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 satisfy the conditions for source countries or regions, age when applying and maximum period of employment.

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
• North Asian sources (NAS):
  • Hong Kong (HKSAR passport)
  • Macau
  • South Korea
  • Taiwan

Age when applying

The minimum age for all non-domestic migrant workers is 18 years old.

When applying for a Work Permit:

• Malaysian workers must be below 58 years old.
• Non-Malaysian workers must be below 50 years old.

Maximum period of employment

For the construction sector, the maximum number of years a worker can work in Singapore on a Work Permit is as follows:

Note: All workers can only work up to 60 years of age.

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:

Companies with project contracts that were awarded or had the tender called on or before 18 February 2022, may use the awarded MYE quotas to hire NTS workers at a lower levy rate. The levy rates for these NTS workers are as follows:

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.
• 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.

How to pay the levy bond

You can:

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

If you received a levy bond payment letter from us because your workers’ Work Permits have been revoked, we will need more time to process your levy bond. Follow the instructions on the letter, and we will contact you to advise on the next steps to reinstate your workers.

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.

If your project contracts were awarded or had the tender called on or before 18 February 2022, you may use the awarded MYE quotas to hire NTS workers till 31 December 2024 or the project completion date (whichever is earlier) by following these steps: 

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

Before applying, ensure that your company has the following:

• Building and Construction Authority (BCA) (excluding the Suppliers Registry) or Singapore List of Trade Subcontractors (SLOTS) registration certification.
• Valid MYE certificate (if you are the main contractor) or MYE directly allocated from the main contractor (if you are the sub-contractor).