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Written Answer by Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng to PQ on Real Wage Growth by Age Band

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NOTICE PAPER NO. 1251 OF 2022 FOR SITTING ON 1 AUGUST 2022

QUESTION NO. 1973 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

NCMP: Ms Hazel Poa
To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry collects data on real wage growth based on different age groups; and (b) if so, what is the real wage increase for each year from 2000 to 2021 for those aged (i) 29 and below (ii) 30 to 39 (ii) 40 to 49 (iii) 50 to 59 and (iv) 60 and above respectively.

Answer:

1. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) publishes the median gross monthly income from work in our annual reports on the Labour Force in Singapore. It is sensible to examine the trend of wage growth over a longer period of time, instead of annually, as the annual numbers are sometimes subjected to wider fluctuations.

2. The real annualised change in median gross monthly income from work (including employer CPF contributions) of full-time employed residents by age is provided in Table 1.

Table 1: Real Annualised Change (%) in Median Gross Monthly Income1 From Work (Including Employer CPF) of Full-Time2 Employed Residents3 by Age

  10-year 
  20-year
   2001-2011 2011-2021  2001-2021 
29 and below   -0.6 1.9  0.6 
 30 to 39 1.8  1.8  1.8 
 40 to 49 2.7  4.3  3.5 
 50 to 59  0.8  4.2  2.5 
 60 and above 2.2  3.1  2.6 

Source: Comprehensive Labour Force Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, MOM

 


FOOTNOTE

  1. Real income is calculated by deflating by Consumer Price Index for all Items at 2019 prices (2019=100). Annualised change is calculated by comparing median gross monthly income for the age segment in June of the beginning of the period, with the corresponding group for June at the end of the period. The figures shown are the average rate of change per annum for the periods indicated. Gross monthly income refers to income earned from employment. For employees, it refers to the gross monthly wages or salaries before deduction of employee CPF contributions and personal income tax. It comprises basic wages, overtime pay, commissions, tips, other allowances, and one-twelfth of annual bonuses. For self-employed persons, gross monthly income refers to the average monthly profits from their business, trade or profession (i.e. total receipts less business expenses incurred) before deduction of income tax.
  2. Before 2009, full-time employment refers to employment where the normal hours of work is 30 hours or more in a week. From 2009 onwards, full-time employment refers to employment where the normal hours of work is 35 hours or more in a week.
  3. Residents refer to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. Data exclude Full-Time National Servicemen.