Find a payroll outsourcing provider in Singapore

In short: Outsourced payroll usually covers the monthly pay run, itemised payslips, CPF submission and reports, with IR8A and IR21 work priced separately. One provider lists S$60 per staff a month before GST, and the employer stays legally responsible for CPF and IRAS filings.

Payroll services in Singapore cover the work of paying staff correctly and on time: calculating gross and net pay, issuing itemised payslips, working out and submitting CPF contributions, and reporting employment income to IRAS at year end. An outsourced payroll provider runs this each month using your attendance, leave and salary data. Most Singapore SMEs that outsource get a fixed monthly pay run, payslips sent to staff, a CPF submission, a bank payment file, and a set of payroll reports, with year-end tax filing and one-off tasks quoted separately.

What payroll outsourcing includes

Providers package payroll differently, so compare the scope line by line rather than the headline price.

Core monthly payroll

• Salary calculation, including allowances, deductions, overtime and unpaid leave
• Itemised payslips in the format the Ministry of Manpower requires
• CPF contribution calculation and e-submission to CPF Board
• A bank file or GIRO instruction for salary payment
• Monthly payroll summary and journal for your accountant

Year-end and event-based work

• Employment income submission to IRAS for Form IR8A and related forms, usually through the Auto-Inclusion Scheme
• IR21 tax clearance when a foreign or SPR employee leaves or is posted overseas
• Final pay calculations for leavers
• Off-cycle runs for bonuses or corrections

Optional extras

• Leave and claims administration, sometimes through a cloud HR system
• Foreign worker levy tracking
• Payroll for staff in other countries through a partner network
• Full HR outsourcing, which goes beyond payroll into contracts and policies

Some providers run payroll on their own software; others work inside the system you already use. If you want to keep your current HR software, say so in your request.

What it costs in Singapore

Pricing depends mainly on headcount, pay frequency and how much year-end and ad hoc work you need. From pages we checked in October 2026:

• One Singapore provider’s published rate card lists monthly payroll from S$60 per staff before GST, including monthly CPF e-submission, plus one-time fees for payroll setup (from S$150) and GIRO setup (from S$300). Form IR8A preparation is listed from S$150 per staff and Form IR21 from S$250 per staff.
• A cost guide published in June 2026 by another provider estimates S$10 to S$30 per employee per month for most SMEs, with a minimum monthly fee of around S$100 to S$250, and lower per-head rates as headcount rises.

These figures come from providers’ own websites and are a starting point, not a quote. The main cost drivers are:

• Headcount and minimum fees. Very small teams often pay a higher effective rate per person.
• Complexity. Shift work, overtime, commissions, multiple pay groups or foreign workers add time.
• Year-end filing. IR8A and Auto-Inclusion Scheme submission may be per employee or bundled.
• Leavers. IR21 tax clearance is usually charged per case.
• Setup and migration. Moving historical payroll data or setting up GIRO can carry one-time fees.
• GST. Check whether quotes include the 9% GST.

Singapore rules buyers should know

Outsourcing the work does not move the legal duty. As the employer, you remain responsible for these obligations, so make sure your provider covers them.

Itemised payslips (MOM)

Employers must issue itemised payslips to employees covered by the Employment Act. MOM says a payslip should be given with the payment, or within three working days of payment if that is not possible. It must show items such as basic salary, the salary period, allowances, deductions, overtime hours and pay, and net salary. Soft or hard copies are both acceptable.

Employment and salary records (MOM)

MOM sets out the key employment records employers must keep, including working hours, leave and salary details. Records for current employees cover the latest two years, and for ex-employees the last two years are kept for one year after they leave. Agree with your provider where these records live and how you get them back if you switch.

CPF contributions (CPF Board)

CPF Board treats the last day of the month as the due date for contributions, with a grace period to the 14th of the following month. Late payment interest of 1.5% per month applies after that. Ask how your provider schedules submissions so payments clear before the deadline.

IR8A and the Auto-Inclusion Scheme (IRAS)

Employers with five or more employees must join IRAS’s Auto-Inclusion Scheme and submit employees’ employment income electronically by 1 March each year. Smaller employers can join voluntarily, and IRAS may notify some to join.

IR21 tax clearance (IRAS)

For non-Singapore Citizen employees who stop working in Singapore, are posted overseas or leave for more than three months, employers generally must file Form IR21 at least one month beforehand and withhold monies due. Some exemptions apply, so check the IRAS rules for each case.

How to choose a payroll provider

Look for a provider that can show you exactly how a pay run works, from data you send to payslips your staff receive.

Questions to ask:

1. What is included in the monthly fee, and what is charged separately (IR8A, IR21, off-cycle runs, leavers)?
2. What do you need from us each month, and by which date, so salaries and CPF go out on time?
3. Which payroll software do you use, and can our staff see payslips and leave online?
4. Who checks each run before it is released, and how are errors corrected?
5. If a mistake on your side causes CPF late payment interest or an IRAS penalty, who pays?
6. How do you protect salary and NRIC data, and who on your team can access it?
7. If we leave, how and in what format do we get our payroll history back?
8. Can you handle our setup: shift workers, commissions, foreign workers, several entities?

If you also need help with bookkeeping or year-end accounts, a provider that does both can save hand-offs. You can request those separately through accounting and bookkeeping matching.

Red flags

• A per-employee price with no written list of what it excludes
• No clear monthly cut-off date for your inputs
• Vague answers about who submits CPF and when
• Payslips that leave out items MOM requires
• No process for reviewing a pay run before salaries are paid
• Reluctance to put data handling and exit terms in the agreement
• Pressure to sign a long contract before a trial run or a parallel month

How FYAdvisers matching works

1. Describe your need. Tell us your headcount, pay cycle, current setup and what you want handled.
2. Free concierge consultation. A concierge contacts you to confirm your needs, budget and timing.
3. We introduce one to five providers. With your consent, we introduce you to the number of payroll providers you choose, up to five.
4. Meet and decide. Providers reach out directly with questions and quotes. You choose whether to work with any of them.

Matching is free for you. Providers pay FYAdvisers to receive introductions. FYAdvisers does not provide payroll services, and we only share your details with your consent.

By industry

• Payroll outsourcing for F&B businesses
• Payroll outsourcing for retailers
• Payroll outsourcing for e-commerce businesses
• Payroll outsourcing for construction companies
• Payroll outsourcing for logistics companies
• Payroll outsourcing for manufacturers
• Payroll outsourcing for clinics and healthcare practices
• Payroll outsourcing for education and tuition centres
• Payroll outsourcing for real estate agencies
• Payroll outsourcing for law firms
• Payroll outsourcing for accounting firms
• Payroll outsourcing for consultancies and professional services firms
• Payroll outsourcing for tech startups
• Payroll outsourcing for beauty and wellness businesses
• Payroll outsourcing for hotels and hospitality businesses