Written Answer to PQ on Tenth Percentile Wages
NOTICE PAPER NO. 2191 OF 2023 FOR SITTING ON 18 SEPTEMBER 2023
QUESTION NO. 4994 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
MP: Mr Desmond Choo
To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how has the wage level for workers at the 10th percentile changed over the last ten years; (b) what are the occupations that these workers are in; and (c) what is their age and education profile.
Answer:
The real gross monthly income of workers at the 10th percentile has increased by 47.9% (annualised 4.0%) from 2012 to 2022. Occupation, age, and education profiles of these workers are provided in Tables 1-3 below.
Table 1: Top Five Occupations (Based on Share) for Full-Time Employed Residents with Gross Monthly Income from Work (including Employer CPF) at the 10th percentile and below, 2022
| S/N |
Top 5 Occupations |
| 1 |
Car, Taxi, Van and Light Goods Vehicle Drivers |
| 2 |
Cleaners in Offices, Commercial and Industrial Establishments |
| 3 |
Food Preparation and Kitchen Assistants |
| 4 |
General Office Clerks |
| 5 |
Shop and Store Salespersons |
Source: Comprehensive Labour Force Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Ministry of Manpower
Table 2: Share of Full-Time Employed Residents with Gross Monthly Income from Work (Including Employer CPF) at the 10th percentile and below by Age, 2022
| Age |
Share |
| 15-19 |
2.2% |
| 20-29 |
8.7% |
| 30-39 |
7.2% |
| 40-49 |
12.3% |
| 50-59 |
23.9% |
| 60 & over |
45.7% |
Source: Comprehensive Labour Force Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Ministry of Manpower
Table 3: Share of Full-Time Employed Residents with Gross Monthly Income from Work (Including Employer CPF) at the 10th percentile and below by Highest Qualification Attained, 2022
| Qualification |
Share |
| Below Secondary |
43.3% |
| Secondary |
23.6% |
| Post-Secondary (Non-Tertiary) |
18.4% |
| Diploma & Professional Qualification |
9.0% |
| Degree |
5.7% |
Source: Comprehensive Labour Force Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Ministry of Manpower