Construction sector: Work Permit requirements

These requirements are additional and specific to the construction sector. You should also refer to the general Work Permit conditions and requirements.

Migrant worker eligibility

You can only hire migrant workers who meet the conditions for source countries or regions and age requirements when applying.

Source countries or regions

You can employ migrant workers from these countries or regions:

• Malaysia
• People’s Republic of China (PRC)
• Non-traditional sources (NTS):
  • India
  • Sri Lanka
  • Thailand
  • Bangladesh
  • Myanmar
  • Philippines
  • Bhutan
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
• North Asian sources (NAS):
  • Hong Kong (HKSAR passport)
  • Macau
  • South Korea
  • Taiwan

Age requirements

When applying for a Work Permit, the minimum and maximum age of the worker (regardless of nationality/citizenship) are as follows: 

• Minimum: 18 years old
• Maximum: 62 years old 

Work Permit holders can work until they reach the maximum age of 64 years old (pegged to the retirement age in Singapore). 

Quota and levy

The number of Work Permit holders that you can hire is limited by quota (or dependency ratio ceiling) and subject to a levy.

Under the construction sector quota, you can employ 5 Work Permit holders for every local employee who earns the Local Qualifying Salary.

From 1 January 2024, the levy rate is as follows:

Migrant workers whose Work Permits are approved or issued without the required certification will be charged a levy rate of $900, regardless of their source country/region. This levy will be categorised under ‘Unskilled’.

Calculate your quota

You can:

• Refer to the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) to determine the number of local employees who can be counted towards your Work Permit and S Pass quota entitlement.
• Refer to the guidelines on how to calculate your quota and levy bill.
• Learn more about S Pass quota and levy rates.

Minimum percentage of Higher-Skilled (R1) workers

At least 10% of your construction Work Permit holders must be Higher-Skilled (R1) before you can hire any new Basic-Skilled (R2) construction workers or renew the Work Permits of existing R2 construction workers.

Work Permits of any excess R2 construction workers will also be revoked.

You can check the percentage of your R1 workers using WP Online.

Levy bond

You will have to pay a levy bond for each Work Permit holder if:

• Your workers’ Work Permits have been revoked because of unpaid levies and they do not have existing bonds.
• You have been late in levy payments for at least 3 times in a 12-month period.
• Your sole proprietorship has changed owner.
• You are starting a new business entity to employ migrant workers. The business entities include:
  • Sole proprietorship
  • Partnership
  • Incorporated business with a paid-up capital of less than $50,000

How much to pay

The amount of levy bond you need to pay depends on the worker's skill level.

To check your workers' skill level, you may:

1. Log in to Check and pay foreign worker levy.
2. Click on ‘Levy breakdown’ tab.
3. Click ‘Download table’ and select ‘CSV’.
4. In the downloaded file, refer to the ‘Skill level’ column.

How to pay the levy bond

You can:

• Pay electronically using PayNow Corporate
• Pay with a banker's or insurance guarantee

If your workers’ Work Permits have been revoked, please submit a reinstatement request and wait for our email approval. To avoid additional non-refundable transaction fees, do not proceed with reinstatement using WP Online until you receive our approval. If you are unsure whether you have sufficient levy bonds, you can still submit the reinstatement request and we will advise you if additional payment is required.

Settling-in Programme

Before their Work Permits can be issued, non-Malaysian Work Permit holders in the construction sector must attend the Settling-in Programme (SIP) if they are either:

• First time working in Singapore
• Returning workers on in-principle approval (IPA)

Required safety courses

Migrant workers in the construction industry must complete one of these safety courses before you can get their Work Permits issued:

• Construction Safety Orientation Course (CSOC)
• Apply Workplace Safety and Health in Construction Sites

Once your workers have obtained an in-principle approval letter, register them for the course. They must:

• Complete the course within 2 weeks from arrival in Singapore.
• Pass the course within 3 months of arrival, or their Work Permits may be revoked.

Course requirements during employment

Migrant workers in the construction sector need to retake and pass the safety course based on these timelines:

When renewing a Work Permit, the worker’s safety course certificate must be valid for more than 1 month on the day of renewal. Otherwise, the Work Permit will not be renewed.

Interview for selected companies

Some companies may be asked to go for an interview and submit documents about their business operations. This is to help us better understand their business activities. 

If your company is selected, you will receive an email on the interview details. It is compulsory for your ACRA-registered director to attend the interview.  

Steps for a Work Permit application

When applying for a Work Permit, please complete the steps in this order:  

1. Apply for a Work Permit and get an in-principle approval.
2. (Only required for non-Malaysian workers) Buy security bond.
3. Buy medical insurance and Primary Care Plan. 

To apply for or renew S Passes and Work Permits for construction workers of any nationality, ensure that your company is registered in the Contractors Registration System (CRS) with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).  

Please refer to the BCA website  for more information.