Tan See Leng
Singapore
“We are aware of the Singapore Workplace Report 2026, produced by the Singapore Institute of Directors and Gallup, and we are studying its findings.”
“The Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation (Taskforce) actively reaches out to all retrenched local employees. In 2025, 77% of Mandatory Retrenchment Notifications (MRNs) were submitted at least seven days ahead of the employee's last working day and 73% of MRNs were submitted at least two weeks ahead.”
“From 2022 to 2025, vacancy rates for technical maintenance roles in the real estate services sector, which includes facilities management, have been lower than the overall job vacancy rate, except in 2025 (see Table 1).”
“The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) works with sector agencies to determine the courses which are required by the respective industries. The SWDA currently funds more than 100 courses, spanning a wide range of mental health-related fields.”
“In the first quarter of 2026, the profile of retrenched residents aged 50 to 59 was broadly similar to the profile of all retrenched residents, predominantly comprising professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) and were mainly from wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, financial and insurance services and profession…”
“In 2025, around 4,200 resident professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) aged 45 to 59 were retrenched, higher than 3,200 in 2024 and 3,500 in 2023. Their six-month re-entry rate remained stable at 48.5% in 2025, compared with 48.9% in 2024 and 50.1% in 2023.”
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“Riding on our strength in cultivating an adaptable, digitally fluent and innovation-ready workforce in the age of AI, Singapore was ranked first amongst 135 economies in the Overall Talent Competitiveness Index, based on 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index, overtaking Switzerland to the top spot. From 2014 to 2024, Singapore's Field-Weighted Citation Impact has risen from 1.44 to 1.76. This means that our research is cited 76% more than the global average. This reflects the high quality of our academic researchers and their work. And fourth, our R&D capabilities also contributed significantly to our strategic priorities in areas such as healthcare, climate change and urban solutions. Not too long ago, during COVID-19, it was our researchers, who were amongst the first in the world to culture the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They rapidly developed the diagnostic kits, and enabled data-driven public health measures. I want to assure our hon Member, Mr Mark Lee, and all Members that we have generated good commercial traction from the scientific base that we have built over the past many decades. Just the last five years alone, A*STAR and our IHLs' technologies have spun off more than 300 new companies, 230 local SMEs and startups have also licensed some 300 A*STAR originated technologies, while over 900 licences were awarded by our IHLs to SMEs and startups. These spin-offs range from MetaOptics, which leveraged on A*STAR's material and wafer fab expertise to make world class lenses and achieved a successful initial public offering (IPO); to Amperesand, which leveraged on NTU's advanced solid state transformer technology to extend its lead as a category leader.”
“Today, 60% of its global staff are based here in Singapore and they are largely Singaporeans or Singapore PRs. This is despite its listing in Hong Kong. The increase in the R&D capacity has also enabled Singapore to establish leadership in technologically intensive sectors, such as semiconductors and biomedical and we could pursue frontier areas, such as space technology. And today, Singapore is the sixth largest exporter of high-tech goods globally, according to the World Bank group. Singapore has established itself as a leading global hub for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, with industry output doubling over the past two decades to exceed $18 billion in 2023. And major pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly, MSD and Pfizer, continue to maintain R&D activities across precincts at One-North and Tuas Medical Park. Secondly, our increased R&D capacity has enabled us to build a vibrant startup ecosystem and a pipeline of commercially viable R&D companies. This strengthens our innovation-driven economy and positions Singapore at the forefront of emerging technologies. As Minister of State Alvin Tan mentioned earlier, our startup ecosystem is ranked fourth in the world in StartupBlink's Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025. Since 2020, Singapore's ranking as a startup ecosystem has climbed from 16th to fourth position and over the past five years, our tech startups have secured US$1 billion or more annually in venture capital investments. Third, we have developed globally leading universities right at our doorstep for our Singaporeans. NUS and NTU, they were ranked eighth and 12th respectively in the QS World University Rankings in 2026. Strong university rankings attract investments, drive innovation and it provide our own people with world-class education.”
“Mr Chairman, I understand the Member's interest in the commercialisation of publicly funded research and also the returns on investments. I share the same sentiment and passion as his interests. I just wanted to emphasise a point. The Government is not investing in R&D like a commercial outfit alone. It has to do significantly more than that. It has to invest in R&D, to build over the longer term our strategic capabilities, the strategic capabilities that is required for our country, to continue to not just thrive, but to be able to run ahead of our competition. And we are actually seeing fruits of our labour. First, the R&D capacity of our firms and our economy, it has increased significantly. This has allowed our Singapore economy to move up the value chain of industries and activities and take global leadership positions in technologically-intensive sectors and, of course, in the process, creating good jobs for Singaporeans. If we look at over an eight- to nine-year horizon, from 2016 to 2023, the total annual business expenditure on R&D grew by a compound annual growth rate of 7.8%, reaching $9 billion. So, in 2023, every $1 spent by the public sector on R&D saw $1.87 correspondingly invested by the private sector, and this is up from the $1.38 in 2016. The number of private sector R&D firms has also grown by 33% to 1,030 firms, from 2016 to 2023. And over the same period, value-added contributed by R&D firms grew by 142%, and value-added per worker for R&D firms grew by 110%. Between 2016 and 2023, R&D jobs in the private sector grew by 36%, reaching more than 30,000, with locals filling more than 70% of these roles. We take Mirxes, for example, which is one of the R&D firms nurtured by our ecosystem.”
