Scheduled maintenance: Long-term care insurance information on Healthcare Dashboard is unavailable from 26 April 2024, 8pm to 28 April 2024, 11.30pm for upgrades.

Scheduled maintenance: CPF digital services will not be available on 28 Apr 2024, from 12am to 6am.

Scheduled maintenance: Long-term care insurance information on Healthcare Dashboard is unavailable from 26 April 2024, 8pm to 28 April 2024, 11.30pm for upgrades.

Making Voluntary Contributions

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Are CPF contributions payable on "per diem" payments?

“Per diem” payments refer to money paid to your employees for daily living expenses, and include the additional expenses incurred for living away from home. They may also be given for trips made by your employees to attend overseas training and conferences where the payments are meant to cover certain living expenses incurred overseas such as the cost of meals, transport expenses and other incidental expenses like laundry.


“Per diem” payments that are given as a lump sum allowance:
CPF contributions are payable on “per diem” payments that are given as a lump sum allowance as they increase your employee’s wages.

“Per diem” payments that are given as reimbursements for official purposes:
CPF contributions are not payable on “per diem” payments that are given as reimbursements for expenses incurred for official purposes (e.g. accommodation, meal expenses).

As the employer, you must be able to prove that the reimbursements are for expenses incurred for official purposes. The amount reimbursed must not exceed the actual expenditure.