Good bonuses and job security. These are some of the reasons that many cited when deciding to work in the civil service. Apart from relatively clear progression pathways, civil servants also get transparent bonuses each year.
Singapore civil servants will receive a 0.45-month mid-year bonus in 2026, according to an announcement by the Public Service Division (PSD) on 23 June 2026.
In addition, junior-grade officers will receive one-off lump-sum payments of either $250 or $400, depending on their grade level.
The announcement comes as Singapore’s economy recorded stronger-than-expected growth of 6.0% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. However, PSD noted that downside risks to the economic outlook remain significant, and year-end bonus payments will be calibrated later in the year based on economic developments.
For many Singaporeans, civil service bonus announcements provide a useful gauge of how the Government assesses the economy and labour market. While bonuses vary from year to year, civil servants generally receive a combination of the 13th-month bonus, known as the Non-Pensionable Annual Allowance (NPAA), and Annual Variable Component (AVC) payments announced at mid-year and year-end.
Civil Servants To Receive A 0.45-Month Mid-Year Bonus In 2026
For the first half of 2026, civil servants will receive a 0.45-month AVC payment.
Junior-grade officers will also receive additional one-off payments:
- Officers in grades equivalent to MX13(I) and MX14 will receive $250.
- Officers in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16, as well as those on the Operations Support Scheme, will receive $400.
The latest mid-year payout is slightly higher than the 0.4-month AVC paid in 2025 and matches the 0.45-month AVC announced in 2024.
PSD said the decision took into account Singapore’s economic performance in the first quarter of the year, while recognising that external risks and uncertainty remain.
The year-end AVC has not yet been announced and will likely depend on how the economy performs during the rest of 2026.
This brings us to the topic of this article. Are the bonuses paid out in the civil service as high as what some people make it out to be?
Who Are Considered To Be Civil Servants?
The first thing to recognise is that there is a small difference between the public service and the civil service.
The civil service is actually a subset of the larger public service division of the government, which comprises about 154,000 workers in the 16 Ministries and over 50 Statutory Boards.
Within the Public Service is the Civil Service, comprising about 87,000 officers working in the Ministries and Organs of state. They work in various schemes of service, including the Administrative Service, legal, education, police, civil defence as well as other generic schemes.
Statutory boards (such as HDB, CPF Board, IRAS) have their own recruitment and human resource management policies. They are legally distinct and independent employers from the Civil Service. However, they will likely take their cue from the civil service when paying out bonuses.
Read Also: Salary Guide: How Much Do Civil Servants In Singapore Earn
What Are Bonuses Tied To?
Civil service bonus appears to share a relationship with GDP growth. As seen in previous civil service bonus press releases, including the 2024 mid-year bonus press release, the government usually cites economic performance and outlook to explain the rationale for the bonuses paid out. In times of strong economic growth, bonuses tend to be higher. When the country was experiencing a slowdown, such as in 2023, bonuses were usually lower.
Also, actual bonuses may vary by position within the civil service. Lower-wage civil servants may receive higher bonuses relative to their salaries, as there is usually a minimum bonus payout in most years. For example, in the 2018 year-end bonus, civil servants received either one month of salary or a minimum of $1,800, whichever is higher. This means a worker with a salary of $1,500 will receive $1,800, which is $300 more than his one-month salary.
For the 2020 year-end bonus, about 2,400 lower-wage civil servants received a lump-sum payment of $1,200, in line with the recommendations from the National Wages Council, while all other civil servants did not receive any bonus, aside from the 13th-month bonus. For 2021, civil servants in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16, as well as those in OSS Grades III to V received an additional one-time payment of $500.
It’s also possible to get a cut. As seen in 2020, there was a one-off salary cut of either 0.5 months or one month for public officers at the superscale grade.
There are three components to the bonuses given out in the civil service.
The first is the 13th-month bonus, which is usually automatically included.
You also have the mid-year bonus and the year-end bonus – usually termed the Annual Variable Component (AVC).
In some years, there may also be an additional one-off lump sum payment that the government may give. You may also receive a performance bonus.
Read Also: Complete Guide To Civil Service FlexiGrow Benefits
How Much Has The Government Been Paying In Bonuses Over The Past 16 Years?
Excluding one-off lump-sum payments and performance bonuses, the table below shows the bonuses received by civil servants since 2010.
| Year | Mid-Year | End-Year | Total bonus (inclusive of 13th month, excluding any one-off lump sum) |
| 2026 | 0.45 | TBA | TBA |
| 2025 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 2.7 months |
| 2024 | 0.45 | 1.05 | 2.5 months |
| 2023 | 0.30 | 0.60 | 1.9 months |
| 2022 | 0.35 | 1.1 | 2.45 months |
| 2021 | 0.3 | 1 | 2.3 months |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 month |
| 2019 | 0.45 | 0.1 | 1.55 months |
| 2018 | 0.5 | 1 | 2.5 months |
| 2017 | 0.5 | 1 | 2.5 months |
| 2016 | 0.45 | 0.5 | 1.95 months |
| 2015 | 0.5 | 0.65 | 2.15 months |
| 2014 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.3 months |
| 2013 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 2.5 months |
| 2012 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2 months |
| 2011 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 2.25 months |
| 2010 | 0.5 | 1 | 2.5 months |
| Average (computed up to 2025) | 0.41 | 0.79 | 2.22 months |
Source: Public Service Division (PSD)
Lower-wage civil servants may get higher bonuses than what is stated since there is usually a minimum bonus payout for some years.
2025 Saw The Highest Bonus Payout In More Than A Decade
The most generous bonus package over the period came in 2025, when civil servants received a total AVC of 1.7 months, comprising a 0.4-month mid-year AVC and a 1.3-month year-end AVC.
Together with the 13th-month bonus, this brought total bonus payments to 2.7 months. Junior-grade officers also received additional one-off payments of up to $1,000 during the year.
At the other end of the spectrum, 2020 marked the weakest year for bonus payments amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Civil servants did not receive any AVC payments that year, although the 13th-month bonus was retained.
The sharp reduction reflected the severe economic disruption caused by the pandemic and Singapore’s recession that year.
Read Also: Average Salary Guide In Singapore: What You Need To Know Before Comparing Your Salary To Others
Civil Service Bonuses Often Reflect Economic Conditions
Given that the civil service is the biggest employer of workers in Singapore, it should come as no surprise that many private companies would look to take reference from how much the government is paying out in bonuses. And since the government wants to encourage employers to share their profits with employees, it makes sense that it will do its best to set forth a good example, including taking the National Wages Council (NWC) recommendations into consideration.
At the same time, expecting a significant bonus each year, beyond the usual 13th month, is not something that we should take for granted. As shown in 2019 and 2020, bonuses can be quite low or even zero in some years, besides the 13th-month bonus. That said, there are also additional one-off lump sum payments given out in some years, as well as performance bonuses based on the individual.
With the 2026 year-end AVC still to be determined, civil servants have so far received a 0.45-month mid-year AVC this year, on top of the standard 13th-month bonus. Whether 2026 ultimately joins the higher-paying years will depend on how Singapore’s economy performs over the remainder of the year.
To end off, bonuses should not be the reason anyone should choose to join or stay in the civil service. While getting between 2 to 3 months (inclusive of the 13th-month bonus) is good when the economy is doing fine, it’s likely that you will be able to enjoy a similar level of bonus in many private companies. When the economy isn’t doing well, expect your total bonus for the year to be between 1 to 2 months (inclusive of the 13th-month bonus).
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