Sick leave in Singapore 2026: rules for expats

This guide explains how sick leave in Singapore works for expats, from eligibility and day limits to pay, medical costs, and what to do if an employer questions your claim. We’ll base the details on the Ministry of Manpower legal requirements – but bear in mind your contract may offer better benefits than the legal minimum, so check with your employer or HR if you’re unwell.

Information is based on current Ministry of Manpower guidance and broader Employment law and labor rights in Singapore. Guide is for general information only, not legal or medical advice. 

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Key takeaways

• Who qualifies: Employees covered by the Employment Act who’ve worked at least 3 months and inform (or try to inform) their employer within 48 hours.
• Notice rule: Notify your employer ASAP and submit your medical certificate (MC) when you return (or as your employer directs).
• Entitlement scale: After 6 months, the legal minimum is 14 days paid outpatient sick leave and 60 days paid hospitalisation leave. No sick pay applies if you’ve worked under 3 months; entitlement is prorated from 3 to 6 months.
• Outpatient vs hospitalisation: Outpatient sick leave applies when you’re unfit for work. Hospitalisation leave also covers day surgery, hospital care, or bed rest certified by an admitting doctor. The 60-day cap includes the 14 outpatient days (it’s not on top).
• Pay during leave: Paid sick leave should be paid at the gross rate of pay. Outpatient leave excludes shift allowance.
• Consultation fees: Reimbursement is required once you’ve worked at least 3 months, if the consultation results in at least 1 day of paid sick leave and the MC is from a public institution or a company-approved doctor/dentist. (More: https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/sick-leave/medical-reimbursements-and-salary)

*Details taken from publicly available sources, checked 5th August 2026

Who can get sick leave in Singapore?

Most expats can get paid sick leave if they are employees under a contract of service and are covered by the Employment Act. Nationality does not remove the right, so a foreign employee on a local contract or on a work pass can still qualify.

Probation does not remove statutory rights. If you are covered and have worked for the employer for at least 3 months, the legal minimum still applies.

To check if you are entitled to sick leave in Singapore as an expat employee, look at:

• your employment type – ensure you have a contract of service, not self-employed contracting
• your start date, because paid entitlement begins after 3 months and rises until month 6
• your handbook or HR portal for the panel list and claim steps

Different rules may apply for certain groups such as domestic workers, seafarers, some statutory board employees, or civil servants. If this is your situation, check the rules carefully and review your own contract to see what your legal rights are.

How many sick leave days do you get?

Your sick leave entitlement in Singapore builds up with service. After 6 months with the same employer, the statutory maximum is 14 days of paid outpatient sick leave and 60 days of paid hospitalisation leave.

*Details taken from MOM sources, checked 5th August 2026

Bear in mind that the total hospitalisation days include any outpatient days taken. This means that for an employee with 6 months or more of service, you can take no more than 60 days in total, including both outpatient and hospitalisation days.

What counts as a valid MC, and when do you need to tell your employer?

In Singapore, an MC is a medical certificate showing that a doctor or dentist has certified you unfit for work. That document matters because paid sick leave in Singapore usually depends on both the MC and your 48-hour notice to the employer.

Expats often mix up MC validity with reimbursement. A registered doctor can issue a medical certificate for absence, but whether or not your employer will reimburse the consultation fee for getting your MC depends on who you go to. 

Before obtaining your medical certificate you may need to check whether your employer accepts the provider and whether it is on the approved panel if you intend to ask for reimbursement of the cost.

1. Check your employer’s panel doctor list if you can. 
2. Visit a registered doctor or dentist, or use an appropriate teleconsult route. 
3. Get the MC and confirm the dates. 
4. Tell your manager or HR within 48 hours and keep the MC, receipt, and message trail.

Writer

Claire

Insider Tip

Save your employer’s panel list and sick-leave contact in your phone before you need them.

Who can issue an MC?

Usually, the safest route is a medical practitioner registered in Singapore, or a dentist for dental issues. 

You may use a panel doctor, which means a doctor or clinic on your employer’s approved list. Or you could visit a polyclinic – which is a public outpatient clinic. Using public institutions can place you in the strongest position for reimbursement if the visit leads to paid sick leave.

Teleconsultation can also fit the reimbursement framework when the doctor or dentist is government or company approved. Do not assume every private clinic MC will also be reimbursed – check with your employer first.

When and how should you notify your employer?

If you’re too unwell to work, message your manager or HR as soon as possible and keep a written record. You’ll then need to submit the MC when you return or as company policy asks.

If your case is more complex or your absence will go on for a longer time, you may need to work with your doctor, HR and your management to plan a return to work approach that suits any ongoing medical needs.

