Skip to main content
About Us

Written Answer by Mrs Josephine Teo Minister for Manpower to PQ on top three factors that have led to the improvement in the gender pay gap in Singapore over the past decade

Employment practices

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1716 OF 2019 FOR THE SITTING ON 8 JULY 2019
QUESTION NO. 1290 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang

To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the top three factors that have led to the improvement in the gender pay gap in Singapore over the past decade. 

Answer

  1. MOM is currently carrying out further analysis on the factors affecting pay differences between men and women.
  2. From our preliminary findings, three main factors have contributed to the narrowing of pay differences. First, the employment rate of women in prime-working ages has risen; they tend to be better educated and earned higher wages than older women. Second, women have moved out of lower-skilled industries more quickly than men. Third, greater access to flexible work arrangements has enabled more women to continue working and maintain their career advancement.
  3. More findings will be shared towards the end of 2019.