“Mr Chairman, the short answer to Mr Saktiandi's clarification on the incremental delta for the MTI budget does take into consideration different aspects of the increased spending. I have alluded to the Decarbonisation Grand Challenge of $800 million. We have also got a biomethane sandbox. And I also alluded to the SPEED office that is going to drive quite a number of these. There are also requirements for us to start to embark on the greening of Jurong Island. Separate to that, if you recall, either at last year's COS or the COS of the year before, Members of this House have also set aside a Future Energy Fund. But that will be more related to infrastructure development, funding infrastructure for interconnectors to prepare them for some of the renewable energy imports. I do not have an exact breakdown as to which are the components. There are sandboxes that we will need the incremental budget to develop, but each one of these pathways, as I have said, as we leave no stone unturned, we want to evaluate which can give us that sustainability, the reliability and also the security that is needed.”
“Under this Grand Challenge, we are launching a new programme, Singapore Pilots for Energy and Enterprise Decarbonisation (SPEED). Speeding is an offence for the Land Transport Authority. But this SPEED is essential. This supports local translational Research, Development and Demonstration activities and it catalyses private investments, to scale up promising yet nascent technologies. Mr Chairman, innovation and technology will continue to push and propel Singapore to greater heights, and it will create good jobs for generations to come. As the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out earlier, we are a climate realist. As we strive towards our net-zero ambition, we have to constantly remain mindful of the challenges, such as the geographical constraints and rising decarbonisation costs to businesses and households. But that said, we will do our utmost best to secure a clean and green future, because this is for our future generations, with a stable and reliable flow of energy, which is existential for our economy and our way of life. [Applause.]”
“We will do so in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency's Milestones Approach, and we will partner international leaders such as the US, France and the Republic of Korea. In fact, just this morning, this is one of the few moments I come in with a tie, this morning, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company, which operates South Korea's entire fleet of 26 nuclear energy reactors, on the sidelines of the President's visit from the Republic of Korea. Public trust will be essential. We will work closely with partners on raising awareness, not just for nuclear, but more fundamentally, the existential nature of energy. As Mr Edward Chia and Mr Ng Shi Xuan have pointed out, we must continue to ensure the continued reliability of the grid, as Singapore moves to a heterogeneous mix of energy. Last year, EMA and SP Group launched the Future Grid Capabilities Roadmap to set clear directions for capability building in areas, such as system inertia and flexibility technologies. EMA is also piloting a Virtual Power Plant regulatory sandbox with industry partners and assessing whether more energy storage systems are required, to address challenges such as intermittency. Underpinning all these efforts is science and technology as the key enabler. We are launching a new $800 million Decarbonisation Grand Challenge under RIE2030, in support of our 2035 abatement targets and 2050 net-zero ambitions. Building on past efforts, we are significantly increasing investments in promising solutions to reduce power sector and industry emissions and, at the same time, to ensure a reliable and resilient power system.”
“Last October, we appointed a consortium led by Keppel to conduct Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) studies for the next phase of the ammonia pilot project for power generation and bunkering. Third, we are also studying the potential of carbon capture, utilisation and storage solutions to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. We will continue working with countries that have suitable geological sites for carbon storage, such as Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia, on bilateral agreements to offer the private sector greater investment certainty. We are also studying ways to store captured carbon permanently in products such as building materials. Based on the results, we will assess how these pathways can be scaled up, the type of mix possible, to achieve our decarbonisation ambitions. Let us be real. Even as we pursue all of these options, we must remain clear-eyed about their inherent challenges. Imported electricity comes with significant geopolitical risks and uncertainties. Other low-carbon solutions are not yet ready for deployment at scale, either due to technological nascency or under-developed supply chains. 1.45 pm Thus, while we have not made a decision – and let me reiterate this, we have not made a decision – we are seriously studying the potential deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies, such as small modular reactors. Nuclear energy has the potential to be a safe, reliable and cost-competitive option. Its high fuel density is especially attractive for land-scarce Singapore. Just think about it. Five one-inch-tall pellets, which are each smaller than my thumb, can generate the same amount of energy as one Olympic-sized swimming pool of natural gas. We are intensifying our capability building, especially in nuclear safety and technology assessment.”
“That is why we are currently studying our geothermal resource potential. Besides indigenous sources, we are also pursuing other low-carbon pathways. Electricity imports from the region can diversify and decarbonise our energy mix. To date, we have awarded around 8.4 gigawatts (GW) of Conditional Approvals to promising projects. Of which, three GW have advanced to Conditional Licences. We are working closely with project developers to secure the necessary regulatory approvals to commence construction soon. Through close collaboration and cooperation with our neighbours, which is essential, as we strive towards our regional vision of the ASEAN power grid, our first wave of electricity import projects will likely come from Indonesia and Peninsular Malaysia. To prepare for imports from Indonesia, we have identified suitable subsea cable connection routes and landing sites. We are also conducting a full feasibility study on a second interconnector between Singapore and Malaysia. If this is developed, this could provide up to two GW of bilateral interconnection capacity, on top of the one GW of capacity from our existing interconnector. Beyond this, we are also exploring other low-carbon solutions. As I have said before in this House, no option is off the table. First, we are exploring biomethane as a viable low-carbon fuel through a regulatory sandbox of up to 300 megawatts (MW). Its compatibility with existing infrastructure minimises the need for costly asset upgrades. Since last year, we have seen strong industry interest. We are currently evaluating proposals for the sandbox, and we expect to appoint demand-supply aggregators soon. Second, we are studying the potential of low-carbon hydrogen, including its derivatives, or its carriers, such as ammonia.”
