What is the Local Qualifying Salary in Singapore in 2026?
The LQS is $1,800 gross a month for full-time local employees working 35 to 44 hours a week, and $10.50 gross an hour for part-timers, according to the Ministry of Manpower's Local Qualifying Salary page (opens in a new tab).
MOM's COS 2026 lower-wage workers factsheet (opens in a new tab) confirms the rise from $1,600 to $1,800 took effect on 1 July 2026.
| Employee | Minimum pay |
|---|---|
| Full-time local employee (35–44 hours a week) | At least $1,800 gross a month |
| Part-time local employee (under 35 hours a week) | At least $10.50 gross an hour |
| Local employee covered by a Sectoral or Occupational PWM | The PWM wage for their job level, instead of the LQS |
The LQS applies to firms that hire Work Permit, S Pass or Employment Pass holders. Such firms must pay PWM wages to locals covered by a Sectoral or Occupational PWM, and at least the LQS to every other local employee. MOM says firms that don't comply can't apply for new work passes or renew existing ones.
Last updated: October 2026 · Last checked: 19 October 2026.
How does the LQS affect a firm's foreign worker quota?
The LQS decides which local employees count towards a firm's Work Permit and S Pass quota. Under the 2026 factsheet, a local paid at least $1,800 a month counts as one local worker, and a local paid at least $900 but less than $1,800 counts as half.
Part-time locals earning less than $900 gross a month are not counted at all. Firms planning headcount should check their local payroll against both thresholds before applying for passes.
Which sectors are covered by the Progressive Wage Model?
MOM's Progressive Wage Model page (opens in a new tab) lists seven sectoral PWMs and one occupational scheme. Each one sets wage and training requirements for local workers in the covered jobs:
- Cleaning
- Security
- Landscape maintenance
- Lift and escalator
- Retail
- Food services
- Waste management
- Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) for administrators and drivers
Each sector has its own page with job levels, wage periods and training requirements. Wages are set by job level, so two workers in the same firm can have different minimums.
What are the 2026 PWM wages for cleaners, security officers and food services workers?
The table shows selected 2026 wage requirements for full-time workers, taken from MOM's sector pages for:
Cleaning and security figures are monthly basic wages for outsourced workers. Food services figures are monthly gross wages, excluding overtime.
| Sector and job | Wage period | Monthly minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning, office and commercial sites: General Cleaner, Indoor Cleaner | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $2,080 basic |
| Cleaning, office and commercial sites: Outdoor, Healthcare or Restroom Cleaner | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $2,495 basic |
| Cleaning, office and commercial sites: Multi-skilled Cleaner / Machine Operator | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $2,700 basic |
| Cleaning, office and commercial sites: Supervisor | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $2,870 basic |
| Security officer (outsourced) | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2026 | $3,090 basic |
| Senior security officer (outsourced) | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2026 | $3,390 basic |
| Security supervisor (outsourced) | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2026 | $3,690 basic |
| Food services, quick service: Food / drink stall assistant | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $2,220 gross |
| Food services, quick service: Kitchen assistant / Food service counter attendant | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $2,295 gross |
| Food services, quick service: Cook | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $2,470 gross |
The cleaning rows are for Group 1 sites, such as offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics and condominiums. F&B and conservancy cleaning have separate tables, and in-house cleaners and security officers have their own requirements on the same pages.
How do I check which PWM wage or LQS applies to an employee?
Work through these steps for each local employee, using MOM's pages as the source of truth:
- Confirm whether your firm employs Work Permit, S Pass or Employment Pass holders. If it does, the PWM and LQS requirements apply.
- Check whether the employee's job falls in a PWM sector or the OPW scheme. MOM's PWM self-assessment tool, linked from each sector page, helps classify the job.
- Open the sector page and find the job level and the wage period that covers the pay date. Cleaning and food services periods run from 1 July to 30 June; security periods follow the calendar year.
- Check whether the figure is a basic wage or a gross wage. Cleaning and security tables use basic wages; food services uses gross wages excluding overtime.
- For locals not covered by a PWM, compare full-time gross monthly pay with $1,800, and part-time hourly pay with $10.50.
- For monthly-rated part-timers, divide total monthly gross wages by total hours worked that month, then compare the result with $10.50.
- Recheck MOM's pages before each new wage period starts, because the requirements step up every year.
What support do employers get for raising lower wages?
The Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS) co-funds wage increases for lower-wage workers. Under the 2026 factsheet (opens in a new tab), co-funding for increases given in 2026 rose from 20% to 30%, and the scheme now runs to 2028, at 30% in 2027 and 20% in 2028.
To qualify, the employee must earn up to $3,000 average gross a month before the increase and up to $4,000 after it. The minimum qualifying increase is $100 a month in 2026, rising to $200 in 2027 and 2028.
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