How much annual leave does a new employee get in Singapore?
An employee covered by the Employment Act is entitled to paid annual leave after working for the employer for at least 3 months, starting at 7 days in the first year of service. For a new joiner, pro-rate by completed months: completed months ÷ 12 × annual entitlement. A part month is not counted, and the result is rounded to a whole day (under half down, half or more up).
New joiners ask the same two questions in their first week: when can I take leave, and how many days do I have? The Ministry of Manpower answers both with one eligibility rule and one formula. Most errors come from counting months the wrong way or from giving a first-year contract figure without checking it against the statutory minimum.
The rule in plain terms
An employee covered by the Employment Act is entitled to paid annual leave once they have worked for the employer for at least 3 months. Probation counts: MOM says pro-rating applies even if the employee is still on probation. The Act covers local and foreign employees under a contract of service, full time or part time, with exceptions such as seafarers, domestic workers and civil servants.
The statutory minimum depends on the year of service, and MOM says the year of service begins from the day the employee starts work:
| Year of service | Minimum paid annual leave |
|---|---|
| 1st | 7 days |
| 2nd | 8 days |
| 3rd | 9 days |
| 4th to 7th | one more day each year, 10 to 13 days |
| 8th and after | 14 days |
For an employee who has worked 3 to 12 months, the leave is pro-rated by the completed months worked:
Pro-rated leave = completed months ÷ 12 × annual entitlement, rounded to a whole day
What a completed month is
MOM counts a completed month as a full month from the start date. The part month at the end is not counted. MOM's own example: a start on 14 March 2014 and a last day of 31 July 2014 gives 4 completed months, 14 March to 13 July. The days from 14 to 31 July are disregarded because they are not a completed month.
So for someone who started on the 14th, each month completes on the 13th of a later month. The 3 month eligibility point for a 14 March start is reached at the end of 13 June.
Rounding
If the fraction of a day is less than one half, round it down. If it is one half or more, round it up to a full day. MOM's example is 4 completed months of a 10 day entitlement: 3.33 days, rounded down to 3.
Worked example: a mid-year joiner
An employee starts on 14 March 2026. The contract gives 14 days of annual leave a year in the first year. The statutory minimum for the first year of service is 7 days. Both figures are pro-rated the same way and rounded separately; the employee gets the higher one.
| Check date | Completed months | Statutory (7 days) | Contract (14 days) | Entitled to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 June 2026 | 2 (14 Mar to 13 May) | Under 3 months, not yet entitled | Not yet entitled | 0 |
| 13 June 2026 | 3 (14 Mar to 13 Jun) | 3 ÷ 12 × 7 = 1.75, rounds to 2 | 3 ÷ 12 × 14 = 3.50, rounds to 4 | 4 |
| 31 July 2026 (if leaving) | 4 (14 Mar to 13 Jul) | 4 ÷ 12 × 7 = 2.33, rounds to 2 | 4 ÷ 12 × 14 = 4.67, rounds to 5 | 5 |
| 31 October 2026 | 7 (14 Mar to 13 Oct) | 7 ÷ 12 × 7 = 4.08, rounds to 4 | 7 ÷ 12 × 14 = 8.17, rounds to 8 | 8 |
| 13 March 2027 | 12 (full first year) | 7 | 14 | 14 |
On 14 March 2027 the second year of service begins, the statutory minimum rises to 8 days, and pro-rating starts again on completed months in that year. MOM's rule for employees who have worked more than a year is to pro-rate on the completed months in the current year of service.
If the new joiner takes unpaid leave
MOM says approved unpaid leave is excluded when calculating the entitlement. In MOM's example, an employee entitled to 12 days took 1 day of unpaid leave each month from January to April, and the period 1 January to 30 April counted as 3 completed months, so 3 days. If a new joiner takes unpaid leave in the first few months, recount the completed months before you confirm the balance.
Common mistakes
Counting a month to the same date instead of the day before
A 14 March starter completes the first month on 13 April, not on 14 April. Getting this wrong by a day moves the 3 month eligibility point and can drop a month from the count at exit.
Rounding before multiplying
Work out completed months ÷ 12 × entitlement in full, then round once. Rounding the monthly accrual first (for example 14 ÷ 12 = 1.17, taken as 1 a month) gives a lower figure than MOM's method over the year.
Refusing leave because the employee is on probation
Probation does not stop the statutory entitlement. Once 3 months of service are complete, pro-rated leave applies whether or not the employee has been confirmed.
Using the calendar year for the statutory check
Many companies administer leave by calendar year. That is a company choice. The statutory minimum is measured by year of service from the start date, so check that the calendar year figure never falls below it.
Forgetting that a new joiner may leave early
If a new employee resigns, MOM includes the notice period when calculating pro-rated leave, and the notice period counts from the day notice is given, including rest days and public holidays. Recount the completed months up to the real last day.
How the free kit does it
The free SG Leave Pro-rating Kit asks for the start date, the as at date or last day, the contract entitlement and any approved unpaid leave. It works out the year of service, the statutory minimum and the completed months by MOM's method, pro-rates and rounds the statutory and contract figures separately, and flags an employee under 3 months, a contract below the statutory minimum and overdrawn leave. It includes an offline calculator with MOM's worked examples built in, and shows the working before anything goes into a letter or payroll.
This article is general reference material for Singapore employers and not legal advice. Check the Employment Act 1968 and current MOM guidance for your case.
Frequently asked questions
Is a new employee entitled to annual leave during probation in Singapore?
Yes, once they have worked for the employer for at least 3 months. MOM states that pro-rated annual leave for employees who have worked 3 to 12 months applies even if the employee is still on probation. Before 3 months of service there is no statutory entitlement yet.
How many days of annual leave does a first-year employee get under the Employment Act?
The statutory minimum is 7 days in the first year of service, rising by one day for each year of service to 14 days from the eighth year. In the first year it is pro-rated by completed months. A contract can give more but not less.
What is a completed month for annual leave in Singapore?
A completed month is a full month counted from the start date, and the part month at the end is not counted. MOM's example: an employee who started on 14 March 2014 and left on 31 July 2014 has 4 completed months (14 March to 13 July). The days from 14 to 31 July are disregarded.
Do you round pro-rated annual leave up or down?
MOM rounds a fraction of a day under one half down, and one half or more up to a full day. Four completed months of a 10 day entitlement gives 3.33 days, which rounds down to 3. Multiply first, then round once.
Does unpaid leave reduce a new employee's annual leave?
Yes. MOM says periods of approved unpaid leave are excluded when calculating the annual leave entitlement, so they can reduce the number of completed months. In MOM's example, an employee entitled to 12 days who took 1 day of unpaid leave each month from January to April had 3 completed months and 3 days of leave.
Sources
Holly is a Chartered Accountant (Singapore) and ISCA member who runs the finance and corporate services function of a Singapore company. She founded Halynce Advisory and writes every AccountingAI skill from real month-end, payroll and HR work.