More than 7,600 in-house security officers to get pay increases under Progressive Wage Model
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SINGAPORE: More than 7,600 in-house security officers will get pay increases under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the private security industry in the coming years.
Their baseline wages are set to rise by S$160 (US$123) year-on-year over the next three years, from Jan 1, 2026, to Dec 31, 2028.
The sustained wage increases are in line with recommendations from the Security Tripartite Cluster (STC) on the security PWM, which have been accepted by the government, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a joint release on Thursday (Oct 30).
The STC is made up of representatives from the labour movement, industry associations, employers, service buyers and government agencies.
From Jan 1, 2026, about 1,500 full-time in-house security officers will see their wages rise to at least the new entry-level PWM wage of S$2,475.
Their baseline monthly gross wage will then increase to S$2,635 in 2027 and S$2,795 in 2028.
Senior security officers, meanwhile, will see their pay bumped up to at least S$2,675 from Jan 1 next year, with security supervisors' wages to rise to a minimum of S$2,905.
These figures will also increase again in 2027 and 2028.
MOM and MHA said that the PWM wages from Jan 1, 2028, are subject to further review in 2027.
"The STC may consider adjusting the PWM gross wage requirements upwards if the economic situation improves," the ministries said.
They added that the STC had recommended in 2023 that senior security supervisors' wages be left to market forces as they generally earned more than those in the bottom 20 per cent of income earners.
Eligible employers will also automatically receive co-funding support under the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme.
This is to provide transitional support for employers to adjust to the PWM wage increases, said MOM and MHA.
The Progressive Wage Credit Scheme will co-fund up to 20 per cent of wage increases given to workers who earn a monthly wage of up to S$3,000 in 2026.
"This will alleviate cost pressures, while enabling businesses to drive transformation efforts to enhance productivity and raise wages sustainably," the ministries said.
National Trades Union Congress assistant secretary-general Melvin Yong, who also chairs the STC, said in a Facebook post that the wage schedule set out will ensure that in-house security officers "can benefit from sustained wage growth ... as the industry embraces technologies to meet evolving security needs".
Earlier this year, the government accepted recommendations on the PWM for the retail sector, which set out a three-year schedule of sustained wage increases for workers.
The new schedule will apply to more than 53,000 resident full-time and part-time retail workers from Sep 1, 2025, to Aug 31, 2028
It was announced at Budget 2022 that the government would spend S$9 billion over five years to uplift and support lower-wage workers.
