- 8 service jobs opened to more countries
- S Pass, EP salary thresholds to rise
- New AI-focused One Pass from 2027
Singapore has announced changes to its foreign manpower policy, widening access to selected service-sector jobs for workers from additional countries, including India, and outlining a new work pass to draw top technology professionals from 2027.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said eight occupations in social services, food services and air transport will be added to the Non-Traditional Source (NTS) Occupation List from September. This will allow work permit holders from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand to be hired for these roles.
The newly added occupations include babysitters or infant caregivers, educarers and teacher aides; food preparers such as butchers and fishmongers, stall assistants, kitchen assistants and waiters; as well as cabin crew. These roles will be incorporated into the existing list of manufacturing & services jobs that can be filled by workers from NTS countries, broadening hiring options beyond traditional labour sources such as Malaysia and China.
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Tan said the move will enable businesses to recruit higher-quality workers from non-traditional sources in specific non-professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) roles where local supply is limited.
A Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesperson said the expansion will also help firms retain foreign workers who may be displaced by upcoming increases in the S Pass qualifying salary but are currently restricted by source-country rules from holding work permits.
The S Pass qualifying salary will rise from SGD 3,300 to SGD 3,600 from 2027 for new applicants and from 2028 for renewals. By around 2030, it is expected to increase to between SGD 4,000 and SGD 4,500. The Employment Pass qualifying salary will also increase from SGD 5,600 to SGD 6,000 over the same period.
The MOM spokesperson said raising the S Pass threshold will refocus it on associate professionals & technicians, while allowing employers to retain certain skilled workers through expanded NTS roles.
The Restaurant Association of Singapore described the move as “a meaningful win for the sector, one that provides much-needed manpower flexibility while upholding our commitment to fair wages,” though it noted continued constraints under the NTS sub-quota.
Separately, Tan announced that a new One Pass (AI and Tech) track will be launched in January 2027 under the Overseas Networks and Expertise scheme, replacing the existing Tech Pass. The pass will target top technology professionals, including those in AI and quantum computing, and will be valid for five years, renewable.
Applicants must meet salary thresholds and experience requirements, including at least five years in senior technical or leadership roles, while qualifying companies must meet valuation, revenue or funding benchmarks.