Increase In Retirement Age (Along With CPF Contributions): What Employers Need To Know

What employers need to know about employing older workers

As Singapore’s population rapidly greys, employers will increasingly see themselves hiring more senior workers. The government is also taking proactive steps to ready both employees and employers for such a future.

Big investments are being made into upskilling the local workforce, with greater attention paid to senior workers. Employers should also pre-empt this by implementing senior-friendly workplace policies.

Here are three ways that both employers and employees will feel a direct and instant impact today.

Read Also: 4 Government Support Schemes Singapore Businesses Can Tap On To Adopt A Senior-Friendly Workplace

#1 Increase In Retirement Age To 63 In 2022 (And To 65 By 2030)

The last time the government raised the retirement age was over 20 years ago when it was increased from 60 to 62 in 1999.

On 1 July 2022, the Singapore statutory retirement age increased to 63. This is part of a broader plan to bring the retirement age in line with the start of CPF LIFE disbursements at 65 by 2030.

Changes to Retirement Age in Singapore 1993
(Introduction of Retirement Age Act
1999From July 2022By 2030
Retirement Age60626365

#2 Increase In Re-employment Age To 68 In 2022 (And To 70 By 2030)

The re-employment age is a constraint placed on employers rather than employees. Employees are actually being protected by requiring employers to mandatorily provide re-employment opportunities. Employees who hit the retirement age must be offered re-employment up to the re-employment age of 68.

In tandem with the increase in retirement age, the government also increased the re-employment age. On 1 July 2022, the re-employment age was raised from 67 to 68. The re-employment age will also be raised to 70 by 2030.

Changes to Re-employment Age in Singapore2012
(Introduction of Retirement & Re-employment Act)
July 2017July 2022By 2030
Re-employment Age65676870

Of course, companies can go beyond the retirement age to retain employees even after their re-employment age. 

Read Also: Retirement And Re-Employment Act: 7 Things Employers Need To Know About Retaining Older Workers

#3 Employers (and Employees) Have To Pay More CPF Contributions

In 2022, CPF contribution rates for senior workers was also raised. This will be applied to both employers CPF Contributions and employees CPF Contributions. This was a move meant to front-run the increase in retirement and re-employment age, to be implemented in 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was pushed back to 2022 as well.

In 2023, there was another round of CPF contribution rate increases for senior workers. These increases in CPF contributions will go towards their Special Account in full, to boost their retirement adequacy.

Age bands2016-20211 Jan 20221 Jan 20231 Jan 2024By about 2030
55 and below37%37%37%37%37%
Above 55 to 6026%28% (+2%)
·1% from employer
·1% from employee
29.5% (+1.5%)
·0.5% from employer
·1% from employee
31% (+1.5%)
·0.5% from employer
·1% from employee
37%
Above 60 to 6516.5%18.5% (+2%)
·1% from employer
·1% from employee
20.5% (+2%)
·1% from employer
·1% from employee
22% (+1.5%)
·0.5% from employer
·1% from employee
26%
Above 65 to 7012.5%14% (+1.5%)
·0.5% from employer
·1% from employee
15.5% (+1.5%)
·0.5% from employer
·1% from employee
16.5% (+1%)
·0.5% from employer
·0.5% from employee
16.5%
Above 7012.5%12.5%12.5%12.5%12.5%

As we can see in the table above, the increase in CPF contributions will be shared by both employers and employees. For employers, cost will increase. For employees, they will also see a slightly lower take-home pay if they are earning the same salary.

Read Also: Complete Guide To Employer’s CPF Contributions In Singapore

Employers Will Be Provided Financial Support During This Transition

A major component of the package includes a CPF Transition Offset package. This will pay employers a one-year offset for half of their increased CPF contribution requirements.

Age BandsCPF Transition Offset for Employers In 2022CPF Transition Offset for Employers In 2023CPF Transition Offset for Employers In 2024
55 and below
Above 55 to 600.5% point0.25% point0.25% point
Above 60 to 650.5% point0.5% point0.25% point
Above 65 to 700.25% point0.25% point0.25% point
Above 70

Employers also received a Senior Employment Credit (SEC) in 2021 and 2022. During Budget 2023, this scheme was extended from 2023 to 2025. The SEC is to support firms that are employing senior workers and to safeguard the employability of senior workers.

For senior workers earning up to $4,000 a month, employers will receive between 1% and 8% of the wages paid to workers aged 55 and above.

Age of employees2021 (up to)2022 (up to)2023 (up to)2024 & 2025 (up to)
55-592%1%
60-643%3%3%2%
65-665%5%5%4%
67 and above (in 2021 and 2022)
68 and above (in 2023 and 2024)
8%8%8%7%

Read Also: Guide To Senior Employment Credit (SEC) Payouts For Employers Hiring Older Workers In Singapore

Businesses will receive the CPF Transition Offset (CTO) payout and SEC payout in two tranches. 

  • For wages paid from January to June each year, the CTO payout will be in September of the same year
  • For wages paid from July to December each year, the CTO payout will be in March of the following year

Read Also: Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant (SWEAG) And Part-Time Re-employment Grant (PTRG): Up To $375,000 In Grants For Employers Supporting Senior Workers

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