Before you sign anything, read these pages like your future depends on them, because it does. Here’s what matters, what to push back on, and the quiet red flags kababayans often miss.
To read a Singapore employment contract before you sign, check it against MOM's Key Employment Terms, match the salary to your offer letter, and look hard at notice periods, bonds and restrictive clauses. A signed contract is legally binding here.
Start with the Key Employment Terms
If the Employment Act covers you (it covers most employees), your employer must 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.
KETs cover job title and duties, start date and contract type, working hours and rest days, salary and salary period, leave, medical benefits, probation, notice period and place of work. If any are missing, ask HR to add them before you sign.
Salary: match it against the offer letter
The basic salary should match the offer letter to the dollar. An offer of SGD 3,000 that becomes SGD 2,800 plus "allowances" is a different deal.
Allowances do not always count the same way for overtime, notice pay or levy calculations, and management can sometimes remove them later.
Also check:
How overtime is calculated, and whether it is paid or absorbed.
What deductions the employer may make. The Employment Act limits these.
Whether the 13th month or AWS is guaranteed or "at the company's discretion". If it is discretionary on paper, treat it as optional.
Probation and notice period
Probation in Singapore runs from one to six months in most cases. Notice during probation can be as short as one day or one week.
After confirmation, notice is one month for most roles. Make sure both numbers are in writing.
A three-month notice locks you in for that long every time you want to move.
Bond and claw-back clauses
A bond (also called a "training bond" or "claw-back") means you owe the employer money if you resign within a set period.
Before you sign, find out:
How much the bond is.
How long it runs.
What triggers it, such as resigning or termination with cause.
Whether the amount drops over time or stays at the full sum.
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If the bond is more than a few months' salary for basic onboarding, push back or negotiate.
Restrictive clauses
Check the non-compete: can you join a competitor after you leave, for how long, and where? Check the non-solicitation clause: can you contact former clients or colleagues?
Check the confidentiality and IP clauses for what belongs to the company and for how long. Singapore courts enforce these only if they are reasonable.
Things that should never appear
The employer deducting the foreign worker levy from your salary. The employer pays the levy to MOM. Passing it to you is a violation.
Placement or agency fees charged by the employer. Licensed agencies have caps on worker fees, and employers may not collect agency fees from you.
Withholding your passport, pass card or Work Permit. Your documents belong to you.
If any of these appear in the contract, or even as a verbal agreement, do not sign. Report concerns to MOM through its contact-us page on mom.gov.sg.
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Ask before you sign
Can I have a day or two to review the contract?
Can I get a signed copy for my records?
Is there a separate employee handbook or code of conduct I should read?
If something feels off after you've signed
For salary and employment disputes, start with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management at tal.sg/tadm. MOM has an enforcement unit for serious breaches, and HOME and TWC2 support migrant workers.
Employment Act amendments happen every few years, so verify current KETs, salary thresholds and rules on mom.gov.sg. And if an employer will not let you take the contract home to read, expect the same pressure after you sign.
Last reviewed April 2026. Singapore employment rules change, always verify current guidance on MOM’s website before acting on specifics.
Frequently asked questions
What are Key Employment Terms in Singapore?+
Written terms your employer must give you within 14 days of starting if the Employment Act covers you. They list job title and duties, start date and contract type, working hours and rest days, salary, leave, medical benefits, probation, notice period and place of work.
How long is probation in Singapore?+
One to six months is the usual range. Notice during probation is often one day or one week, while after confirmation it is one month for most roles. Both numbers should appear in writing.
Can my employer deduct the foreign worker levy from my salary?+
No. The levy is a fee the employer pays to MOM, and passing it to you is a violation. The same goes for employers charging you agency fees direct or withholding your passport or pass card.
What is a training bond in an employment contract?+
A clause that makes you owe the employer money if you resign within a set period. Check the amount, how long it runs, what triggers it, and whether it reduces over time. If it exceeds a few months' salary and the training is basic onboarding, push back.
Is a non-compete clause enforceable in Singapore?+
Singapore courts enforce restrictive clauses when they find them reasonable, and not otherwise. Read the non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality clauses for duration, geography and scope before signing.
Where do I go if I have a dispute after signing a contract in Singapore?+
Start with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management at tal.sg/tadm for salary and employment disputes. MOM's enforcement unit takes serious breaches, and community groups HOME and TWC2 offer guidance and support for migrant workers.
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