Getting a job offer in Singapore is exciting. The instinct is to sign quickly before the employer changes their mind. Don’t. A signed contract is legally binding here, and the terms you accept today are the ones you’ll live with — for how much you earn, how you can leave, and what you owe if things go wrong.
Here’s how to actually read the contract, not just scroll and sign.
Start with the Key Employment Terms
If you’re covered by Singapore’s Employment Act (most employees are), your employer is legally required to give you Key Employment Terms (KETs) in writing — on paper or electronically — within 14 days of starting. MOM publishes the full KETs checklist on mom.gov.sg. Cross-check your contract against it.
The KETs cover your job title and duties, start date and contract type, working hours and rest days, salary and salary period, leave entitlements, medical benefits, probation, notice period, and place of work.
If any of these are missing or vague, ask HR to add them before you sign. "We’ll discuss that later" is not a term.
Salary: match it against the offer letter
The basic salary on the contract should match the offer letter, to the dollar. If the offer said SGD 3,000 but the contract says SGD 2,800 with "allowances making up the rest" — that’s not the same thing. Allowances aren’t always counted the same way for overtime, notice-pay, or levy-related calculations, and they can sometimes be removed later by management.
While you’re there, look for how overtime is calculated and whether it’s paid or absorbed, what deductions the employer is allowed to make (the Employment Act limits these), and whether the 13th month or AWS is guaranteed or "at the company’s discretion". If it’s discretionary on paper, treat it as optional in practice.
Probation and notice period
Probation in Singapore typically runs from one to six months. Notice during probation is often shorter — sometimes one day or one week — than after confirmation, which is usually one month for most roles. Make sure both numbers are written clearly.
Notice matters a lot if you ever want to move. A three-month post-confirmation notice is not unheard of, but it’s long. Ask yourself if you’re comfortable being locked in for that many weeks every time you want to change jobs.
Bond and claw-back clauses
This is where people get hurt. A bond (or "training bond" or "claw-back") means that if you resign within a certain period, you owe the employer money. Some bonds are reasonable; many are aggressive.
Before you sign, know how much the bond is, how long it runs, what triggers it (resigning, termination with cause, and so on), and whether the amount reduces over time or stays at the full sum throughout. If the bond is more than a few months’ salary and the "training" you’re receiving is basic onboarding, push back or negotiate.
Restrictive clauses
Read the non-compete carefully — can you work for a competitor after you leave, for how long, and in which geography? Read the non-solicitation clause — can you reach out to former clients or colleagues? And read the confidentiality and IP clauses — what belongs to the company, and for how long after you leave?
Singapore courts generally only enforce these if they’re reasonable. But even an unreasonable clause can scare someone out of their next job if they don’t know any better.
