Singapore | Important updates to foreign worker rules

Singaporean officials announced significant updates to the Work Permit and S Pass that will take effect between July 1 and Sept. 1.

Key Points:

• The Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Dr. Tan See Leng announced that the ministry will remove the maximum period of employment restrictions for Work Permit holders effective July 1.
  • Previously, the period of employment was capped at 14–26 years.
• The government will also raise the maximum employment age of Work Permit Holders to 63; add Bhutan, Cambodia and Laos to the list of approved source countries; and expand the Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List (NTS-OL) to include heavy vehicle drivers and various manufacturing roles.
• In addition, MOM is raising the qualifying salaries and levies for S Pass holders, including:
  • For new applications submitted on or after Sept. 1, 2025, and renewals expiring on or after Sept. 1, 2026:
    • All sectors (excluding financial services): The minimum qualifying salary will increase from SG$3,150 (about US$2,360) to at least SG$3,300.
    • Financial services sector: The minimum qualifying salary will increase from SG$3,650 to at least SG$3,800.
  • Beginning Sept. 1, the S Pass Basic/Tier 1 levy will rise from SG$550 to SG$650.

Additional Information: Authorities stated the changes are designed to create a higher-quality Work Permit workforce that balances labor market stability and aligns with the country’s economic priorities. Employers should be aware of the changes and take the new salaries and levies into account. BAL will continue to monitor developments and will provide more information as it becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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