By Singapore will raise its statutory retirement age from 64 to 65 and its re-employment age from 69 to 70 on 1 January 2029, according to Human Resources Online. The change brings forward the previously planned 2030 timeline and follows the government’s acceptance of all six recommendations from the Tripartite Workgroup on Senior Employment (TWG-SE).
The workgroup released its report on 26 October 2026 after being convened in July 2025. More than 1,000 stakeholders were consulted, including employers, industry and union representatives, workers, HR professionals and academics. The recommendations aim to help senior workers remain in meaningful and sustainable employment while supporting employers in retaining experienced talent and building age-friendly, multi-generational workplaces.
What the age changes mean in practice
The statutory retirement age is the age at which an employer can lawfully ask an employee to retire. The re-employment age extends protection further: employers must offer re-employment to eligible workers who reach the retirement age, up to the re-employment age, if the worker meets certain criteria such as satisfactory work performance and medical fitness.
From 1 January 2029, employers in Singapore will need to retain workers until 65 before retirement can be considered, and must offer re-employment opportunities until 70. This applies to workers who have been employed for at least two years with the same employer before reaching the retirement age.
The Employment Assistance Payment (EAP) remains the fallback for employers who are genuinely unable to offer a suitable re-employment role. The EAP was last updated in 2022. Employers should review their current EAP calculations and ensure they reflect the latest prescribed amounts before the 2029 changes take effect.
The six recommendations go beyond statutory ages
The TWG-SE recommendations extend beyond the headline age changes. A new Flexi-Load Programme (FLP) will support employers in creating and expanding flexi-load opportunities such as part-time and fractional work. The FLP will replace the existing Part-Time Re-employment Grant when it expires at the end of 2027. Funding under the FLP will be tied to employers creating additional flexi-load roles, which signals a shift from subsidising existing arrangements to incentivising new capacity.
A new programme office for career longevity will be established, led by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) in collaboration with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). The office will help workers navigate career and skills transitions while supporting employers in adopting age-inclusive workforce practices.
The TWG-SE has also proposed enhancing the Earned Income Relief (EIR) for workers who continue working beyond the statutory retirement and re-employment ages. This is a tax relief measure, and payroll teams should monitor whether the enhancement is adopted in the next Budget and how it affects tax calculations for older employees.
What HR and payroll teams should do now
The 2029 implementation date gives employers roughly two years to prepare, but several workstreams should begin earlier. The FLP replacing the Part-Time Re-employment Grant at the end of 2027 creates a transition period where employers need to understand the new funding criteria before the old grant lapses.
HR teams should audit their current workforce age profile and identify employees who will reach 64 or 69 between now and 2029. This helps forecast re-employment obligations and assess whether existing roles can be adapted for older workers or whether flexi-load arrangements are needed.
Payroll teams should review how retirement and re-employment affect statutory contributions, tax treatment and benefits. The proposed EIR enhancement, if adopted, would change the tax position for employees working beyond the statutory ages. Payroll systems and processes may need configuration changes to handle employees who remain on payroll past 65 and 70.
The Alliance for Action on Empowering Multi-Stage Careers for Mature Workers (AfA-EMW) piloted solutions across 30 organisations, benefiting more than 1,600 senior workers. Employers can look to these pilots as practical examples of how to structure part-time, fractional and multi-stage career arrangements for older employees.
Timeline for employers
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| End of 2027 | Part-Time Re-employment Grant expires |
| 2027 to 2028 | Flexi-Load Programme introduced and transition period |
| 1 January 2029 | Retirement age rises to 65; re-employment age rises to 70 |
| After 2029 | Proposed EIR enhancement may take effect, subject to adoption |
Employers should confirm the precise EAP amounts and eligibility criteria with the Ministry of Manpower or their legal advisers, as the source material does not specify updated figures. The government will work with tripartite partners and industry stakeholders to implement the six recommendations, and further operational details are expected before the 2029 effective date.
Sources: Human Resources Online
Photo: Rally against raising the retirement age (2018-09-09; Moscow) 03 by Firesold, CC0
