Cleaning companies and employers of in-house cleaners must meet the Progressive Wage Model wage and training requirements for cleaners who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents.
What is it
The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the cleaning sector was developed by the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners (TCC).
The PWM comes under the Cleaning Business Licence scheme administered by National Environmental Agency (NEA). Cleaning companies must meet the PWM requirements to obtain or renew their licences.
From 1 September 2022, employers hiring foreign workers are required to meet the PWM requirements for their in-house cleaners.
Who it covers
The PWM requirements:
- Are mandatory.
- Cover all Singapore citizens and permanent residents employed in outsourced cleaning jobs, or in-house cleaning jobs in firms that hire foreign workers.
Employers are encouraged to adopt the PWM’s principles for their foreign cleaners by upgrading their skills and implementing productivity-based wage progression pathways.
The progressive wage structure comprises 3 wage ladders for 3 broad categories of cleaning jobs:
| Group |
Description |
| Group 1 |
Office and commercial sites – e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums. |
| Group 2 |
Food and beverage (F&B) establishments – e.g. hawker centres, food courts, restaurants. |
| Group 3 |
Conservancy – e.g. town councils, public cleansing. |
These categories account for the most common types of cleaning jobs. They are based on NEA’s classification of cleaning sub-sectors under the Enhanced Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme.
From 1 September 2022, in-house cleaners must be paid at least the stipulated PWM wages.
Wage requirements
The monthly wage requirements, as recommended by the TCC and accepted by the Government, are detailed below.
A PWM Bonus of at least 2 weeks of basic monthly wages is payable to eligible outsourced and in-house cleaners in a given year.
For in-house cleaners, the requirement will be effective from 1 September 2022.
Wages and PWM Bonus for part-time workers will be pro-rated.
Outsourced resident cleaners
From 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, outsourced resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
Group 1: Office and commercial sites
e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums |
|
Supervisors
≥ $1,967
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $1,749
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $1,530
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,312
|
Group 2: F&B establishments
e.g. hawker centres, foodcourts, restaurants |
|
Supervisors
≥ $1,967
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $1,749
Dishwashers / Refuse collectors / Restroom cleaners
≥ $1,530
Table-top cleaners
≥ $1,421
General cleaners
≥ $1,312
|
Group 3: Conservancy
e.g. town councils, public cleansing |
|
Truck drivers (Class 4/5)
≥ $2,077
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $1,967
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators / Refuse collectors
≥ $1,749
General cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $1,530
|
In-house resident cleaners
From 1 September 2022 to 30 June 2023, in-house resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
| PW requirements for in-house cleaners |
|
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $1,967
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $1,749
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners / Dishwashers (F&B) / Refuse collectors (F&B)
≥ $1,530
Table-top cleaners (F&B)
≥ $1,421
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,312
|
From 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, outsourced and in-house resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
Group 1: Office and commercial sites
e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,010
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $1,795
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,570
|
Group 2: F&B establishments
e.g. hawker centres, foodcourts, restaurants |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,010
Dishwashers / Refuse collectors / Restroom cleaners
≥ $1,795
Table-top cleaners
≥ $1,670
General cleaners
≥ $1,570
|
Group 3: Conservancy
e.g. town councils, public cleansing |
|
Truck drivers (Class 4/5)
≥ $2,410
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators / Refuse collectors
≥ $2,010
General cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $1,795
|
| PW requirements for in-house cleaners |
|
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,010
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners / Dishwashers (F&B) / Refuse collectors (F&B)
≥ $1,795
Table-top cleaners (F&B)
≥ $1,670
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,570
|
From 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, outsourced and in-house resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
Group 1: Office and commercial sites
e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,455
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,270
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,060
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,740
|
Group 2: F&B establishments
e.g. hawker centres, foodcourts, restaurants |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,455
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,270
Dishwashers / Refuse collectors / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,060
Table-top cleaners
≥ $1,840
General cleaners
≥ $1,740
|
Group 3: Conservancy
e.g. town councils, public cleansing |
|
Truck drivers (Class 4/5)
≥ $2,620
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,455
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators / Refuse collectors
≥ $2,270
General cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,060
|
| PW requirements for in-house cleaners |
|
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,455
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,270
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners / Dishwashers (F&B) / Refuse collectors (F&B)
≥ $2,060
Table-top cleaners (F&B)
≥ $1,840
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,740
|
