National Wages Council seeks public’s views on salary, employment guidelines

SINGAPORE – The National Wages Council (NWC) is seeking the public’s views to develop its annual guidelines on salaries and employment issues in Singapore.

The NWC takes into account Singapore’s economic competitiveness, labour market conditions, inflation and productivity growth as well as the global economic outlook in its deliberations. It will also continue to lay out its annual guidance on the range of Progressive Wage growth for lower-wage workers.

The

Progressive Wage Model

is a wage ladder tied to skill and productivity improvements currently in place for lower-wage workers in seven sectors and two occupations – including the cleaning and security sectors – with wage floors at each rung increasing according to a pre-determined schedule.

Members of the public who are keen to provide their feedback and suggestions on the upcoming guidelines can do so at

go.gov.sg/nwc25-26publicfeedback

by Sept 1.

The NWC, which comprises representatives from the Government, employers and employees, will convene on Sept 1. The guidelines are expected for release by November, covering the period from Dec 1, 2025, to Nov 30, 2026.

While real wage growth in Singapore picked up in 2024 as inflation eased, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said it could slow down in 2025 due to ongoing geopolitical tensions and global trade uncertainties.

After accounting for inflation, which eased from 2023, real wages grew by 3.2 per cent in 2024, up from 0.4 per cent in 2023, said MOM in its annual wage practices report released on May 28.

Administrative and support services reported the highest wage growth at 8.7 per cent in 2024, largely due to the Progressive Wage Model. This was followed by financial services at 6.7 per cent, and community, social and personal services at 5.7 per cent. 

But wage growth in the manufacturing and wholesale trade industries was below average, coming in at 5.1 per cent and 4.2 per cent, respectively, due to ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions. These two sectors are expected to further moderate in the coming year. 

The council has 37 members, led by chairman Peter Seah, who also chairs DBS. There are nine new faces, including Mr Tan Cheng Kwee, the incoming deputy chief executive of Workforce Singapore; National Trades Union Congress director of migrant workers segment Michael Lim; and Ms Noor Irdawaty Jammarudin, general secretary of the Built Environment and Urban Trades Employees’ Union.