Who pays during sick leave, and what medical costs can be reimbursed?

Paid sick leave protects your salary, not just your time off. If the leave is paid and you qualify, your employer should continue paying wages during outpatient or hospitalisation leave.

Medical reimbursement is separate. Consultation fees must be reimbursed when the visit results in at least 1 day of paid sick leave and the MC comes from a public institution or a doctor or dentist appointed by the company. That is why a valid MC does not automatically mean cost recovery.

If you pay upfront at a private clinic that isn’t on your employer’s panel, your MC may still support your leave. However, reimbursement may then depend on company policy rather than the statutory minimum. Check your contract, panel list, and claim steps.

When salary should still be paid

Outpatient sick leave and hospitalisation leave should still be paid if you meet the legal conditions. For outpatient leave, gross pay excludes shift allowance.

When consultation fees should be reimbursed

The legal trigger is having worked at least 3 months, plus paid sick leave, plus an MC from a public institution or a company-approved doctor or dentist, including approved teleconsultation routes. 

If you go outside the panel, check your employer’s policy – reimbursement is not mandatory, but some companies reimburse more than the legal minimum and may support your request.

What happens in special situations?

MOM offers specific guidance for sick leave in a few less common situations.

If you fall sick on annual leave, a public holiday, or a rest day

MOM says you are not eligible to apply for paid sick leave if you fall sick during a rest day, public holiday, non-working day, annual leave, or unpaid leave. If you fall sick while on annual leave, you can discuss with your employer whether the annual leave can be cancelled and replaced with sick leave instead.

If your MC covers 8 and 9 August and 9 August is a public holiday, only 1 sick leave day is counted. Get an MC promptly and ask HR before assuming annual leave will be restored.

If you are serving notice or only work a half day

If you are serving notice, sick leave can still apply if you meet the normal eligibility rules, and it counts as part of the notice period. Sick leave on a half working day, such as a Saturday morning shift, still counts as 1 full sick leave day.

If your MC is from overseas, or you run out of sick leave

Many employers accept overseas MCs or certificates from Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, but that is usually at employer discretion, rather than being legally required, so check your company policy. 

If you run out of sick leave, the next steps are usually no-pay leave, another work arrangement, or a medical assessment. If a doctor says you are unfit to continue working, get advice on your own situation before making assumptions about the outcome.

What should expats do if their employer rejects an MC or pay claim?

1. Re-read your contract, handbook, and panel list before challenging the decision. 
2. Check the likely failure point: was the issue notice timing, provider choice, missing receipts, or whether you had already used up your sick leave entitlement limit in Singapore? 
3. Ask HR for a written explanation and respond with your MC, receipts, and message records. 
4. Compare the company response with current MOM guidance on sick leave, pay, and reimbursement. 
5. If you still think your statutory rights were not followed, you may seek help from TADM (the dispute management service) or report the matter to MOM.

This guide is not legal advice, and outcomes depend on the facts. If you’re unsure about what to do in your own situation, ask for the support of your HR team or an independent advisor from a service like TADM.

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How expats can plan for doctor costs, insurance, and urgent payments

For many expats, the stressful part is the cash flow. You may need to pay a clinic upfront, wait for reimbursement, or buy private cover because foreign employees do not usually rely on the same social security in Singapore as citizens and permanent residents.

That is why it helps to arrange cover before you need it. Our Guide to getting health insurance in Singapore explains the basics, including how global insurers such as Cigna can help depending on your specific needs. 

If you need to move money quickly for a doctor’s bill or insurance premium, Wise is one practical option to compare for international transfers. Wise holds a remittance licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. 

You can use Wise to move your money from overseas to SGD with the mid-market exchange rate, with many payments arriving quickly, and some instantly, though speed may vary depending on the currency route, payment method, and other factors. You can check fees for your specific transfer on the Wise pricing page.

Some final tips to make sure your sick pay claim in Singapore goes smoothly:

• save your employer’s panel list and sick-leave contact method
• keep your insurance details and claim login ready
• store MCs, receipts, and HR messages in one folder
• if you’re sending money from abroad, look at fees, timing, and how you will access the money in Singapore

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Useful resources

Last checked 5th August 2026

• Ministry of Manpower: Sick leave eligibility and entitlement
• Ministry of Manpower: Medical reimbursements and salary during sick leave
• Ministry of Manpower: Sick leave in special situations
• Ministry of Manpower FAQ: Probation should not affect your sick leave entitlement
• Ministry of Manpower FAQ: Must my employer reimburse the medical consultation fees if my MC is from a private clinic?
• Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management