Quick answer: Your contract decides your notice period, and under the Employment Act it must be the same for both employer and employee. If the contract says nothing, the statutory scale applies: 1 day under 26 weeks of service, 1 week from 26 weeks to under 2 years, 2 weeks from 2 to under 5 years, and 4 weeks at 5 years or more. Either side can pay salary in lieu of notice, and notice can be waived by mutual agreement. The notice period includes the day notice is given, plus public holidays, rest days and non-working days.
The rules are short. The disputes usually come from how the period is counted, and from what happens to a work pass during it.
The statutory scale
| Length of service | Notice if the contract is silent |
|---|---|
| Under 26 weeks | 1 day |
| 26 weeks to under 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 years to under 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years or more | 4 weeks |
Most contracts state a period, commonly one to three months, and that overrides the scale. What a contract cannot do is impose a longer notice on the employee than on the employer.
How the period is counted
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start | The notice period includes the day notice is given |
| Non-working days | Public holidays, rest days and non-working days count towards it |
| Sick leave | For employees covered by the Act, paid or unpaid sick leave taken during notice is part of the notice period, not an extension |
| Annual leave | Leave arrangements during notice are a matter for agreement, and practice varies |
Salary in lieu of notice
Either side can end the employment immediately by paying the other the salary that would have been earned during the required notice.
| Who is leaving | What it means |
|---|---|
| You resign without serving notice | You pay the employer salary in lieu for the unserved portion |
| The employer terminates without notice | The employer pays you salary in lieu |
| Both agree to waive | No payment is required, but get it in writing |
If you hold a work pass
This is the part that matters most for foreign employees, and the part general HR guides skip.
| Point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Your pass is tied to the employer | When employment ends, the employer cancels it, normally within a week of your last day |
| A new pass takes its own processing time | The new employer applies, and you cannot start work until it is issued |
| A long notice period can help | It gives the new employer time to apply before your current pass is cancelled |
| A short notice period can leave a gap | Between cancellation and the new pass, you may need a Short-Term Visit Pass, on which you cannot work |
| Tax clearance runs in parallel | Your employer files Form IR21 and withholds your final pay until IRAS issues a directive. See IR21 tax clearance |
If a PR application is pending while you move, see our guide on changing jobs while your PR application is pending. If the exit is a retrenchment rather than a resignation, see retrenchment and your work pass.
Practical sequencing for a job move
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before resigning | Get the offer in writing, and ask when the new employer will submit the pass application |
| On resigning | Confirm your last day in writing, and the notice arrangement |
| During notice | Let the new employer apply. Their application is assessed on their own COMPASS profile |
| Near the last day | Confirm the cancellation date, and whether you need a Short-Term Visit Pass |
| After the last day | Do not work until the new pass is issued |
Common questions employers get wrong
| Belief | Reality |
|---|---|
| “We can extend the notice period to finish a project” | Not unilaterally. The contract governs, and changes need agreement |
| “Sick leave extends the notice” | For covered employees, sick leave falls within the notice period |
| “Notice starts the day after the letter” | It includes the day notice is given |
| “We can require longer notice from the employee” | Notice must be the same for both sides |
How First Immigration can help
- Timing a move so the new pass is issued before the old one is cancelled.
- New Employment Pass or S Pass applications with the incoming employer.
- Managing the gap if one is unavoidable, including the Short-Term Visit Pass route.
- Pending PR applications during a job change.
Book a free assessment through our contact page. For the wider framework, see our guide to the Employment Act.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard notice period in Singapore?
Whatever your contract states. If the contract is silent, the Employment Act scale applies: 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks or 4 weeks depending on length of service.
Can my employer require a longer notice period than I can?
No. Under the Employment Act the notice period must be the same for both sides.
Does the notice period include weekends and public holidays?
Yes. It includes the day notice is given, plus public holidays, rest days and non-working days.
Can I pay to leave earlier?
Yes. You can pay salary in lieu of notice for the unserved portion, or agree a waiver with your employer.
Does sick leave extend my notice period?
For employees covered by the Act, sick leave taken during notice forms part of the notice period.
Can notice be waived?
Yes, by mutual consent. Put it in writing.
What happens to my work pass during notice?
It stays valid while you are employed. The employer cancels it after your last day, normally within a week.
Can I start a new job during my notice period?
Not on the old pass, and not before the new pass is issued.
What if there is a gap between passes?
You cannot work in that gap. A Short-Term Visit Pass allows you to remain in Singapore but not to work.
Why is my final pay delayed after I leave?
Tax clearance. The employer withholds monies due until IRAS issues a clearance directive.
Official sources: MOM, Termination with notice; MOM press reply on notice periods being the same for employer and employee; MOM, Employment Act: who it covers; IRAS, tax clearance for foreign and SPR employees.
Disclaimer: This is a general summary of published MOM guidance as of October 2026, not legal advice. Your contract governs your own situation.
Hiring, or applying for a work pass?
We review salary, COMPASS and documents before the application goes to MOM. See our Employment Pass service and S Pass service, or ask us about your case.
