63,000 public healthcare staff to get up to 7% pay rise, but netizens voice tax and manpower concerns

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Thursday (March 27) that 63,000 public healthcare workers in Singapore would get a salary increase of up to 7 per cent from July 1, 2025. The pay rise is to attract and retain staff in the healthcare sector. However, not everyone was pleased.

MOH announced that 37,000 allied healthcare professionals (AHPs), pharmacists, and administrative, ancillary, and support staff would receive a salary increase of up to 7 per cent, while 26,000 nurses would get a pay bump capped at 4 per cent “to keep pace with market trends”. These were mentioned by Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung on Jan 29, the first day of the Chinese New Year.

However, some netizens expressed concerns about the implications of the pay rise. Intriguingly, one commenter said that some healthcare professionals he knew were not entirely in favour of the move. “Some health professionals I know are against the increase because they will now pay higher taxes. If they compute the ‘take home’ or net amount, it’s lower compared to their previous net without the increase.”

Another commenter questioned why the pay increment was limited to healthcare workers. “Why are pay increments very selective for healthcare groups only, other groups also work hard and need pay increments also,” the commenter said.

Another pointed out, “I don’t think pay is the driving factor. Shifts and low manpower should also be looked into.”

The adjustments are in addition to the Award for Nurses’ Grace, Excellence and Loyalty (Angel) scheme, launched in September 2024, which aims to encourage nurses to build lifelong careers in nursing.

Around 29,000 nurses will receive up to S$100,000 each in payouts over 20 years under this scheme, The Straits Times reported.

MOH said, “With these salary increases, which are over and above the annual increments, we will enable the public healthcare sector to better attract and retain staff.”

The ministry added that healthcare staff would continue to get annual pay increases to keep up with inflation. It also said regular salary reviews would continue to ensure that salaries remained competitive with the market, acknowledging that “healthcare workers are the driving force behind good care”. /TISG 

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