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The claims were largely linked to end-of-employment disputes and employers facing financial difficulties; but more than nine in 10 fully recovered their salaries and payments.
Singapore recorded an increase in salary claims in 2025, with the incidence rising to 2.84 per 1,000 employees, up from 2.63 per 1,000 employees in 2024, according to the Ministry of Manpower and Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM)'s Employment Standards Report 2025.
Released on 24 July 2026 (Friday), the report noted that most salary claims arose from end-of-employment situations, including disputes over final-month salary payments, as well as cases involving employers facing financial difficulties. The incidence of salary claims remained higher among foreign employees than local employees.
Salary claims among local employees
Among local employees, the incidence of salary claims was broadly stable at 1.61 per 1,000 local employees in 2025, compared with 1.59 per 1,000 in 2024.
The leading sectors for salary claims lodged by local employees in 2025 were:
Claims among local employees were generally dispersed across industries, with no single sector accounting for a dominant share.
Salary claims among foreign employees
Among foreign employees, the incidence of salary claims increased to 5.16 per 1,000 foreign employees in 2025, from 4.64 per 1,000 in 2024.
The top three sectors for salary claims lodged by foreign employees were:
Construction remained a key contributor to salary claims. The rise in claims in professional, scientific and technical activities was driven mainly by architectural and engineering activities, technical testing and analysis, involving mostly construction and process construction and maintenance workers.
Most salary claims continued to be resolved through mediation
The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) resolved 88% of salary claims in 2025, slightly lower than the 90% recorded in 2024. The remaining 12% were referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) for adjudication.
Despite the slight decline, TADM’s mediation process continued to resolve most salary disputes quickly and amicably.
Of the salary claims lodged in 2025:
- 92% of employees fully recovered their salaries at TADM and ECT, compared with 94% in 2024.
- 5% partially recovered their salaries through settlement payments from security bond insurers and main contractors, or through assistance under the Short-Term Relief Fund and Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund.
- The remaining 3% did not recover their owed salaries and were mainly higher-income earners.
The total sum recovered by employees rose to S$22mn in 2025, from S$19mn in 2024, in line with the higher number of salary claims.
MOM reminded that non-payment of salary remains an offence. Employers that do not fully pay salaries may face enforcement action, including warnings, composition fines or prosecution. Access to foreign manpower may also be curtailed for employers that fail to make full payment.
According to the report, less than 1% of salary claims in 2025 involved employers who wilfully refused to pay salary arrears despite having the means to do so.
Salary claims continued to be concluded promptly
The proportion of salary claims concluded at TADM within two months improved slightly to 88% in 2025, compared with 87% in 2024.
For local employees, the most common claim items were basic salary, salary in lieu of notice, and encashment of unconsumed annual leave. For foreign employees, the most common items were basic salary, overtime pay, and payment for work performed on rest days and public holidays. Together, these items accounted for 91% of all salary claims lodged in 2025.
Infographics and lead image / MOM Employment Standards Report 2025
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