Such workers may contact the MOM Contact Centre or approach the ACE officers assigned to their respective dormitories for assistance.
From 1 July 2022, this scheme will be made permanent for all business sectors. MOM will continue to review the 'Change of employer' schemes as and when needed.
The duration of a Work Permit is generally two years, subject to the validity of the worker’s passport, the security bond and the worker’s employment period, whichever is shorter. For sectors that require prior approval, it will also be subjected to the prior approval duration.
For transfers within the respective sectors
More than 40 days to Work Permit expiry
Firms can submit their request via WP Online
Between 21 and 40 days (inclusive) to Work Permit expiry
Firms can submit their request online. Agreement from the current employer is not needed.
Note: Firms in the construction and process sectors can continue to use WP Online to hire existing Work Permit holders within their respective sectors, and whose Work Permits are expiring in 21 to 40 days’ time. There is no need to submit a request online.
Within 20 days to Work Permit expiry
Firms can submit their request directly to MOM using online forms if they are in the:
Agreement from the current employer is required.
Note: All prevailing Work Permit criteria apply for all new applications.
Firms are already allowed to hire Malaysian Work Permit holders who are in Singapore, from any sector. Agreement from the current employer is not required. Hiring companies can continue to use WP Online to hire existing Malaysian Work Permit holders who are in Singapore.
Please see the table below to find out the current and new employers’ responsibilities and actions needed during the transfer of a migrant worker in the
manufacturing, services and marine shipyard industries:
| Work Permit (WP) status |
Who is responsible for worker's upkeep, maintenance and repatriation |
What you need to do next |
| Current employer |
New Employer |
Current employer |
New employer |
Current employer |
New employer |
| Live |
Approved |
✓ |
|
No action needed. |
You can get the WP issued one day after the current WP expires.
|
| Expired |
Approved |
|
✓ |
No action needed. |
Get the WP issued now to avoid any overstaying fine. Submit a request if you need more time to get the pass issued. |
| Expired |
IPA withdrawn or cancelled on or before the worker’s WP expires
|
✓ |
|
You may renew this WP if you have received the renewal notice. Otherwise, please send the worker home.
|
No action needed. |
| Expired |
IPA withdrawn or cancelled after the worker’s WP expires
|
|
✓ |
No action needed. |
You need to arrange to send the worker home. |
Companies who are not members can also approach the associations in the respective sectors.
The hiring company will need to submit a new Work Permit application. The current application fee of $35 per application applies.
The sector associations are providing the facilitation service free of charge for the whole period of the temporary scheme until 30 June 2022.
All parties (i.e. existing employer, worker and new employer), must agree to the transfer arrangement, unless the worker’s Work Permit is expiring between 40 and 21 days (inclusive).
For all transfers, all other prevailing criteria under the respective sectors (e.g. dependency ratio ceiling, source country controls, maximum employment age, man-year-entitlement prior approval) will still apply.
You can only hire existing non-Malaysian Work Permit holders from your own business sector.