“Mr Chairman, given these shifts, our economy is becoming more digital and innovation-driven. As pointed out by Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Edward Chia, energy powers all these efforts. For our economy and our way of life, energy is existential. As demand grows and as we decarbonise, the Government will continue to strike a pragmatic balance between energy sustainability, security and affordability. Decarbonisation will come with costs, but it cannot and it will not be at all costs. Let me illustrate this using an example, which will also address Ms Nadia Samdin’s earlier question on carbon tax. We will regularly review the transitory allowances, which only cover a portion of companies’ emissions, for us to strike the right balance between maintaining a price signal to encourage investments in low-carbon solutions and managing the rising costs. As we pursue a diversified portfolio of renewable energy pathways, we will also focus on scalable and cost-effective solutions. As with Singapore’s Water Story, we will first prioritise pathways that support our self-sufficiency and resilience, by maximising our indigenous sources. Solar remains our most viable option in the near term. We have made remarkable progress. Last year, we reached our 2030 target of two gigawatt-peak (GWp) of installed solar capacity, five years ahead of schedule. We are therefore raising the target to three GWp – an increase of 50% – by 2030, and we aspire to double last year’s achievement within the second half of the 2030s. However, even with widespread deployment, solar will only supply, at best, about 10% of our future electricity needs, due to land constraints and climate conditions. So, while solar energy is important, it is insufficient.”
“Launched about a year and a half ago, AIMfg has supported close to 30 firms in developing and adopting AI-enabled solutions. For example, Sunningdale, which is a large local manufacturer of precision-engineered plastic components, is partnering AIMfg to develop an AI-powered defect detection system. Early trials are promising, with expected annual cost savings of more than $150,000 for each product. AIMfg has also developed a set of common AI models that address typical business needs, such as a predictive maintenance model for rotary devices. This reduces resources and time needed to develop custom solutions from scratch. Moving forward, AIMfg will further drive AI-led transformation with partners and expand the suite of common AI models. Second, we will build capabilities in Embodied AI. Embodied AI brings AI into our physical world – robots that can sense their surroundings, that can reason independently and they can act with purpose in unfamiliar environments. We will invest in R&D to address complex problems faced by our companies and provide shared infrastructure for researchers and companies to test new Embodied AI technologies. Such infrastructure can accelerate deployment of technologies in frontier sectors, which is something that Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh talked about. We will begin with the Advanced Manufacturing, Aviation and Maritime sectors. This can seed new growth areas, by attracting next-generation Embodied AI startups as well as grooming local champions. To fully unlock AI’s potential for businesses, we will also contemporaneously build an AI-ready workforce through education and training, and support companies in job redesign and workforce transformation. I will elaborate on these efforts in my Ministry of Manpower speech tomorrow.”
“A local startup, Arkadiah Technology, is using satellite data in its partnership with a global agribusiness company – Golden Agri-Resources – to support digital measurement, reporting and verification. This enables more accurate carbon accounting of tropical forests. To advance our ambitions, we will be establishing the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS), which I announced last month. From the initial 30 officers from the Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn), NSAS is expected to double in size over the next three years. As we develop our growth sectors, we will continue to partner firms to equip Singaporeans with in-demand and emerging skills. Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister shared our vision to establish Singapore as an AI leader, with an AI-empowered economy, through the development and execution of AI Missions across four priority sectors. One priority sector is Advanced Manufacturing. We will work with industry partners to further develop the AI Missions and we will provide an update later. These preliminarily will be anchored on three thrusts. First, we will leverage AI and robotics to transform our manufacturing facilities to achieve best-in-class outcomes that can become more agile, more resilient and more efficient. Second, we will harness AI to create first-in-the-world solutions, by enhancing product designs and accelerating development cycles. Third, we will drive broad-based sectoral transformation, by helping companies adopt AI in key operations to accelerate the deployment of solutions across the ecosystem. To support these efforts, we will strengthen two key enablers. First, A*STAR's Sectoral AI Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing (AIMfg).”
“Given the good progress of these platforms, we intend to scale them further under RIE2030. Besides public sector efforts, the private sector also plays a crucial role in our innovation ecosystem. Through our Research and Innovation Scheme for Companies (RIS(C)), we have attracted substantive private research and innovation investments, building capabilities and creating high-value jobs for locals. In the past five years, companies have committed more than $14 billion to research and innovation investments here; and it has created more than 12,000 jobs in research, development, and innovation roles. Again, with locals filling more than 70% of these positions. Some examples. Grab's Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence has hired around 50 people, while Evonik, the German chemicals giant, has hired over 100 researchers for its Asia Research Hub in Singapore. Building on this, we will invest more than $3 billion in RIS(C) in RIE2030. Beyond existing growth sectors, we will boldly pursue emerging technologies that can drive breakthroughs across our economy. One example is space technology, the “final frontier”, which is rapidly moving from science fiction to real-world applications. Space technology is already used in our daily lives, powering navigation and connectivity. As technologies advance, as costs fall, smaller countries like Singapore can capture opportunities in the growing space economy. This can create good jobs for Singaporeans in areas such as engineering and data science, while enabling businesses to capture value from space-enabled services and applications. One such opportunity is space-based Earth observation, which can be used in industries such as maritime, sustainability and finance.”