From 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, outsourced and in-house resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
Group 1: Office and commercial sites
e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,700
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,530
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,325
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,910
|
Group 2: F&B establishments
e.g. hawker centres, foodcourts, restaurants |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,700
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,530
Dishwashers / Refuse collectors / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,325
Table-top cleaners
≥ $2,010
General cleaners
≥ $1,910
|
Group 3: Conservancy
e.g. town councils, public cleansing |
|
Truck drivers (Class 4/5)
≥ $2,830
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,700
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators / Refuse collectors
≥ $2,530
General cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,325
|
| PW requirements for in-house cleaners |
|
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,700
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,530
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners / Dishwashers (F&B) / Refuse collectors (F&B)
≥ $2,325
Table-top cleaners (F&B)
≥ $2,010
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $1,910
|
From 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, outsourced and in-house resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
Group 1: Office and commercial sites
e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,870
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,700
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,495
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $2,080
|
Group 2: F&B establishments
e.g. hawker centres, foodcourts, restaurants |
|
Supervisors
≥ $2,870
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,700
Dishwashers / Refuse collectors / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,495
Table-top cleaners
≥ $2,180
General cleaners
≥ $2,080
|
Group 3: Conservancy
e.g. town councils, public cleansing |
|
Truck drivers (Class 4/5)
≥ $3,040
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,870
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators / Refuse collectors
≥ $2,700
General cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,495
|
| PW requirements for in-house cleaners |
|
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $2,870
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,700
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners / Dishwashers (F&B) / Refuse collectors (F&B)
≥ $2,495
Table-top cleaners (F&B)
≥ $2,180
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $2,080
|
From 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2028, outsourced and in-house resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
Group 1: Office and commercial sites
e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums |
|
Supervisors
≥ $3,040
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,870
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,665
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $2,250
|
Group 2: F&B establishments
e.g. hawker centres, foodcourts, restaurants |
|
Supervisors
≥ $3,040
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,870
Dishwashers / Refuse collectors / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,665
Table-top cleaners
≥ $2,350
General cleaners
≥ $2,250
|
Group 3: Conservancy
e.g. town councils, public cleansing |
|
Truck drivers (Class 4/5)
≥ $3,250
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $3,040
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators / Refuse collectors
≥ $2,870
General cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,665
|
| PW requirements for in-house cleaners |
|
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $3,040
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $2,870
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners / Dishwashers (F&B) / Refuse collectors (F&B)
≥ $2,665
Table-top cleaners (F&B)
≥ $2,350
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $2,250
|
From 1 July 2028 to 30 June 2029, outsourced and in-house resident cleaners must be paid the following wages. Wages refer to basic monthly salary.
Group 1: Office and commercial sites
e.g. offices, schools, hospitals, medical clinics, condominiums |
|
Supervisors
≥ $3,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $3,040
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,835
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $2,420
|
Group 2: F&B establishments
e.g. hawker centres, foodcourts, restaurants |
|
Supervisors
≥ $3,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $3,040
Dishwashers / Refuse collectors / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,835
Table-top cleaners
≥ $2,520
General cleaners
≥ $2,420
|
Group 3: Conservancy
e.g. town councils, public cleansing |
|
Truck drivers (Class 4/5)
≥ $3,460
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $3,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators / Refuse collectors
≥ $3,040
General cleaners / Restroom cleaners
≥ $2,835
|
| PW requirements for in-house cleaners |
|
Supervisors / Mechanical drivers
≥ $3,210
Multi-skilled cleaners / Machine operators
≥ $3,040
Outdoor cleaners / Healthcare cleaners / Restroom cleaners / Dishwashers (F&B) / Refuse collectors (F&B)
≥ $2,835
Table-top cleaners (F&B)
≥ $2,520
General / Indoor cleaners
≥ $2,420
|
Training requirements
For outsourced cleaners, cleaning companies must ensure that their cleaners meet the PWM’s training requirements by taking Workforce Skills Qualification modules from the approved list of modules.
Refer to SSG’s training framework for the cleaning sector.
For in-house cleaners, employers must ensure that their cleaners meet the in-house PWM training requirement of any 1 Workforce Skills Qualification course or 1 in-house training programme.
As an employer, you will benefit from your workers’ increased productivity and ability to provide better quality cleaning services.
For more detail on the training requirements and the list of approved WSQ training modules, please see Annex A of the Addendum to the TCC Report.
Find out more
For more information: