One of Singapore’s most compelling advantages for foreign professionals is its personal income tax regime. Singapore personal income tax for expats in 2026 is progressive, territorially based, and capped at 24% — compared to top marginal rates of 37% in the United States, 45% in the United Kingdom, and 45% in Australia. There is no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax, and no tax on dividends paid from Singapore companies. For most Employment Pass holders earning SGD 150,000–500,000 annually, the effective rate after available reliefs runs between 10% and 18%.
Understanding your tax residency status — resident or non-resident — is the first and most consequential step. Per the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), you are a Singapore tax resident for a Year of Assessment (YA) if you are a Singapore citizen, a Singapore Permanent Resident, or a foreigner who worked in or was physically present in Singapore for 183 days or more in the preceding calendar year. Resident status unlocks progressive rates and personal reliefs; non-resident status means flat rates and no reliefs.
This guide covers the 2026 resident and non-resident tax rates, the reliefs available to resident expats, the filing process, and key planning considerations for Employment Pass holders arriving in or departing from Singapore. For the broader cost picture, see our cost of living in Singapore for expats 2026.
Singapore Personal Income Tax Rates for Resident Expats in 2026
For YA 2026, the IRAS resident income tax rates are progressive:
| Chargeable Income (SGD) | Tax Rate | Gross Tax Payable |
|---|---|---|
| First 20,000 | 0% | SGD 0 |
| Next 10,000 (20,001–30,000) | 2% | SGD 200 |
| Next 10,000 (30,001–40,000) | 3.5% | SGD 350 |
| Next 40,000 (40,001–80,000) | 7% | SGD 2,800 |
| Next 40,000 (80,001–120,000) | 11.5% | SGD 4,600 |
| Next 40,000 (120,001–160,000) | 15% | SGD 6,000 |
| Next 40,000 (160,001–200,000) | 18% | SGD 7,200 |
| Next 40,000 (200,001–240,000) | 19% | SGD 7,600 |
| Next 40,000 (240,001–280,000) | 19.5% | SGD 7,800 |
| Next 40,000 (280,001–320,000) | 20% | SGD 8,000 |
| Next 180,000 (320,001–500,000) | 22% | SGD 39,600 |
| Next 500,000 (500,001–1,000,000) | 23% | SGD 115,000 |
| Above 1,000,000 | 24% | — |
For YA 2026, IRAS is granting a Personal Income Tax Rebate of 60% of tax payable, capped at SGD 200, applied automatically to all resident individuals — no action required.
To illustrate: an EP holder with chargeable income of SGD 200,000 (after reliefs) in YA 2026 has gross tax payable of approximately SGD 28,750. After the rebate, the cash tax liability would be marginally lower. Effective rates at SGD 150,000–300,000 chargeable income typically fall in the 13–18% range.
Singapore Tax Rates for Non-Resident Expats in 2026
If you worked in Singapore for fewer than 183 days in a given calendar year, you are taxed as a non-resident for that Year of Assessment. Non-resident taxation is significantly less favourable:
- Employment income: Taxed at the higher of a flat 15% or the resident tax rates applied without any personal reliefs. In practice, the flat 15% applies to most professionals because the gross resident rate on mid-to-senior salaries exceeds 15%.
- Director’s fees, consultancy income, and other non-employment income: Taxed at 24% flat.
- No personal reliefs are available to non-residents. Earned income relief, CPF relief, parent relief, and course fee relief are all inaccessible.
A foreign professional who arrives in Singapore partway through the year — common for EP holders who start in Q2 or Q3 — may be a non-resident for their first Year of Assessment and a resident for subsequent years. IRAS applies the resident rate from the following YA once the 183-day threshold is met for the preceding calendar year.
There is a transitional relief for professionals who are non-resident in their arrival year but resident in the following year: a professional who arrives on 1 August 2025 and is continuously employed through 31 December 2026 will be resident for YA 2026. For the detailed mechanics, see our guide to Singapore tax residency and the 183-day rule.
Key Personal Reliefs Available to Resident Expats in Singapore
Singapore’s personal relief system reduces chargeable income and therefore the effective tax rate. The most relevant reliefs for EP holders are:
Earned Income Relief
All tax residents who earn employment income receive an earned income relief of SGD 1,000 (under age 55). This is modest but applied automatically by IRAS — no action required.
