Updates and announcements from Singapore government ministries and statutory bodies.
Employment kept climbing in the second quarter, up 11,400 — the ministry’s nineteenth straight quarter of growth. But retrenchments rose too, to 4,620 from 3,830 in Q1, and job vacancies slipped to 68,600. Only 54.9% of retrenched residents found new work within six months, MOM’s latest labour market report shows.
The Skills and Workforce Development Agency has launched three new initiatives for Singapore’s workforce: Connect by SWDA, a one-stop careers and skills touchpoint at the Lifelong Learning Institute; a SkillsFuture AI Subscription giving access to over 200 AI courses; and OurWorkforce, a new one-stop portal for employers to access training and workforce transformation resources. PM Lawrence Wong launched the initiatives at the opening of SkillsFuture Festival 2026, which runs from 16 September to 28 October.
Singapore’s major workplace injury rate fell to an all-time low of 14.6 per 100,000 workers in the first half of 2026, down from 15.8 a year earlier, according to MOM’s 1H2026 Workplace Safety and Health report. Fatal injuries moved the other way. The fatal injury rate rose to 1.1 per 100,000 workers (21 deaths), up…
On 2 September 2026, MOM arrested four people — two company directors and two staff — from the construction sector over a suspected “phantom worker” scheme. A further 21 people are assisting with investigations. What allegedly happened: the directors are accused of making fraudulent CPF contributions for locals who were never actually employed by their…
From 1 December 2026, four heat stress measures that used to be recommended practice become mandatory for employers with outdoor workers. MOM is also now recommending — though not yet mandating — shaded rest areas that are well ventilated or cooled. Employers have three months from the announcement to get these in place. Minister of…
From 1 January 2027, employer and employee CPF contribution rates will rise for workers aged 55 to 65 — one of the concrete payroll changes to come out of Budget 2026. What’s changing What employers get in return To soften the cost impact, the CPF Board will automatically provide employers with a CPF Transition Offset…
Peter Seah is stepping down as Chairman of the National Wages Council after more than a decade in the role. Hsieh Fu Hua, currently NWC Deputy Chairman, will succeed him with effect from 19 August 2026. Seah requested to relinquish the position for personal reasons, and the Ministry of Manpower approved the request. He chaired…
Employment Pass and S Pass qualifying salaries are going up again. MOM has confirmed new minimums that take effect for new applications from January 2027, and for renewals from January 2028. Employment Pass (EP) S Pass MOM has also signalled S Pass minimums are projected to reach S$4,000–S$4,500 by 2030, so this isn’t a one-off…
From September 2026, MOM has added eight new roles to the Non-Traditional Source (NTS) Occupation List — the list of jobs employers can fill with Work Permit holders from a wider range of source countries. What’s changing The eight added occupations span food services, social services, and air transportation — sectors that have flagged persistent…