“The Flagship will translate research into products and encourage more advanced R&D and manufacturing activities, creating good jobs in Singapore. 1.30 pm The Flagship will also bring together efforts under the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre (NSTIC). Since its launch in RIE2025, NSTIC has achieved several breakthroughs, including in high-speed data transmission and metalens fabrication. It has since attracted over 10 industry partners and has built a strong commercialisation pipeline. Last year, the Deputy Prime Minister announced our investment in NSTIC (R&D Fab), which is our semiconductor R&D fabrication facility. It is on track to commence operations by 2027, and companies have shown strong interest in the facility’s collaboration space. We will also invest $60 million in NSTIC (Power Electronics) to strengthen Singapore’s competitiveness in next-generation power electronics. Within a year, we aim to double the carrier mobility of silicon carbide technologies, enabling the potential development of smaller, but more efficient power systems. Use cases include extending the driving ranges of electric vehicles (EVs). Another key growth sector is biomedical, which remains robust despite its inherent volatility. To boost sector growth, we announced two R&D translational platforms in 2024, namely the Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi) and MedTech Catapult. These platforms are attracting global partners, they are uplifting local enterprises, and training talents to anchor high-value R&D activities and jobs in Singapore. For example, MedTech Catapult is working with a local startup, Vivo Surgical, to develop its verification prototype to be ready for clinical studies, and has onboarded the company onto its venture acceleration programme.”
“Mr Chairman, as the Deputy Prime Minister has highlighted, the rules that allowed Singapore to prosper have fundamentally changed. Technologies, especially AI, are rapidly disrupting industries. Climate change continues to accelerate, and its impact is affecting our way of life. How do we therefore seize opportunities in spite of all these challenges? We will leverage science and technology to establish leadership in key growth sectors and push the frontier into new growth areas. We will also strive to establish Singapore as an AI leader, transforming our advanced manufacturing industry. Powering these efforts, at the core, is energy, which must be sustainable, secure, reliable and affordable. To extend our lead in advanced manufacturing, we will continue to direct national-level R&D resources towards our key growth sectors. Our Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 investments have boosted the R&D capability and capacity of our economy as well as created good jobs. For manufacturing, the annual private sector R&D expenditure in 2023 was $4.3 billion, which is a 54% increase from 2016. Industry R&D jobs grew by 36% between 2016 and 2023 to more than 30,000, of which more than 70% were filled by locals. One key growth sector is semiconductors. We have built strong R&D capabilities through past RIE investments, and we have anchored a total of more than $30 billion in investments from semiconductor companies, over the past four years. We will further invest $800 million to establish the RIE Flagship in Semiconductors, focusing on high-impact technology areas, such as Advanced Packaging and Advanced Photonics, which boost chip performance while cutting power use.”
“Vulnerable individuals who do not have enough retirement savings as a result of career interruptions due to caregiving or medical reasons can already benefit from the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS) from age 55, which we enhanced in 2025. They may also benefit from other support measures, such as the Silver Support Scheme, the Retirement Savings Bonus under the Majulah Package and the recent Budget 2026 Central Provident Fund top-up. Younger Singaporeans have a longer runway to build their retirement savings, and our priority is to support them to return to work when they are ready. They can tap on the employment facilitation services offered by Workforce Singapore and the National Trades Union Congress' Employment and Employability Institute for job search and career transition support. When they return to work, they may be eligible for the Workfare Income Supplement, which supplements their income and retirement savings. Tripartite partners have also been promoting flexible work arrangements which provide more opportunities for those who need such flexibility.”
“Each year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) received close to 500,000 appeals. Of these, around 1% of the appeals involved call-backs that were not successful. In cases that involve call-backs, MOM would attempt to follow-up on the appeal via other means, such as replying via email or sending a hardcopy letter to the appellant's address.”
“In 2025, the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme was enhanced to remove the age cap of 70 and increase the matching grant cap from $600 to $2,000 per year, with a $20,000 cap over an eligible member's lifetime. Following these enhancements, the number of grant recipients increased by almost 2.5 times from about 103,000 in 2024 to about 250,000 in 2025. The breakdown is given below. Age: In 2025, 45% of recipients were aged between 55 and 70, and 55% were aged above 70. In 2024, all recipients were aged between 55 and 70. Gender: In 2025, 62% of recipients were female and 38% were male. In 2024, 65% were female and 35% were male. Source of top-ups: In 2025, 52% of recipients made top-ups to themselves, 46% received top-ups from their loved ones1 and 2% received top-ups from others, such as employers and community partners. In 2024, the numbers were 53%, 44% and 3% respectively.”
