Singapore raises foreign PMET salary standards, lifts work permit age limits
Singapore is making significant changes to its foreign worker policies for professionals, managers, executives, and technicians. Starting in 2025, the government is raising the minimum qualifying salary for Employment Pass holders to 5,600 Singapore dollars, with higher requirements for older workers. The country is also removing lifetime employment caps for work permit holders and raising maximum employment ages from 60 to 63 years. These moves reflect Singapore's effort to balance two competing goals: attracting global talent needed for economic growth while protecting local PMET workers from displacement. Over the past decade, local PMET employment has grown by 382,000 while foreign PMET work pass holders increased by just 38,000, though recent job creation has favored non-residents. The government argues these calibrated controls ensure foreign workers complement rather than replace locals, while critics worry about job security for Singaporean professionals.
Key facts
- Employment Pass minimum qualifying salary rising to SGD 5,600 in 2025, up from SGD 5,000, with age-adjusted increases to SGD 10,700 for candidates 45 and above
- Work permit employment duration caps of 14-26 years abolished from July 2025; maximum employment age for work permits raised from 60 to 63 years
- S Pass minimum qualifying salary increased to SGD 3,300 from SGD 3,150 effective September 2025
- Over past decade, resident PMET employment grew by 382,000 while EP and S Pass holders increased by only 38,000
- Without foreign workers, Singapore's old-age support ratio would drop to 3.5 from current 5.2 in 2024
- In 2025, nearly 80 percent of new jobs created went to foreign workers according to Ministry of Manpower data
- Nearly 1 in 3 new resident PMETs came from non-PMETs upgrading into higher-skilled roles
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning and opposition voices argue Singapore should prioritize local workers and reduce reliance on foreign talent. The Workers' Party manifesto calls for refocusing policies on local hiring, addressing underemployment of mid-career professionals, and requiring employers to demonstrate skills transfer to locals before renewing work passes. The Singapore Democratic Party has pushed for a 'Singaporeans First' policy, suggesting locals are being displaced in PMET roles despite their capabilities and university qualifications.
Right-leaning coverage: Right-leaning business and economic perspectives emphasize that Singapore must remain open to foreign talent to attract multinational corporations and maintain competitiveness. They argue foreign professionals complement local workers by bringing expertise, mentoring, and innovation, and that many operate in roles locals cannot fill. Restricting foreign talent would risk Singapore losing businesses to other regional hubs and ultimately cost local jobs.
Limits of this briefing
While recent official data shows local PMET employment growing faster than foreign PMET work pass numbers, 2025 employment figures show foreign workers capturing most new job growth, creating divergence between aggregate trends and individual worker experiences. Opposition voices may be underrepresented in government communications, though several sources reflect their concerns.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower Singapore: Factsheet on Foreign Workforce Policy Announcements at COS 2025 Centre
- The Independent Singapore: Singapore created 55,500 jobs in 2025, but nearly 80% went to foreign workers Left
- Al Jazeera: Singapore tightens rules for expat workers with eye on locals' gripes Centre
- Workers' Party Singapore: Working for Singapore: The Workers' Party Manifesto 2025 Left
- UNCTAD Investment Policy Hub: Singapore - Eases foreign work permit regulations Centre