Entry approvals for new work pass holders from overseas have been limited to a very small number to reduce the risk of importation of COVID-19 to Singapore. Following consultation with the industry, trade unions, and partner agencies, MOM has introduced a temporary scheme to give companies in all sectors more flexibility to manage their manpower needs in light of disruptions due to COVID-19.
Under this scheme, firms in all sectors can now hire existing Work Permit holders (who are in Singapore). This allows firms in need of additional manpower to tap on the pool of experienced Work Permit holders in Singapore, while reducing their search and recruitment expenses. Companies with excess manpower can also transfer their Work Permit holders to other firms, giving their workers the opportunity to continue working in Singapore, while saving on repatriation costs.
The conditions for the transfers of Work Permit holders are as follows:
- For transfers during Work Permit duration:
Agreement from the current employer must be obtained.
- For transfers between 40 and 21 days (inclusive) to Work Permit expiry:
Agreement from the current employer is not needed. However, if the current employer has already renewed the worker’s Work Permit by this time, another employer will not be able to apply for the transfer of the worker.
- For transfers from 20 days to Work Permit expiry:
Agreement from the current employer must be obtained from 1 September 2020. This is to give the current employer sufficient time to make repatriation arrangements for their workers before the Work Permit expires, should the worker be unable to find another employer.
All prevailing sectoral Work Permit requirements for the worker’s source country or region, quota and levy will continue to apply.
This temporary scheme will be in place until 28 February 2022, subject to further review.
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.
Firms in the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors should submit online to register their workers’ details and grant consent for the sector associations to facilitate their transfer to another company locally.
Firms in the manufacturing or services sectors should provide the workers’ details and agreement for the transfer to the Singapore Business Federation or email manpowerconnect@sbf.org.sg.
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.
Firms in the manufacturing and services sectors can approach SBF or email manpowerconnect@sbf.org.sg. Agreement from the current employer is required.
Note: All prevailing Work Permit criteria apply for all new applications.
Firms that are looking to hire transfer workers can submit their request to the respective sector associations:
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.
What are the responsibilities of the current and new employer during the transfer of a foreign worker?Show
Please see the table below to find out the current and new employers’ responsibilities and actions needed during the transfer of a foreign 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 may register their interests to transfer their workers or receive new workers by registering with MOM and the relevant sector associations.
To facilitate the process, the sector associations will request companies to mutually agree on a suitable transfer arrangement for the worker. Releasing companies may also need to provide the respective sector associations a written agreement from the workers if required (e.g. if the worker to be transferred has a cancelled Work Permit), to allow transfer of the worker to the hiring company.
The sector association will verify the consent and inform both MOM and the hiring company of the verification. The hiring company can then proceed to submit a Work Permit application to MOM via WP Online within a month.
The releasing company does not need to cancel the worker’s Work Permit. The Work Permit will be cancelled automatically once the new Work Permit applied for by the hiring company is issued to the worker.
For more information, please visit the respective sector associations’ websites:
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 28 February 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.
When cancelling his/her work permit, please select reason “Employer no longer needs worker”.
Do not make repatriation arrangements unless you are otherwise informed by MOM and SCAL Manpower Exchange (SCMX). You will be able to cancel the work permit without indicating the repatriation flight information. SCMX will contact the worker within 3 working days and enroll him/her in the Retention Scheme if he/she wishes to continue employment in Singapore.
When cancelling his/her work permit, please select reason “Worker wants to go home”. You will be required to indicate the scheduled flight date to cancel the work permit. Upon the cancellation of the Work Permit, your worker will receive an SMS from MOM to inform him/her of the cancellation and confirm his/her intention to return home.
No. If SCMX is not able to successfully match the worker with a new employer, SCMX will arrange the repatriation for the worker. There will be no reimbursement of the unused flight ticket.
SCMX will mediate an agreement for your worker to continue working with you on mutually agreed terms. If no mutual agreement is reached, SCMX may match the worker with other prospective employers.
Workers who frequently attempt to change employers and initiate employment termination early, without due consideration given to their existing employers, will not be supported under this scheme. As a general guide, workers who have changed employers more than once the last 12 months will not be supported under the scheme.
You can provide feedback about your workers for other prospective employer’s consideration, if you agree for MOM to share your contact details with them.
No. If your worker is enrolled in the Retention Scheme, your responsibilities and obligations as the employer of the worker will be discharged, including your security bond liabilities for that worker.
SCAL will administer the upkeep and maintenance of the worker, including the eventual repatriation of the worker if he is not matched with another employer.
MOM will investigate and take appropriate action against employers who repatriate their workers forcefully.
You will receive an email from MOM within 3 working days from the date of work permit cancellation, explaining the follow-up actions required. Your security bond liability for the worker will then be discharged.
You can register your interest with SCMX at scmx@scal.com.sg. You will be matched with workers via the SCAL Manpower Exchange.
Please note that you can only submit a request to hire one worker with a cancelled work permit via the Retention Scheme at any one time. Only when that application has been fulfilled by SCAL, you may then submit another application to hire. This is to ensure all employers who are interested to hire the workers through this scheme will have a chance to interview and hire the workers fairly.
An administrative cost will be charged by SCAL for the execution of the Retention Scheme. This will include facilitating the employment matching, costs incurred from housing, and supporting the migrant worker’s stay during the transition period. Administrative cost is charged on a per worker basis.
You can find out more information on this.