“In the last three years, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board received an average of about 2,000 reports per year regarding CPF contributions made by businesses to persons who are not their employees. Such reports are referred to the relevant agencies for investigation, including for possible circumvention of foreign worker quotas and Government support schemes, followed by enforcement actions as appropriate.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) collects and publishes employment statistics for persons with disabilities (PwDs) using data from the annual Comprehensive Labour Force Survey. MOM does not further disaggregate the published figures by specific types of disability, as this can lead to wide margins of error and significant year-to-year fluctuations given the relatively small proportion of PwDs out of our total population. The needs of PwDs in workplaces are diverse and are not solely determined by the nature of their disabilities. MOM receives feedback from PwDs, employers and other stakeholders through the Ministry of Social and Family Development and SG Enable on existing policies, including how best to support employment for PwDs. Together with administrative data, such feedback can help to inform reviews of existing policies and support the development of recommendations. The Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities will develop recommendations to provide greater opportunities and assurance to PwDs and their families, including how to better support PwDs and employers in a fast-changing employment landscape and build resilience for PwDs in the workplace.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) takes a serious view towards companies that inflate their foreign worker quotas by making Central Provident Fund contributions to locals who are not under their employment, otherwise known as "phantom workers". To detect such violations, we use data analytics, conduct inspections and investigate all complaints. Errant employers may face a financial penalty of up to $20,000 for every work pass application made using the inflated quota and will be debarred from hiring foreign workers. Phantom workers who actively collude with such errant employers may also face enforcement actions for abetting the offence.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) periodically reviews and updates our measures to prepare for the effect of climate changes on working conditions. Notably, Singapore's Third National Climate Change Study by the Centre for Climate Research Singapore released in January 2024 found that the annual average daily mean temperature is projected to increase from 27.9°C to between 28.5°C and 30.1°C by 2050. The study also found that the heaviest rainfall events will become even more intense. Adverse weather scenarios are wide-ranging and affect different sectors and workplaces in various ways. For example, workers at workplaces with prolonged outdoor activities, such as construction sites and shipyards, are more prone to heat stress risks associated with hot weather. On the other hand, flooding could damage equipment and lead to safety risks in both indoor and outdoor workplaces depending on their location. On heat stress, MOM has mandated specific safety measures, such as hourly rest breaks of at least 10 minutes, for workers performing heavy physical work activity outdoors when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reaches 32°C and above. MOM takes enforcement actions against companies found to be non-compliant. Employers are also required to report work-related heat illnesses to MOM under the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act. For other adverse weather risks, MOM and the WSH Council have issued Guidelines on Preparing for Adverse Weather to advise employers across all sectors on how to evaluate specific weather risks in their work settings and develop comprehensive response plans. We will continue to monitor and review our measures as these risks evolve.”
“The Member may refer to the reply to Question No 18 for Oral Answer at the 26 February 2026 Sitting which has addressed the same issue. [Please refer to "Adjusting Labour and Urban Planning Policies to Mitigate Heat-related Productivity Losses", Official Report, 26 February 2026, Vol 96, Issue 20, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“We have increased the statutory retirement and re-employment ages to 63 and 68 respectively in 2022 and will further increase them to 64 and 69 respectively in 2026. This will enable seniors to work longer if they wish to and support their employability. We have also launched the Tripartite Workgroup on Senior Employment, to empower our senior workers to be productive and employable and promote age-friendly jobs and multi-generational workplaces. To promote good mental well-being, MOM has partnered the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council to develop and promote initiatives that build employers' competencies in supporting their employees' mental health and well-being. For example, iWorkHealth is a free psychosocial risk assessment tool that helps employers identify workplace stressors in their organisations. Resources, such as the Handbook on Supporting Employees' Mental Health, recommend practical measures which employers can adopt to foster a positive work culture and build strong support systems. In 2025, Parliament had passed the Workplace Fairness Act, which will strengthen fair and merit-based workplace practices. The Act provides workers with greater assurance that they will be treated fairly at work based on the protected characteristics of age; nationality; sex; including marital status, pregnancy and caregiving responsibilities; race, religion and language ability; as well as disability and mental health conditions. This will allow workers to develop careers to their full potential. MOM is working closely with Tripartite Partners on training and advisory resources to prepare employers and workers for the implementation of the Act in end-2027.”
“Workplaces should be safe and fair working environments where employees are valued, motivated and supported, in order for employees to have the opportunity to realise their full potential for themselves and their organisations. The Work Happiness Index from Jobstreet by SEEK, for example, found that beyond salary, the key drivers of workplace satisfaction include having purpose at work, career progression opportunities and satisfaction with day-to-day roles. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) actively works with our Tripartite Partners to promulgate good practices that strengthen these aspects of the workplace environment. To support career progression and purpose, we launched Career Health SG to empower Singaporeans to take charge of their careers. With tools and services, such as Careers and Skills Passport, CareersFinders and career guidance programmes, individuals can better assess their skills and chart their career pathways. Singaporeans who wish to upskill and reskill can also tap on a wide range of programmes from Workforce Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore to access job opportunities that are better aligned with their aspirations. These include, Career Conversion Programmes, SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme and the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme. We recently introduced the Singapore Opportunity Index to encourage employers to help their employees grow and thrive at work. The Singapore Opportunity Index measures how well employers support meaningful career growth compared to their industry peers, and highlights how employers can improve their talent development strategies. This also allows workers to identify employers that offer opportunities that are aligned with their career goals.”
“Work Permits (WPs) are valid for up to 24 months upon issuance or renewal. Employers may cancel WPs before they expire for various reasons, such as if the worker is found to be unsuitable, or if the worker needs to return home for personal reasons. The breakdown of WPs that are cancelled before they are due for renewal, as a proportion of total WPs issued or renewed between 2021 and 2025, is shown in the table below. About one third of WPs are cancelled before they are due for renewal.”
