?

The workgroup, convened in July 2025, consulted over 1,000 stakeholders and made six recommendations. MOM says the Government will work with tripartite partners on implementation and release further details in the first half of 2027.

No.	Recommendation	What it means for employers
1	Scale up flexible roles and career guidance: a new Flexi-Load Programme, and a career longevity programme office led by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency	The Flexi-Load Programme replaces the Part-Time Re-employment Grant when it expires at the end of 2027, with funding tied to additional flexi-load roles
2	Raise the retirement age to 65 and the re-employment age to 70 on 1 January 2029	Contracts, policies and workforce plans need updating before 2029
3	Raise the recommended Employment Assistance Payment minimum and maximum, last updated in 2022	The cost of not re-employing an eligible employee is expected to rise; amounts not yet published
4	Enhance Earned Income Relief for seniors who work beyond the retirement and re-employment ages	Mainly an employee benefit, but it affects retention conversations
5	Replace the Senior Employment Credit, which expires in 2027, with a Re-Employment Credit from 2028	Wage-offset support for hiring and retaining seniors beyond the statutory ages is to continue in a new form
6	Enhance the Workfare Income Supplement and update the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme	Affects employers of lower-wage senior workers

Who is covered by re-employment, and does it apply to foreign employees?

Re-employment is a right for eligible Singapore citizens and permanent residents. MOM’s page lists the conditions as being a citizen or PR, having served the current employer for at least two years before turning 64 if hired at age 55 or above, satisfactory work performance, and being medically fit to continue working.

Foreign employees on an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit are not within that eligibility list. Their ability to keep working still depends on the pass conditions and the employer’s own policy, so the statutory change does not by itself extend a work pass. Employers who hire older foreign professionals should plan around qualifying salary and renewal rules instead. For a PR employee, the CPF side is covered in our guide to senior worker CPF rates from 1 January 2027.

What does the Employment Assistance Payment look like today?

The Employment Assistance Payment (EAP) is a one-off payment an employer must make to an eligible employee when it considers all options and still cannot offer re-employment. MOM describes it as a last resort and says the employer may instead transfer the re-employment obligation to another employer, with the employee’s agreement.

Employee situation	Months of salary	Minimum	Maximum
Standard EAP	3.5	S$6,250	S$14,750
Re-employed for at least 30 months since age 64 (lower amount may be considered)	2	S$4,000	S$8,500

Per MOM, as at 2 November 2026. The TWG-SE has recommended higher minimum and maximum amounts, but no new figures have been published, so do not budget on any number you may see quoted elsewhere. For part-time employees, MOM says the amounts may be pro-rated by hours worked.

What should employers do now to prepare for 65 and 70?

Employers can act before the details arrive, because the dates are fixed and the direction is clear. Treat the list below as planning steps, not legal requirements that have already taken effect.

1. List every employee who will turn 64 or 65 between now and the end of 2029, and note which are citizens or PRs.
2. Check employment contracts and handbooks for a hard-coded retirement age of 62, 63 or 64, and mark them for revision once the legislation is published.
3. Keep the current rule in force: for employees turning 64 before 1 January 2029, offer re-employment to eligible staff, starting discussions at least six months before the birthday and giving the offer at least three months before, per MOM’s guidance.
4. Budget for a possible rise in the EAP and note that the Re-Employment Credit and Flexi-Load Programme details are still pending.
5. Review part-time and flexi-load options now, since the Flexi-Load Programme will replace the Part-Time Re-employment Grant after 2027.
6. Diarise the first half of 2027 as the date to re-check MOM’s announcements and update your policies.

HR teams reviewing hiring and workforce planning more widely may also find our AI hiring audit based on the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital report useful. Our sister site Little Big Red Dot also carried a short news item on the 2029 retirement age change.

What is still uncertain?

The 2029 dates are accepted recommendations, and the legislative and scheme details are not yet public. MOM’s press release says the details of the measures will be released in the first half of 2027.

Points that remain open include the exact new EAP amounts, the design and rates of the Re-Employment Credit, the Flexi-Load Programme funding rules and the enhanced Earned Income Relief. Where a post on the internet quotes figures for these, check them against MOM and IRAS before relying on them. The primary source for this article is the MOM press release of 26 October 2026, and the statute is the Retirement and Re-employment Act 1993.

Frequently asked questions

When does the retirement age become 65 in Singapore?

On 1 January 2029, together with a re-employment age of 70. The Government accepted this on 26 October 2026, a year before the earlier 2030 schedule.

What is the retirement age in Singapore today?

64, with a re-employment age of 69, since 1 July 2026 (per MOM, as at 2 November 2026).

Will the Employment Assistance Payment go up?

The workgroup recommended raising the recommended minimum and maximum, last updated in 2022, and the Government has accepted the recommendations. The new amounts have not been published; MOM says details will follow in the first half of 2027.

Does the Senior Employment Credit continue after 2027?

It expires in 2027. The workgroup recommends replacing it with a Re-Employment Credit from 2028, with details to come.

Can an employer dismiss an employee because of age before 65?

MOM’s re-employment page states that employers are not allowed to dismiss any employee based on age. Employers with a concern about a specific case should take legal advice.

Need help with pass, PR and citizenship applications for your older hires or relocating families? Contact Little Big Employment Agency. Email [email protected], or Call/SMS/WhatsApp +65 8501 7133.

Last reviewed: 2 November 2026. The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency.