Written Answer to PQ on Proportion of Work Permits cancelled before expiry
NOTICE PAPER NO. 550 OF 2026 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 26 FEBRUARY 2026
QUESTION NO. 1096 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
MP: Ms He Ting Ru
To ask the Minister for Manpower in each of the last five years (a) what is the percentage of work permits that have been cancelled before their expiry dates, as a proportion of total work permits issued or valid in that year; and (b) of these premature cancellations, what are the percentages of premature cancellations as broken down by six-month bands before expiry.
Answer:
1. Work Permits (WPs) are valid for up to 24 months upon issuance or renewal. Employers may cancel WPs before they expire for various reasons, such as if the worker is found to be unsuitable, or if the worker needs to return home for personal reasons. The breakdown of WPs that are cancelled before they are due for renewal, as a proportion of total WPs issued or renewed between 2021 and 2025, is shown in the table below. About one third of WPs are cancelled before they are due for renewal.
|
Year WP was issued or renewed
|
Proportion of WPs cancelled (by months before WP expiry)
|
Total proportion of WPs cancelled before WP is due for renewal
|
|
19-24 months
|
13-18 months
|
7-12 months
|
0-6 months
|
|
2021
|
10%
|
8%
|
9%
|
6%
|
34%
|
|
2022
|
12%
|
9%
|
10%
|
6%
|
36%
|
|
2023
|
12%
|
8%
|
9%
|
6%
|
36%
|
|
2024
|
12%
|
9%
|
9%
|
4%
|
35%
|
|
2025
|
12%
|
5%
|
2%
|
1%
|
20%
|
Note: Figures for the years 2024 and 2025 are lower as some WPs issued or renewed in those years are still valid.