“We will also empower all Singaporeans to use and experiment with AI tools regularly. We will offer Singaporeans who take up selected AI training courses six months of free access to premium AI tools. Finally, we are strengthening our ecosystem and infrastructure for supporting career transitions. As announced in Budget 2026, SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore will be merged into a new statutory board. This is a decisive step forward to empower Singaporeans to proactively plan for and navigate career transitions. The new agency will provide more seamless support for Singaporeans for career guidance, skills training and job matching and will also work more closely with employers to reskill and upskill their employees for growth roles and career progression within companies. In line with this, we have also been expanding programmes, like Workforce Singapore's Career Conversion Programmes and career coaching services, to help more workers transition into growth sectors and stay adaptable in a changing labour market. While the impact of AI on jobs will change as the technology evolves, we will support both employers and workers to adapt and stay nimble.”
“The Government is paying close attention to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs. So far, Singapore's labour market remains resilient amid concerns over AI-driven job losses. Resident employment growth in 2025 was stronger than in 2024 and unemployment and retrenchment rates in 2025 remained low at 2.8% and 1.5 retrenched per 1,000 employees respectively. The Government is preparing our workforce for the impact of AI, which is advancing at a remarkable speed and will transform existing roles. We cannot resist this change, but we will go through this with Singaporeans. Our strategy rests on three key pillars. First, we work closely with employers and unions to promote responsible AI adoption and help them harness AI to create better and higher-value jobs. The Government has set aside over $400 million for the Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package (EWTP) to help businesses undertake workforce transformation in tandem with enterprise transformation. Through the EWTP, companies can receive funding support to redesign job roles, reskill workers and adopt AI-powered technology solutions. Such measures support enterprises to create good jobs and help workers transit to new jobs, even as old jobs are transformed. Second, we will equip workers with the skills to work with and alongside AI at different levels. For students, the Ministry of Education is refreshing the core curricula of our Institutes of Higher Learning to ensure graduates are equipped with practical skills for harnessing and complementing AI at the workplace. For the broader workforce, SkillsFuture Singapore will make AI learning pathways easier to navigate, so that working adults can quickly find courses that that match their needs and proficiency levels to meet desired employment outcomes.”
“When a company is under bankruptcy, judicial management or liquidation, employees who face salary arrears should file a Proof of Debt with the company's liquidator in accordance with the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act. To help such employees do so, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) has published a comprehensive Judicial Management Guide. Employees requiring additional support can also access the TADM Chatbot or consult with TADM's advisory officers who will assist claimants to complete the necessary proof of debt documentation to facilitate submissions, as well as link them up with the appointed liquidators. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will investigate and take action against errant employers who willfully breach employment legislation when winding up. As part of MOM's investigations, MOM will ascertain the party who is liable for unpaid salaries. The party liable is the one which employs the worker under a contract of service and is responsible for the management of the work in which the person is engaged. Even if a subsidiary company is the legal employer, MOM may still investigate the parent company if evidence shows that they had instigated, conspired or intentionally aided an offence.”
“The Member may refer to the reply to Ms He Ting Ru's written Parliamentary Question on GRIT for the Sitting on 25 February 2026, which also addressed this question. [Please refer to "Challenges Affecting Uptake of Graduate Industry Traineeship (GRIT) Scheme and Successful Job Placement Outcomes", Official Report, 25 February 2026, Vol 96, Issue 19, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“It also includes adaptation measures to strengthen community resilience to heat, such as the Heat Stress Advisory, which provides the public with information on how they can minimise the risk of heat stress and heat-related illnesses. These are supported by ongoing research and development efforts to better understand the impacts of heat and develop new cooling solutions.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is committed to protecting workers from heat-related risks while supporting business continuity and productivity. In consultation with tripartite partners and industry, MOM updated the heat stress management framework in September 2024 to ensure outdoor workers are adequately protected. The revised framework is not just an advisory. It includes specific mandatory measures that are essential for mitigating the risk of heat stress at different temperatures, including work-rest cycles where necessary. For example, when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reaches 32°C and above, workers performing heavy physical work activity outdoors must be given hourly rest breaks of at least 10 minutes. Beyond these mandatory requirements, the Workplace Safety and Health Council's (WSHC's) WSH Guidelines on Managing Heat Stress in the Workplace provide guidance on mitigating heat-related risks for both outdoor and indoor workers, including scheduling of work and rest periods. Under the WSH Act, it is also mandatory for employers to report work-related heat illnesses to MOM. From 2021 to 2025, there were no fatalities and a total of 24 non-fatal cases were reported, ranging from one to 13 cases annually. Out of the 24 cases, 22 cases relate to outdoor work. Less than half of the 24 cases resulted in hospitalisation, and less than half resulted in medical leave exceeding three days. MOM will review and enhance our measures as part of the Government's ongoing approach to tackle heat stress through a proactive and science-based heat resilience strategy. This includes heat mitigation measures, such as environmental modelling, to identify wind corridors and planting trees to provide shade along key pedestrian routes and public spaces.”
“If a host organisation hires a trainee who has completed at least three months of the traineeship, the organisation will continue to receive subsidies for the remainder of the traineeship duration. As the first batch of trainees only commenced their traineeships in December 2025, there have not been conversions so far.”
“My reply will address Mr Gerald Giam's oral Parliamentary Question (PQ) and Ms He Ting Ru's written PQ filed for today's sitting. The Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) and GRIT@Gov programmes were designed to improve the employability of graduates who needed more help to find a permanent job, amidst uncertain hiring sentiments last year, compared to the exceptionally tight labour market in previous years. We provisioned for 800 GRIT and GRIT@Gov vacancies and are working with the various host organisations to expedite the filling of their allocated traineeships. While the number of filled traineeships has since increased to close to 400, we continue to prioritise channelling fresh graduates to full-time employment. Applications for the GRIT traineeships have fallen by about 90% compared to when it was first launched in October 2025. Based on feedback from many host organisations, a significant number of applicants had declined traineeship offers as they had found full-time employment or decided to pursue other opportunities. The 350 trainees were roughly split equally between GRIT and GRIT@Gov. We have sourced GRIT vacancies from companies in growth sectors that can offer quality traineeships for our graduates, and about a third of these vacancies were offered by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Correspondingly, about one‑third of GRIT trainees were with SMEs. We have designed GRIT to facilitate the conversion of trainees into permanent employees with their host organisations before the traineeship ends. For example, host organisations that offer permanent employment to trainees before the completion of the traineeship would not be disadvantaged.”
“For example, Workforce Singapore's OMIP requires participating companies to outline a career development plan for their employees' development over the next 24 months, including potential career pathways after their overseas posting.”
“The Government supports companies in posting their Singaporean employees overseas to gain relevant experience through programmes, such as the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme (OMIP) and the International Postings Programme for financial services. These programmes stipulate a minimum duration abroad to provide time for the individual to integrate into their role and gain meaningful professional experience. For OMIP, the overseas posting must be at least six months. Beyond this period, the precise duration for each individual depends on company needs and the individual's preferences. These programmes also impose a maximum duration of support to encourage employers to take ownership of their employees' career development. The Government also provides transitional support to help individuals settle-in overseas. Singaporeans abroad can tap on the Economic Development Board's Singapore Global Network, which organises networking events with in-market business leaders and provides both physical and digital community platforms to connect with other Singaporeans working abroad. Participants in the Singapore Leaders Network can make use of the Overseas Transition Support programme, which provides participants with pre-departure training in areas, such as navigating cultural differences in communication. Given the significant investment in deploying employees overseas and the invaluable experience they gain, companies generally send employees they have assessed to have high potential. Government support programmes encourage the retention of these employees.”
“The list of shortage occupations is reviewed annually, and MOM has since removed three occupations in the Infocomm Technology sector in 2026 as more local workers have filled these jobs.”
“Overall, our foreign workforce policies have helped to maintain Singapore's global competitiveness and grow the economic pie, which has created good jobs for Singaporeans and helped us achieve good wages and improvements in standards of living. Our income growth is higher than that of other developed countries, with real median income of full-time employed residents increasing by 4.1% in 2025. Over the last 10 years, our resident unemployment rate has remained stable and low at around 3%, positioning Singapore as the third lowest when compared with OECD countries. The number of residents in higher-skilled professional, managerial, executive and technician (PMET) jobs has grown in tandem with the number of foreign PMETs. Over the past 10 years, the number of residents holding PMET jobs increased by 357,000, while the number of Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass holders increased by 24,000. In growth sectors, such as financial and insurance services, professional services and information, communications and technology, resident PMET employment increased by 157,000, while EP and S Pass holders increased by 8,000. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regularly updates our foreign workforce policies, such as the EP and S Pass qualifying salaries, and Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) to ensure that foreign professionals complement our local workforce. For example, the COMPASS Shortage Occupation List awards bonus points to EP applicants to alleviate skills gaps in the labour market. In considering whether to place an occupation on the list, MOM takes into account the industry's commitment to develop the local pipeline.”
“Since the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR) took effect on 1 December 2024, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) has received one complaint. TAFEP has since worked with the company to revise its processes to be in line with the TG-FWAR. The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management does not handle complaints related to TG-FWAR, and employees who feel that their flexible work arrangement requests are not properly considered should approach TAFEP for assistance. As there has only been one complaint to-date, it is not possible to identify the top reasons for seeking mediation.”
“The breakdown of discrimination complaints by sector is only available from 2H 2023 – 2025 and listed in Table 1 below.”
“The Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) watchlist was introduced in 2016 to identify companies with high single-nationality concentrations and a heavy reliance on foreign professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). From 2016 to 2023, close to 1,000 firms were placed on the FCF watchlist. The majority of these firms were from the information and communications technology, professional services and construction sectors. With the implementation of the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) in 2023, the FCF watchlist criteria has been built into COMPASS and there is no longer a need to manually scrutinise applications from companies with weak workforce profiles. Therefore, we have discontinued the FCF watchlist in 2023. We work with the labour movement to support firms with weak workforce profiles to improve local workforce hiring and development. For example, firms can partner the National Trades Unions Congress to form Company Training Committees to strengthen local workforce development. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices also conduct workshops to help companies review and improve their hiring practices and workforce profiles.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) considers factors, such as the employer's ability to hire, maintain and upkeep the migrant domestic worker (MDW) and the MDW's age in renewal applications. Eligible employers will receive a letter from MOM to renew their MDW's work permit about two months before its expiry. If the employer wishes to keep the MDW, he must purchase a security bond, medical and personal accident insurance from a bank or insurance company. The bank or insurance company takes up to three working days to send the information to MOM. Thereafter, the employer may submit the renewal application, which will be approved immediately.”
“The total number of residents who were outside the labour force due to eldercare commitments from 2021 to 2025, together with their age and gender breakdown, is shown in Table 1 below. Among this group, an average of 11.9%, or around 1,500 individuals each year, had left their last job within the preceding year. In evaluating how best to support working caregivers, the Government considers the effectiveness of measures in meeting diverse caregiving needs in a sustainable manner and will need to strike a balance with employers' operational needs and the employability of caregivers. Many working caregivers have highlighted that flexible work arrangements (FWAs), are the most useful form of support. We have hence focused on encouraging the adoption of FWAs and other work-life harmony practices to help caregivers manage work and personal responsibilities. This is done through the Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests (TG-FWAR) as well as FWA implementation resources and training by tripartite partners and the Institute of Human Resource Professionals. The Government will continue to review our support schemes for working caregivers.”
“The profile of Career Conversion Programme (CCP) participants and applicants, and Mid-Career Pathways Programme (MCPP) participants by age bands are appended in the tables below. The number of CCP applicants exceed the number of CCP participants, which is common in employment programmes. Additionally, some individuals may apply for multiple CCPs, contributing to higher overall application numbers. The Ministry of Manpower does not track the number of applicants for MCPP.”
“Eligibility for the Silver Support Scheme is determined by assessing multiple criteria including seniors' lifetime wages, housing type and the level of family support, proxied by the monthly per capita household income (PCHI). We adopt a holistic assessment of seniors’ individual and household circumstances to ensure that the scheme is targeted at seniors with less means in their retirement, while ensuring that the scheme remains fiscally sustainable. We have recently raised the qualifying monthly PCHI threshold from $1,800 to $2,300 in 2025. This has enabled more seniors, some of whom do live together with their children, to qualify for Silver Support payouts. Of the seniors who are ineligible for Silver Support payouts in 2026, around one in 10 are ineligible solely because their PCHI exceeds $2,300. A portion of these seniors could be earning incomes or could reside with income-earning household members, indicating a higher level of household financial support. We do not track how many of these seniors are living with their adult children. Seniors facing unique situations can write in to the Central Provident Fund Board to review their eligibility for the Silver Support Scheme. We will review their circumstances holistically on a case-by-case basis.”
“The Ministry does not track transboundary transfers of Singapore-based roles. There are no plans to establish such tracking as transborder business reorganisation is a common feature of global operations and often involves multiple countries. It is also not practical to require companies to specify exactly which role moved to which country.”
“The Central Provident Fund's (CPF's) withdrawal rules need to be viewed holistically, and we should not look at any single one in isolation. Apart from the $5,000 unconditional withdrawal facility, which has been in place since 1995, the CPF system has introduced other built-in withdrawal flexibilities for members age 55 and above. Members with savings above their cohort Full Retirement Sum (FRS) can withdraw such excess savings. Property owners also have the flexibility to set aside their FRS in a mixture of property and cash and withdraw their Retirement Account (RA) savings above the Basic Retirement Sum. Since 2023, cohorts turning age 65 can also withdraw up to 20% of their RA savings from age 65. The intent of the CPF system is to meet members' long-term retirement needs. This includes striking a fine balance between members' immediate needs and ensuring sufficient retirement income in their later years, especially for those who have not met their FRS. The current withdrawal rules still remain relevant as increasing withdrawal flexibilities comes with the trade-off of lower monthly payouts in retirement.”
“All reports of Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) abuse are referred to and investigated by the Police. From 2021 to September 2025, an average of around 300 reports of MDW abuse by employers or household members of the employers were made each year. The majority of these cases were unsubstantiated. A total of 30 employers were prosecuted during this period, of which 14 were convicted and permanently debarred from hiring MDWs. In addition, an average of 70 employers were issued with warnings each year.”
“In 2025, close to 24,000 lower-income platform workers qualified for the Platform Workers CPF Transition Support (PCTS) scheme, and over $4 million was disbursed in total. Data for January 2026 is not yet available. The Central Provident Fund Board automatically assesses platform workers' eligibility for PCTS every month and no application is required from platform workers.”
“Non-compliance cases are defined as instances of late or underpayment of Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions. Since the implementation of the Platform Workers Act in January 2025, we have seen a high level of compliance where the vast majority of payments have been made on time. A small number of late payments cases were encountered, and they were resolved within two weeks after a reminder notice was issued. On underpayment of CPF contributions, the CPF Board has taken action against four platform operators by demanding payment and charging late payment interests. These cases were due to administrative lapses, such as incorrect calculation of earnings. They have since been resolved. To help familiarise platform operators with the new process of paying CPF contributions for platform workers, the CPF Board has provided them with a guide on good practices. Platform workers also receive CPF contribution alerts when their CPF contributions are credited, which allow them to monitor and verify the accuracy of their CPF contributions.”
“We understand that employers value their migrant domestic workers' (MDWs) experience and dedication, and some employers may wish to continue employing their MDWs beyond 60 years old. The age limit is to ensure that MDWs can continue to meet the various demands of household needs as well as the impact of additional medical costs on households, which generally increase with age. Balancing between these considerations, on appeal, the Ministry of Manpower may approve the renewal of work permits beyond the age limit, taking into account the MDW's health, experience and the employer's household needs.”