MOM to relax New Dormitory Standards from 1 January 2027, allowing 14 residents per room and 3.6 sqm living space
In a 6 November announcement, the Ministry of Manpower said it will introduce two interim relaxations to the New Dormitory Standards from 1 January 2027, as part of efforts to build up the supply of dormitory beds for migrant workers. Operators of NDS-built dormitories approved on or after 18 September 2021 may, until 31 January 2030, reduce living space to at least 3.6 sqm per resident and raise occupancy to 14 residents per room while keeping 1-metre bed spacing; new short-term dormitories that will cease operations before 2040 may instead be built to the earlier DTS standards.
Source: MOM — Interim relaxation of New Dormitory Standards (NDS) for migrant worker dormitories (6 Nov 2026)
