The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) is Singapore’s approach to ensuring fair wages and career progression for lower-wage workers across various sectors. By 2025, the PWM will have implemented structured salary adjustments in sectors such as cleaning, security, food services, and retail, aiming to uplift workers’ wages in tandem with skills and productivity enhancements.
Sector-Specific PWM Salary Adjustments for 2025
Cleaning Sector
In the cleaning sector, the PWM stipulates annual wage increases to ensure that cleaners’ salaries reflect their skills and responsibilities. From 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, the minimum basic monthly wages are set as follows:
- General Cleaners (Office and Commercial Sites, F&B Establishments): S$1,910
- General Cleaners (Conservancies): S$2,325
- Refuse Collectors: S$2,545
- Supervisors: S$2,730
- Truck Drivers: S$2,895
These increments represent a continued effort to enhance the livelihoods of cleaners through structured wage progression.
Retail Sector
The retail sector’s PWM, introduced in 2022, outlines a schedule of wage increases to be implemented over three years. By 1 September 2024, the PWM Baseline Gross Wages are:
- Retail Assistant/Cashier: S$2,175
- Senior Cashier/Senior Retail Assistant: S$2,395
- Assistant Retail Supervisor: S$2,635
These figures reflect a compound annual growth rate of approximately 8.4% to 8.5% from 2022 to 2024, ensuring that retail workers experience meaningful wage growth.
Food Services Sector
In the food services sector, the PWM mandates annual wage increases to uplift workers’ earnings. Starting from a baseline of S$1,750 in 2022, wages are set to increase by S$165 annually, reaching S$2,080 by 2025. This structured progression aims to enhance the livelihoods of approximately 41,000 full- and part-time local food service workers, including chefs, kitchen helpers, and waiters.
Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS)
To support employers in implementing these wage increases, the Singapore government introduced the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS). This scheme provides transitional wage support by co-funding wage increases for eligible resident employees from 2022 to 2026. Notably, the government’s co-funding levels have been enhanced as follows:
- 2025: Increased from 30% to 40%
- 2026: Increased from 15% to 20%
These enhancements aim to alleviate the financial burden on employers while ensuring that lower-wage workers receive fair and progressive wage increases.
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