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Singapore HR News – November 2026: MOM Updates, Employment Laws, Wages and Workplace Trends Singapore workplace news in November 2026 centres on one new MOM announcement and several late-October developments that employers should still track. On 2 November, MOM said it is investigating around 45 companies linked to Changi Airport operations for suspected work pass offences. In the days before, MOM released preliminary Q3 labour market figures, the Government accepted the National Wages Council (NWC) guidelines and a tripartite workgroup’s senior employment recommendations, and ASEAN launched a labour statisticians network. None of these is a new amendment to employment legislation. This roundup separates confirmed decisions from investigations, recommendations and preliminary data, and links each item to its official page on the MOM newsroom Singapore HR News November 2026 at a Glance Update Announced Status Work pass investigation, Changi Airport operations 2 November 2026 (November) Investigation ongoing; no offences proven Q3 2026 Labour Market Advance Release 30 October 2026 (October) Preliminary statistics Senior employment recommendations 26 October 2026 (October) Accepted by the Government; details in 1H 2027; age changes planned for 1 January 2029 ASEAN Labour Statisticians Network 27 October 2026 (October) Regional network launched NWC 2026/2027 Guidelines 19 October 2026 (October) Accepted by the Government; not a mandatory universal increase Singapore Work Pass Updates: Changi Airport Investigation (November) Announced:2 November 2026 · Official title: MOM Investigating Companies Involved in Airport Operations for Suspected Work Pass Offences · Official source What happened MOM is investigating around 45 companies involved in airport operations at Changi Airport for suspected offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA), including false declarations and illegal deployment of foreign workers. During an inspection, MOM found Employment Pass holders deployed in baggage handling. Preliminary investigations suggest the salaries and occupations declared for them were false. Other work pass holders were found doing work different from their declared occupations. Around 270 workers, employed by SATS’ contractors and sub-contractors, may have been deployed in breach of work pass rules. MOM has directed SATS to strengthen oversight of its contractors and issued an advisory to other companies in SATS’ operations. These are suspected offences. MOM says investigations are ongoing and it will take enforcement action if breaches are established. Under the EFMA, a false declaration in a work pass application carries a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. Illegal deployment can lead to a financial penalty of up to $10,000 and a possible bar on hiring work pass holders. Why it matters The case shows how closely MOM looks at the match between declared details and real job duties. Contractor chains add risk, because a worker’s actual duties may sit several steps away from the company that made the declaration. On 16 October 2026, MOM also announced charges in separate work pass casesand said it has stepped up investigations. Practical takeaway Compare each work pass holder’s declared occupation and salary with their actual duties and payroll. Require managers to flag any change in duties to HR first, and ask contractors how they verify deployment. Singapore Labour Market Update: Q3 2026 Preliminary Data Announced: 30 October 2026 (October update) · Official title:Labour Market Advance Release 3Q 2026 · Official source What happened These are preliminary advance estimates. Total employment grew by 27,700 in Q3 2026, up from 11,400 in Q2 and 25,100 in Q3 2025. Retrenchments rose from 4,620 in Q2 to 4,800 in Q3, although MOM notes the incidence stayed at 2.0 per 1,000 employees. Overall unemployment was unchanged at 2.0% in September 2026, with resident unemployment at 3.0% and citizen unemployment at 3.1%. Hiring and wage expectations improved in September compared with August but stayed below July levels. Why it matters The market is still expanding, but unevenly. Employers can still compete for talent in growing areas while restructuring continues elsewhere. That mix affects hiring plans, wage budgets and redundancy decisions. MOM will publish its fuller Labour Market Report in mid-December 2026, and the advance figures may be refined. Practical takeaway Use the figures as a directional signal, not a final result. Check MOM labour market statistics before quoting numbers in management papers, and revisit your assumptions after the December report. Senior Employment Updates: Recommendations Accepted, Changes Planned for 2029 Announced: 26 October 2026 (October update) · Official title: Tripartite Workgroup Recommends Six Measures to Build Age-Friendly Jobs and Multi-Generational Workplaces · Official source What happened The Tripartite Workgroup on Senior Employment released its report with six recommendations. The Government fully accepts them: Flexible roles and career guidance: a new Flexi-Load Programme to replace the Part-Time Re-employment Grant when it expires at end-2027, plus a new career longevity programme office led by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency with NTUC and SNEF. Higher ages: raise the retirement age from 64 to 65 and the re-employment age from 69 to 70 on 1 January 2029, ahead of the 2030 schedule. Employment Assistance Payment:raise the recommended minimum and maximum amounts, last updated in 2022. Tax relief: enhance Earned Income Relief for seniors working beyond the retirement and re-employment ages. Hiring support:replace the Senior Employment Credit, which expires in 2027, with a Re-Employment Credit from 2028. Lower-wage seniors: enhance the Workfare Income Supplement and update the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme. These changes have not taken effect in November 2026. MOM says further details will be released in the first half of 2027. Why it matters The age changes are a planned 2029 timeline, and several support schemes are due to be replaced in 2027 and 2028. That affects long-term workforce planning, re-employment policies and flexible work design. Practical takeaway Review your workforce age profile and consider where part-time or flexi-load roles could work. Do not rewrite contracts yet. Wait for the 2027 details Singapore Salary and Wage Updates: NWC 2026/2027 Guidelines Announced: 19 October 2026 (October update) · Official title: Government Accepts the National Wages Council Guidelines for 2026/2027 · Official source What happened The Government accepted the NWC 2026/2027 Guidelines. Tripartite partners call