Course Fees Relief
Resident individuals who pay for approved courses related to their trade or profession may claim up to SGD 5,500 per YA. This applies to professional certifications, university programmes, and certain continuing-education courses.
Life Insurance Relief
Premiums paid on qualifying life insurance policies may generate relief of up to SGD 5,000 per YA, subject to CPF contribution conditions. EP holders do not contribute to CPF, which makes this relief more accessible to them than to Singaporean residents with high CPF contributions.
Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) Contributions
EP holders can contribute to the Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) — a voluntary retirement savings scheme that provides a dollar-for-dollar tax relief on contributions, capped at SGD 35,700 per year for foreigners (per the IRAS SRS Relief page). SRS funds are invested and withdrawn at retirement, at which point only 50% of the withdrawal is taxable.
SRS contributions are particularly valuable at chargeable income levels of SGD 200,000–500,000, where the marginal relief from an SGD 35,700 contribution saves SGD 6,783–8,211 in tax annually. This is the single most effective tax-planning tool available to EP holders who plan to remain in Singapore for several years.
What Income Is Taxable in Singapore for Expats?
Singapore taxes on a territorial basis: income accruing in or derived from Singapore is taxable. Relevant items for EP holders:
- Singapore employment income (salary, allowances, bonuses): Fully taxable in Singapore.
- Stock options and equity compensation: Taxable when options vest or are exercised, to the extent related to Singapore employment. The portion attributed to overseas employment days may qualify for reduced taxation under IRAS’s stock option attribution rules.
- Overseas investment income (dividends, interest, rental income from overseas property): Generally exempt from Singapore tax if received from outside Singapore, subject to conditions.
- Capital gains: Singapore has no capital gains tax. Proceeds from selling shares, property, cryptocurrency, or other assets are not taxed in Singapore, provided the gains are capital in nature and not trading income.
For EP holders receiving significant equity compensation from a US or European employer, the stock option attribution rules are important — IRAS calculates the taxable portion based on the ratio of Singapore working days to total working days between grant and vesting. Specialist advice from a Singapore tax practitioner is worth obtaining in the first year.
Filing Your Singapore Tax Return as an Expat
Singapore operates a self-assessment system for resident individuals. The filing period for YA 2026 (covering income earned in calendar year 2025) runs to 15 April 2026 for paper filing and 18 April 2026 for e-filing via the IRAS myTax Portal.
Key steps for an EP holder filing for the first time:
- Set up Singpass access. You need Singpass to access the IRAS myTax Portal. If you do not yet have Singpass, contact IRAS to obtain a physical PIN mailer.
- Review pre-filled income. Your employer files IR8A (employment income details) with IRAS under the Auto-Inclusion Scheme. Your employment income should be pre-filled in myTax Portal — verify it matches your payslips.
- Claim eligible reliefs. SRS contributions, course fee relief, and life insurance relief must be claimed actively. Earned income relief is applied automatically.
- Check for the Notice of Assessment (NOA). IRAS issues the NOA after processing, typically from May to September. Payment is due one month from the NOA date or can be paid by GIRO in up to 12 monthly instalments.
If you are a non-resident in your first year, your employer is required to withhold Singapore tax at source. You generally do not file a personal return as a non-resident EP holder unless you have non-employment income in Singapore.
IR21: Tax Clearance When Leaving Singapore
When a foreign employee resigns, is retrenched, or transfers overseas, the employer must file Form IR21 with IRAS at least one month before the employee’s last day of work. IRAS then issues a tax clearance directive releasing the employee’s final monies. Departing professionals should ensure their employer is aware of the IR21 obligation well in advance. See our detailed guide to IR21 tax clearance in Singapore 2026.
Singapore Personal Income Tax for Expats 2026: Key Takeaways
Singapore personal income tax is territorially based, progressive from 0–24%, and substantially lower than equivalent taxes in most countries from which expatriates arrive. Resident status — achieved after 183 days in Singapore in a calendar year — unlocks progressive rates and personal reliefs, most valuably the SRS contribution relief (up to SGD 35,700 annually for foreigners). Non-residents pay a flat 15% on employment income — a distinction that matters most for professionals arriving late in the year or on short-term assignments.
For Employment Pass applications, Singapore relocation planning, and pass-renewal support, Little Big Employment Agency is a MOM-licensed agency (Licence 19C9790) experienced in end-to-end relocation for foreign professionals. For Singapore corporate tax, GST, and accounting support for businesses relocating here, contact Raffles Corporate Services.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency