Confirmation is not automatic and silence is not neutral. An employee whose probation ends without a decision is generally treated as confirmed, which means the longer notice period and the full disciplinary process now apply. Decide before the date, and put it in writing either way.
Confirmation of Employment
On completion of probation
Confirmation is not automatic and silence is not neutral. An employee whose probation ends without a decision is generally treated as confirmed, which means the longer notice period and the full disciplinary process now apply. Decide before the date, and put it in writing either way.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employee | [NAME], [JOB TITLE], employee number [NUMBER] |
| Date of joining | [DATE] |
| Probation period | [NUMBER] months |
| Probation due to end | [DATE] |
| Decision | [Confirm / Extend / Do not confirm] |
| Effective from | [DATE] |
| Reviewed by | [NAME], [DESIGNATION] |
| Approved by | [NAME], [DESIGNATION] |
Version A — Confirmation
[COMPANY NAME] Date: [DATE] Reference: [REF]
[EMPLOYEE NAME], [JOB TITLE]
Dear [FIRST NAME],
Confirmation of employment
I am pleased to confirm your employment with [COMPANY NAME] with effect from [DATE], following successful completion of your probation.
[ADD TWO OR THREE SENTENCES ON WHAT THE EMPLOYEE HAS ACTUALLY DONE WELL. A confirmation letter that says nothing specific is a form; one that names a real contribution is remembered.]
What changes on confirmation:
| Term | During probation | On confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Notice period — by either party | [PERIOD] | [PERIOD] |
| Annual leave entitlement | [DAYS] days | [DAYS] days |
| [Medical and insurance benefits] | [DETAIL] | [DETAIL] |
| [Eligibility for variable bonus] | [DETAIL] | [DETAIL] |
| [Eligibility for training and development budget] | [DETAIL] | [DETAIL] |
| [Eligibility to apply for flexible work arrangements] | [DETAIL] | [DETAIL] |
| All other terms | — | Unchanged |
5 more pages in the Word file
This is page 1 of the Word document, exactly as it appears when you open it. Fields shown like THIS are placeholders for you to complete.
These notes accompany the template and explain the drafting choices, the compliance points and the mistakes most often made with this document. They appear as a final page in the Word file, intended to be deleted before the document is executed.
Where probation lapses without a decision, the employee is generally treated as confirmed and the confirmed notice period applies. An employer that then wants to end the employment on the shorter probation notice has lost that option. Step 7 of the review record puts the letter before the end date deliberately.
Statutory leave accrues, Central Provident Fund contributions are payable for citizens and permanent residents, key employment terms must be issued within fourteen days, and dismissal for misconduct still requires a due inquiry. Probation shortens the contractual notice period. It does not suspend the Employment Act.
Extending probation is only available if the contract permits it, or if the employee agrees. Where neither applies, an employer that simply announces an extension has changed terms unilaterally. Check the contract before writing Version B, and get the acknowledgement signed.
Extension is appropriate where the employee could realistically succeed with more time and clearer support. It is not a way of deferring a decision that has already been made, and repeated extensions look exactly like what they are. If the answer is no, say no.
Version B requires observable outcomes with standards and dates. "Improve communication" and "show more initiative" cannot be assessed and cannot be evidenced later. If the requirement cannot be written as something a third party could verify, it is not yet a requirement.
The most common failure is a probationer who receives no substantive feedback for five months and then a non-confirmation letter. It is unfair, it produces avoidable disputes, and it wastes the recruitment. Steps 2 to 4 of the review record exist to make the concerns contemporaneous.
Ending employment at the end of probation is a termination and the contractual notice, or payment in lieu, applies. The shorter probation notice period is the benefit of probation; the absence of any notice obligation is not.
If the reason is performance, use this process. If it is misconduct, a due inquiry is required and the letter must reflect that route. Blurring the two — characterising performance as misconduct to avoid notice — is transparent and creates exposure.
Where the employer terminates, all sums due are payable on the last day of employment. That applies to non-confirmation as to any other employer-initiated termination.
For a pass holder, non-confirmation triggers pass cancellation, tax clearance and, for some pass types, repatriation obligations, on short timelines from the last day. Start them when the decision is taken. Note that the employer must withhold final payment pending tax clearance.
Many employers link confirmation to a salary increase. Where that is the practice, say so at offer stage and honour it. Where it is not, do not imply it. Version A separates the two so that neither is assumed.
A letter naming a specific contribution costs nothing and is disproportionately well received, particularly in the first year. A template with no personal content signals that nobody looked.
Non-confirmation decisions clustering around pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, health conditions or age are the pattern most likely to generate a complaint, and the Workplace Fairness Act will make discrimination on protected characteristics actionable when it commences at the end of 2027. Documented, role-related reasoning is the answer.
Singapore practice is a certificate of service or testimonial. There is no relieving letter convention as in some other jurisdictions, and issuing one is neither expected nor required.
Reflects Singapore law current as of {{DATE OF USE}}. Statutory notice defaults, leave entitlements and Central Provident Fund rates all change, and a review of the Employment Act is under way with proposals expected in the second half of 2026 — have this template reviewed by an employment adviser before use.
This is a ready-to-use template provided for convenience. Laws and requirements change, and every situation is different — please have it reviewed by a qualified professional (a lawyer, corporate secretary, or accountant as relevant) before you rely on it.