Companies must meet the Occupational Progressive Wages and training requirements for administrators and drivers who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents.
What is it
Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) for administrators and drivers were developed by the National Wages Council (NWC). They feature:
- Training requirements to ensure that workers have the skills they need to carry out their jobs.
- Progressive wages set at each level. This ensures that workers are paid wages that correspond to their skills and productivity.
Employers must meet the OPW requirements to renew existing work passes or apply for new work passes.
Click here for an overview of the OPW for administrators and drivers.
Who it covers
The OPW requirements cover all Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are full-time or part-time employees in administrative or driving roles on a contract of service and employed by firms which hire foreign workers.
OPW will cover the following administrative and driving roles:
Administrators
Responsibilities:
- Supervise staff performing administrative or clerical roles such as general administration, customer service, records management, and data analysis
- Managing personnel, resolving work problems, and coordinating work between units within an organisation
Examples of jobs covered:
Responsibilities include performing administrative tasks such as:
- Accounting, bookkeeping and money handling
- Customer facing tasks such as answering and directing phone calls, providing client information and services
- Management of records such as maintaining and updating filing and inventory
- Secretarial tasks such as arranging appointments, organising meetings
- Preparing production schedules
Examples of jobs covered:
- General office clerk, customer service clerk, stock clerk, transport clerk, statistical clerk, legal clerk, accounting and bookkeeping clerk, production clerk, computer operations clerk, postal service counter clerk, finance and insurance clerk, travel agency clerk, proofreading clerk
- Office cashier, bank cashier
- Receptionist
- Telephone operator
- Secretary
- Verbatim reporter
- Typist and word processing operator
- Concierge
Responsibilities include performing basic administrative tasks such as:
- Running of errands
- Data entry
- Receiving and registering documents
- Sorting and storing of files
Examples of jobs covered:
- Office attendant
- Data entry clerk, library clerk
Drivers
Responsibilities:
- Operating vehicles requiring Class 4 driving licence and above such as lorries, trailer trucks, and buses, and other specialised driver roles like chauffeurs
Examples of jobs covered:
- Trailer truck drivers
- Bus drivers
- Lorry drivers
- Chauffeurs
- Concrete mix truck drivers
Responsibilities:
- Operating vehicles requiring Class 3 driving licence or below such as motorcycles, cars, vans, and trams
Examples of jobs covered:
- Motorcycle delivery drivers
- Van drivers
- Tram drivers
Managerial staff whose job duties do not match the respective job rungs are not covered under OPW for administrators.
Wage requirements
In 2025, the NWC will discuss and recommend the OPW wage requirements for 30 June 2026 onwards.
| Job level |
Monthly gross wage requirements (excluding overtime payments) for full-time administrators (35-44 hours per week, assuming no overtime worked) |
1 Mar 2023 -
30 Jun 2024 |
1 Jul 2024 -
30 Jun 2025 |
1 Jul 2025 -
30 Jun 2026 |
|
Administrative supervisor
|
≥ $2,800 |
≥ $2,980 |
≥ $3,160 |
|
Administrative executive
|
≥ $2,000 |
≥ $2,390 |
≥ $2,580 |
|
Administrative assistant
|
≥ $1,500 |
≥ $1,800 |
≥ $1,980 |
| Job level |
Hourly gross wage requirements for part-time administrators |
1 Mar 2023 -
30 Jun 2024 |
1 Jul 2024 -
30 Jun 2025 |
1 Jul 2025 -
30 Jun 2026 |
|
Administrative supervisor
|
≥ $14.69 |
≥ $15.63 |
≥ $16.57 |
|
Administrative executive
|
≥ $10.49 |
≥ $12.53 |
≥ $13.53 |
|
Administrative assistant
|
≥ $9.00 |
≥ $9.44 |
≥ $10.38 |
| Job level |
Monthly gross wage requirements (excluding overtime payments) for full-time drivers (35-44 hours per week, assuming no overtime worked) |
1 Mar 2023 -
30 Jun 2024 |
1 Jul 2024 -
30 Jun 2025 |
1 Jul 2025 -
30 Jun 2026 |
|
Specialised driver
|
≥ $1,850 |
≥ $2,085 |
≥ $2,320 |
|
General driver
|
≥ $1,750 |
≥ $1,970 |
≥ $2,190 |
| Job level |
Hourly gross wage requirements for part-time drivers |
1 Mar 2023 -
30 Jun 2024 |
1 Jul 2024 -
30 Jun 2025 |
1 Jul 2025 -
30 Jun 2026 |
|
Specialised driver
|
≥ $9.70 |
≥ $10.94 |
≥ $12.17 |
|
General driver
|
≥ $9.18 |
≥ $10.33 |
≥ $11.49 |
Total monthly gross wage for full-time work of 35-44 hours per week includes:
- Basic wage
- Allowances e.g. travel, food, housing
- Productivity incentive payments
It excludes:
- Bonuses including Annual Wage Supplements
- Stock options
- Reimbursement of special expenses incurred in the course of employment
- Payments-in-kind
- Employer CPF contributions
Additional PWM gross wage requirements for overtime
Employers must meet additional requirements for full-time employees who fulfil both of the following conditions:
Employers must pay these employees according to both of the following conditions:
Training requirements
Employers must ensure that their Singapore citizen and permanent resident administrators and drivers meet the following training requirements:
- At least 1 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Statement of Attainment, with no restriction on which WSQ course can be taken; or
- An in-house training programme.
The in-house training programme must be guided by training objectives, training modality, key training tasks and training duration to meet the training requirements. When required, employers are expected to show supporting documentation on their in-house training programme and records of workers who attended the trainings.
On-the-job training can be counted towards the in-house training programme if it fulfils these requirements.
Employers will be given a grace period to comply with the OPW training requirements:
- For new hires: six months from the new hire's date of employment.
Through proper training, administrators and drivers will be able to increase their productivity and skillsets.
Find out more
For more information: