The Singaporean Ministry of Manpower has announced initiatives to boost the employment rate among Singaporean nationals, including the proposed the expansion of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) to benefit lower-paid workers in certain sectors. The measures featured in an addendum to the President’s Address 2020. 

Highlights

• Measures to boost the hiring of Singaporean nationals into “good jobs” include the provision of subsidized training, enhanced job search arrangements, closer examination of employer retrenchments to ensure fairness, and revised visa eligibility criteria to reduce employers’ reliance on Employment Pass and S Pass foreign workers.
• Measures to increase aimed wages in lower-paid sectors, including expansion of the PWM to new economic sectors. Currently, the PWM only covers the cleaning, security and landscaping sectors.
• Renewed focus on safeguarding the wellbeing of migrant workers accommodated in dormitory housing, particularly in the light of COVID-19. The government will consider the cost-sharing model for implementing higher standards, including the introduction of an insurance program to help employers manage their migrant workers’ health expenses.
• Initiatives to support employers’ provision of flexible working arrangements and work-life harmony. 

Related resources

Non-Mercer resources

• Information on the Progressive Wage Model (Ministry of Manpower)
• Tightening of work pass requirements (Ministry of Manpower, 27 Aug 2020)
• Ministry of Manpower's Addendum to the President's Address 2020 (Ministry of Manpower, 26 Aug 2020)
• President’s address (Government of Singapore, 24 Aug 2020)

Mercer Law & Policy resources

• Singapore increases penalties for hiring discrimination (15 Jan 2020)
• Singapore budget to boost jobs, reduce reliance on foreign workers (20 Feb 2020)
• Singapore to increase permit cost, boost local employment rate (16 Mar 2020)
• Singapore announces budgetary measures to address COVID-19 (1 Jun 2020)