Knit People

Singapore is raising the minimum qualifying salary for local employees from SGD 1,600 to SGD 1,800 starting July 1, 2026, with increased government wage support for employers through 2028.

🔍: https://cms.singaporebudget.gov.sg/assets/026b8364-31ef-4dc6-8293-9584c0d016c5

Singapore is raising the minimum salary thresholds for Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass (SP) applications starting January 2027.

EP moves to SGD 6,000 (SGD 6,600 in financial services) and S Pass to SGD 3,600 (SGD 4,000 in financial services).

🔍: https://cms.singaporebudget.gov.sg/assets/95d5dffc-dc23-453d-b243-ad124e004e63

South Africa has raised its BCEA earnings threshold to ZAR 269,600.90 annually, expanding statutory protections like overtime pay and meal breaks to more employees.

🔍: https://labourguide.co.za/~documents/route%3A/download/4795

Switzerland is maintaining its quota for skilled workers and specialists from non-EU/EFTA countries at 8,500 permits: 4,500 B permits (long-term) and 4,000 L permits (short-term).

Details: https://www.admin.ch/fr/newnsb/7HwBjdg5HpBA

Poland has introduced new labor rules for seniority calculations.

Among the changes, companies must now factor in employees' past business activities and civil contracts when determining eligibility for 26 days of annual leave instead of 20.

More details: https://ca-staff.eu/en/publications/poland-new-seniority-from-2026-key-information-for-companies/

The U.S. reset the white-collar overtime rules back to the previous thresholds. To be exempt from overtime, employees now just need to make at least $684 a week ($35,568 a year).

Details: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20260514

Vietnam now treats digital employment contracts the same as paper ones, backed by a government platform launching July 1, 2026.

🔍: https://en.baochinhphu.vn/electronic-labor-contracts-shall-be-applicable-next-july-111251226092023816.htm

UK employers must provide employees with a Form P60 by May 31, 2027. The document summarizes an employee’s earnings and tax deductions for the 2026/27 tax year.

🔍: https://www.gov.uk/payroll-annual-reporting/give-employees-p60-form

Germany has increased its 2026 pension and unemployment insurance earnings cap to €8,450/month and raised the private health insurance eligibility threshold to €77,400/year.

Unemployment insurance remains unchanged at 2.6%.

🔍: https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/KnappschaftBahnSee/DE/KBSexklusiv/Kn_besonderheiten_BY-Recht/Werte/Werte_der_kn_RV

France has ruled that employers can't increase an employee's annual working days without their consent.

Making the change without agreement could lead to legal disputes.

⚖️: https://www.courdecassation.fr/decision/69707abccdc6046d47133966