How Singapore HR Teams Can Plan Employee Leave Around the 2027 Holiday Calendar Knowing the Singapore public holiday 2027 dates early makes it easier to plan travel, family time and team coverage. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced the 2027 public holidays on 18 June 2026, confirming 11 gazetted public holidays. For employees, that is a head start on annual leave. For HR teams, it means earlier visibility of leave clashes, shift cover and payroll adjustments. This guide covers the full Singapore public holiday list 2027, the five long weekends, how Saturday holidays work, five leave-planning examples with exact dates, and what employers should know about public holiday pay. Complete Singapore Public Holiday List 2027 MOM confirms 11 Singapore gazetted public holidays for 2027. The table below follows MOM’s announcement. Holiday Date Day New Year’s Day 1 January 2027 Friday Chinese New Year 6 February 2027 Saturday Chinese New Year 7 February 2027 Sunday Chinese New Year Public Holiday (in lieu) 8 February 2027 Monday Hari Raya Puasa 10 March 2027 Wednesday Good Friday 26 March 2027 Friday Labour Day 1 May 2027 Saturday Hari Raya Haji 17 May 2027 Monday Vesak Day 20 May 2027 Thursday National Day 9 August 2027 Monday Deepavali 28 October 2027 Thursday Christmas Day 25 December 2027 Saturday Note: When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is treated as a public holiday. Why the table has 12 rows but only 11 holidays: Chinese New Year’s second day falls on Sunday, 7 February, and MOM states that Monday, 8 February 2027 will be a public holiday. That Monday follows the Sunday holiday. It is not a 12th gazetted holiday. You can also view our 2027 holiday calendar for Singapore for a quick reference. Five Long Weekends in Singapore in 2027 The examples below assume a normal Saturday–Sunday weekend. Employees who work shifts or follow other rest-day arrangements may have different schedules. For the Chinese New Year break, the Monday public holiday on 8 February is what turns the weekend into a three-day break for employees whose rest day is Sunday. # Holiday Long weekend Days off 1 New Year’s Day Fri 1 – Sun 3 January 3 2 Chinese New Year Sat 6 – Mon 8 February 3 3 Good Friday Fri 26 – Sun 28 March 3 4 Hari Raya Haji Sat 15 – Mon 17 May 3 5 National Day Sat 7 – Mon 9 August 3 Public Holidays Falling on Saturdays – What Employees Should Know Three 2027 holidays land on a Saturday: Chinese New Year’s first day (6 February), Labour Day (1 May) and Christmas Day (25 December). Do not assume the following Monday becomes a public holiday for everyone. It does not. MOM distinguishes between two kinds of days off. For an employee on a 5-day work week, Saturday is the non-working day and Sunday is the rest day. The treatment differs: Public holiday on a rest day (Sunday): the next working day is a paid public holiday. Public holiday on a non-working day (Saturday): employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to another day off, or one extra day’s salary in lieu, at the gross rate of pay. Employees not covered by the Employment Act follow the terms of their employment contract. HR teams should confirm the arrangement in the contract or company policy and communicate it before the year begins. See MOM’s overview of public holidays for more. How to Plan Annual Leave Smartly in 2027 The trick is “bridge leave”: using annual leave on the working days between a public holiday and a weekend. These examples assume a Saturday–Sunday weekend and employer approval of the leave. May: 3 leave days for 9 days off Hari Raya Haji falls on Monday, 17 May and Vesak Day on Thursday, 20 May. Apply leave on 18, 19 and 21 May for a break from Saturday, 15 May to Sunday, 23 May. That is 9 consecutive days for 3 days of annual leave. October: 1 leave day for 4 days off Deepavali is on Thursday, 28 October. Apply leave on Friday, 29 October for a break from 28 to 31 October. That is 4 consecutive days for 1 day of annual leave. March: 2 leave days for 5 days off Hari Raya Puasa is on Wednesday, 10 March. Apply leave on Thursday, 11 and Friday, 12 March for a break from 10 to 14 March. That is 5 consecutive days for 2 days of annual leave. February: 4 leave days for 9 days off Chinese New Year runs from Saturday, 6 February to Monday, 8 February. Apply leave from Tuesday, 9 to Friday, 12 February for a break from 6 to 14 February. That is 9 consecutive days for 4 days of annual leave. The 8 February public holiday applies according to each employee’s rest-day arrangement, so check yours before booking. August: 1 leave day for 4 days off National Day is on Monday, 9 August. Apply leave on Tuesday, 10 August for a break from 7 to 10 August. That is 4 consecutive days for 1 day of annual leave. If you manage a team, remember that everyone will target the same bridge days. Staggering approvals early avoids last-minute coverage gaps. A structured Singapore leave management system makes these overlaps visible before they become a problem. What Singapore Employers and HR Teams Should Know About Public Holiday Pay The rules below come from MOM’s public holiday entitlement and pay guidance and its 2027 announcement. Entitlement: employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to 11 paid public holidays a year. Employer and employee may mutually agree to substitute a public holiday for another working day. Working on a public holiday: the employee should receive an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay, on top of the gross rate for that day. Overtime pay applies for hours beyond normal working hours. Time off in lieu: employers may grant time off in lieu, based