Strategic HR
Singapore’s retirement age raised to 64, re-employment age to 69? Here’s when it will happen
The higher retirement age will ensure that older employees continue to have access to career development opportunities, training, and company-provided insurance plans.
Singapore has long been expected to raise its national retirement age to 64, a move many anticipated would take effect in 2025. However, no official confirmation was made until recently.
The current retirement age, set at 63 from 2022 onwards, will soon give way to a higher threshold aimed at supporting longer, more flexible careers.
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MoM) clarified the retirement age provisions, stating, “In accordance with the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA), from 1 July 2022, the minimum retirement age is 63 years.”
It also emphasised that all Singapore citizens and permanent residents are protected under this provision. Workers who joined their employer before turning 55 are covered under the minimum retirement age clause. “Your company cannot ask you to retire before that age,” the ministry noted.
The re-employment age was also raised from 67 to 68 from 1 July 2022, to support older workers who wish to continue working as long as they are willing and able.
Once a worker reaches the minimum retirement age, they can be offered re-employment up to 68, which serves as the maximum re-employment age. “Employers are not allowed to dismiss any employee based on an employee’s age,” MoM underlined.
To qualify for re-employment, a worker must be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, have served their current employer for at least two years before turning 63 (for those hired at 55 and above), maintain satisfactory work performance, and be medically fit to continue working.
If a worker meets all these requirements but the employer is unable to offer re-employment, the employer must either transfer the re-employment obligation to another employer with the worker’s consent, or offer a one-off Employment Assistance Payment (EAP).
Each re-employment contract must last at least one year and can be renewed annually up to the maximum re-employment age of 68. The initial re-employment contract should begin on the same day the worker reaches the retirement age of 63.
Now, in the latest update, the MoM has announced that the retirement age will be raised to 64 years from 1 July 2026, applicable to those born on or after 1 July 1963. Similarly, the re-employment age will rise to 69 years from the same date, applying to those born on or after 1 July 1958.
This move, first announced in March 2024, was initially expected to take effect in 2025. It will now be implemented in 2026 as part of a broader plan to eventually raise the retirement age to 65 and re-employment age to 70 by 2030.
The initiative aligns with recommendations from the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers, aimed at promoting active ageing and career flexibility.
Employers are encouraged to create age-inclusive workplaces, introduce flexible job options, and implement health-supportive programs. The gradual transition allows both companies and employees to adapt responsibly to changing demographics.
For workers, the higher retirement age means longer income security and greater financial resilience. Older employees will continue to have access to career development opportunities, training, and company-provided insurance plans.
For employers, it signals a push toward age-friendly HR policies, talent retention, and mentorship frameworks, enabling senior staff to share expertise while supporting younger teams. This, in turn, fosters productivity and a balanced multi-generational workforce.
The updated guidelines also encourage employers to offer part-time re-employment, adopt structured career planning frameworks, facilitate the re-employment of older workers through age-friendly workplaces, and revise medical benefits by offering additional contributions or other flexible perks.
Meanwhile, Singapore has also passed the much-awaited Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill in Parliament last week. The new legislation seeks to curb workplace discrimination and provide employees with a clearer, more structured way to seek redress, complementing the broader goal of building fair and sustainable workplaces.
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