FAQs on sending your foreign workers home safely

The requirement to take pre-departure Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and IgM antibody serology test before departure is imposed by China. From 8 November 2020, all passengers arriving in China from Singapore, or transiting through Singapore, must take PCR and IgM antibody tests.

For flights from 5 December 2020 onwards, venous blood test method (not fingertip blood method) must be done for IgM antibody serology test, in order for the test results to be accepted.

Refer to the latest announcement on Chinese Embassy website.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test

You can make an appointment with any clinic listed at the SafeTravel website.

IgM antibody serology test

You don't need approval for IgM antibody serology test. You can check with clinics directly on the availability of serology test.

You should:

• Cater enough time to arrange for test appointments.
• Ensure test results are issued before the flight.
• Inform the clinic about your workers' flight dates so that they can provide the test results on time.

Ensure that your worker is not on Quarantine Order or Stay-Home-Notice on departure day.

If your worker' test results are inconclusive or positive, they will not be allowed to board. You should work with the airlines to re-schedule your worker's flight accordingly.

Your worker needs to submit the test result memos to the Chinese Embassy, and obtain the green health code with the "HS" mark via the WeChat epidemic prevention health code.

You should upload the information to the WeChat app once the test result memos are sent to you by the clinics.

Passengers will only be allowed to board upon inspection of the "HS" mark by airline staff.

Refer to the Chinese Embassy website for more information and updates on the application process.

You should:

• Pay for the pre-departure PCR and IgM antibody serology test.
• Pay at the GP clinic directly.

The GP clinic will issue the result memos.

You should contact the GP clinic where your worker took their nucleic acid test or IgM antibody serology test.

For workers who tested positive on a PCR or ART, they would be required to recover at the Centralised Recovery Facilities if vaccinated, or an appropriate healthcare facility, such as Community Isolation Facilities, if they are unvaccinated.

They will receive appropriate medical care and treatment. You or your worker will be informed on the procedures by the medical professionals.

You should work with the airline to:

• Request refunds or re-schedule the flight.
• Arrange re-tests before the next flight.

To register for a re-test appointment before rescheduled flight, contact the medical centre 2 days before the new flight date to schedule a same-day appointment.

Before confirming appointment, check with the medical centre:

• Whether they can support both PCR and IgM antibody tests.
• Cost of the PCR and IgM antibody test.

The cost of the PCR re-swab will be waived only if your worker had previously tested PCR-positive or PCR-inconclusive before original flight date.

Your worker should bring along all the following documents (hardcopy or softcopy) to the medical centre:

• Discharge memo from MOH to prove that they are a COVID-recovered worker, if applicable.
• The previous PCR and IgM-antibody test result memos issued by the GP clinic.
• Proof of your worker's rescheduled flight.

Recovered workers with a history of COVID-19 infection are advised to report to the Chinese Embassy before making plans to return.

They must complete procedures required by the Chinese Embassy, and obtain a green health code, before they are allowed to return

The typical procedures include:

• Two separate nucleic acid tests
• Chest X-ray
• 6 weeks of health monitoring

The worker can submit their PCR and serology test results to the Chinese Embassy to obtain their health codes.

Additional procedures may be requested depending on each person's case history, for example, length of time since they recovered from COVID-19.

Refer to the Chinese Embassy website for the latest updates.

If your workers are staying in uncleared dormitories

You must renew their Work Permits as they're not allowed to be repatriated until their dormitories are cleared.

If your workers have no movement restrictions

Find out how to repatriate your workers.

If your workers are staying in uncleared dormitories

You must apply to extend their Special Passes' validity as they're not allowed to be repatriated until their dormitories are cleared.

If your workers have no movement restrictions

Find out how to repatriate your workers.

No. They may be barred from future employment in Singapore if caught working without a valid work pass.

No, you should repatriate your workers as soon as possible.

If your workers are already holding Special Passes, they must be repatriated before the expiry of their Special Passes. Otherwise, MOM may forfeit your security bond to send the workers back.

If your workers are still holding live work passes, you must get flights for them before you can cancel their work passes. You remain responsible for their levies and salaries until their work passes are cancelled, and are also responsible for their upkeep and maintenance as long as they are in Singapore.

Earlier on this year, as many countries were instituting various measures and these were unsettled and evolving, we had advised employers that they would be responsible for every part of the cost of repatriation.

Since then, procedures and arrangements for entering various countries are clearer. We have also checked and found that many workers do not require employers to arrange for the home country public health related costs.

We have therefore reviewed the position, in consultation with industry, and are updating to more closely reflect the current practice.

Employers are responsible to pay for their migrant workers' repatriation costs, such as the flight ticket, pre-departure tests and connecting transport costs, if any, to the international port of entry in the workers' home country nearest to their hometown.

In response to COVID-19, we understand that many countries have introduced different public health protocols, e.g. quarantine and swab tests. There are different practices in different countries, some Governments will bear the costs for their returning citizens, while others require returning citizens to pay for these expenses.

With effect from 5 October 2021, employers are not required to pay any costs incurred for public health arrangements in the workers' home countries. However, where there are requests from their workers, they should discuss with their workers and come to a mutual agreement on such costs to fulfil their legal obligation in repatriating their workers, and to avoid any delays in workers returning to their home countries. We continue to encourage workers and employers to find ways to discuss and agree on various issues arising from COVID-19.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation in China, there are limited flights to China and the waiting time for a flight ticket may take up to 3 months. You may discuss with them on the possible arrangements to continue working for you till 2 weeks before their confirmed flight date. This may help you to minimise manpower disruption and for your workers to be gainfully employed, while waiting for their flight.

Refer to the Chinese Embassy website for the latest updates.

You may contact us or visit the MOM Services Centre to provide supporting documents (e.g. doctor's memo, death certificate) for our review.