Introduction
The Minister of Manpower has recently announced significant changes to the terms for employing Work Permit ("WP") and S Pass holders:
- From 1 July 2025, the minimum qualifying salary for both S Pass holders and the age limit of WP will be raised.
- The period of employment (POE) will be lifted, and what does it mean for the employer?
- The employer can engage more foreign workers through the Manpower for Strategic Economic Manpower Priorities Scheme (M-SEP scheme), which was implemented on 1 May 2025.
- Expanding non-traditional sources to include Bhutan, Cambodia, and Laos is about Singapore's effort to diversify its sources for the foreign workforce.
- Include more occupations on NTS Occupations list.
- As of September 2023, new EP applicants must meet higher salary thresholds and score sufficient points under the new Complementarity Assessment Framework (“COMPASS”). What is COMPASS, and how do we meet this requirement?
- Employers of migrant workers holding work permits and S Passes will be required to purchase higher medical insurance coverage for their employees. They must buy plans with a minimum annual claim limit of $60,000 for hospitalisation and surgical procedures, up from $15,000 now.
Given the above changes, HR practitioners must be thoroughlyfamiliar with the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and its regulations to strategically plan for their organisation’s manpower needs. Some key questions raised by these upcoming changes include:
- Can companies engage non-operational foreign employees to work remotely in their home country instead of Singapore?
- Given that many employees have been able to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic effectively, should employers continue with remote work in the future?
- In what situations would foreign employees now require a work pass?
- Would a foreign employee working remotely from overseas still need a work pass?
- Given the announced changes, should employers hire foreigners on a contract of service or a contract for service? What are the tax implications? Many employers are concerned about how these upcoming changes may impact their manpower needs, especially since the supply of foreign labour remains tight due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Companies will need to recalibrate their manpower structures and processes in response to these changes.
We will be addressing these questions during our upcoming workshop. We will also clarify the specific requirements for obtaining work passes, including the need for security bonds, the computation of local-to-foreign manpower quotas (skilled vs. unskilled) for various industries, and work pass rules and regulations.
At the end of this workshop, delegates will attain a competent and in-depth understanding of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and its application.
Learning Objectives
- The rationale of the foreign manpower policy and how it supports the needs of the industry.
- The various types of work pass available and the requirements of the foreign employees that need to be met before an employer can obtain work passes.
- The definition of ‘employed’ and ‘occupier’ in the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
- The various conditions imposed on employers who hire foreign employees, i.e. medical insurance, workmen’s insurance, housing, restriction from working for other employers etc.
- Tax obligations of the employer.
- Role & responsibilities of employers and agencies in the inflow and management of foreign manpower.
- Other statutory laws such as the Immigration Act, Employment Act, the Industrial Relations Act, which are also applicable to foreign workers.
- Obligations of the employer and the work permit holders, i.e. presumption of the occupier, until the contrary is proved.
Course Outline
A competent HR practitioner must have the skills and knowledge in the following:
1. Types of Work Passes under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Regulations
- Work Permit and Training permit.
- Employment pass and Personalised employment pass.
- Entre passes and Work holiday pass.
- Miscellaneous work pass.
- Letter of consent.
2. Duty of employer and occupier in engaging foreign employees
- Compliance with Immigration Act.
- Definition of employed.
- Definition of the occupier.
- Presumption of employment.
- Cost associating with hiring.
3. Conditions and Regulatory conditions governing work passes
- Conditions and regulatory conditions of in-principle approval for a work permit for the various work passes as outlined in para 1.
- Schedule of fees for various work passes.
4. Furnishing and forfeiture of security
- Form and manner for security, i.e. bond, guarantee, cash deposit.
- Forfeiture for failing to comply with any condition.
- Refund
5. Offences
- Offences by corporate bodies.
- General offences under section 22 EFMA.
- Abetment of offences.
- Penalties
6. Prescribed infringements
- Mislead or defraud, false information to Controller.
- Deduction of salary.
- Abetment of prescribed infringement.
7. Terms and conditions of employment of foreign workers under a work permit
- Compensation and benefits ( housing, insurances etc.)
- Work permit levy and personal taxation.
- Statutory laws, especially the Employment Act.
- Unionised versus non-unionised.
- Roles of licensed recruitment agencies.
- Implications for non compliance with EFMA, Immigration Act and Employment Agencies Act.
8. Disciplinary, grievance and dismissal
- Grievances and Discipline.
- Misconduct / Dismissal.
- Committing criminal offences.
- Compliance with Employment Act.
Methodologies
Lecture and case study.
Who Should Attend
Human Resource Practitioners.
Workshop Registration
Please visit this page to register.
