Singapore raises salary thresholds for skilled foreign workers amid local job concerns
Singapore's government announced significant changes to its foreign workforce policy in March 2025. Starting September first, the minimum qualifying salary for S Pass holders will rise from three thousand one hundred fifty Singapore dollars to three thousand three hundred dollars, with further age-based increases reaching four thousand eight hundred dollars. The Employment Pass qualifying salary remains at five thousand six hundred dollars, set in January 2025. Additionally, from July 2025, Singapore will remove the previous cap limiting foreign worker employment to fourteen to twenty-six years, instead allowing indefinite tenure. The government is also expanding its Non-Traditional Sources program to include Bhutan, Cambodia, and Laos. These changes aim to balance Singapore's need for global talent with domestic concerns about job competition. The government reports that three to six resident PMETs exist for each foreign PMET worker, suggesting limited direct competition. Between 2022 and 2024, however, ninety-one percent of new jobs went to non-residents, highlighting public concerns about employment distribution despite government assurances of complementarity between local and foreign workers.
Key facts
- From September 2025, S Pass minimum salary rises from SGD 3,150 to SGD 3,300, increasing with age to SGD 4,800 for mid-40s candidates
- Employment Pass qualifying salary remains SGD 5,600 per month, benchmarked to top one-third of local PMET wages
- Starting July 2025, Singapore removes the maximum employment period cap for foreign workers previously set at 14-26 years
- Non-Traditional Sources program expanded from June 2025 to include Bhutan, Cambodia, and Laos for non-PMET hiring
- Between 2022-2024, foreign workers obtained 91.3 percent of 351,100 new jobs created in Singapore
- As of 2024, there are 3-6 resident PMETs for each EP or S Pass holder in key sectors
- Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities scheme extended from 2 to 3 years starting May 2025, creating 4,000 additional PMET jobs for locals
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning outlets highlight that foreign workers are capturing the vast majority of new jobs, with 91.3 percent of employment growth from 2022-2024 going to non-residents, raising fairness concerns for local citizens. They emphasize that many skilled positions locals are qualified for are going to foreign workers, particularly in professional sectors, and question whether higher salary thresholds are sufficient protections when opposition politicians note that loopholes like intra-corporate transfers allow companies to bypass local hiring requirements.
Right-leaning coverage: Right-leaning outlets and business commentators argue that stricter foreign worker policies could harm Singapore's competitive positioning and economic growth, warning that over-regulation might push companies and investments elsewhere. They emphasize that foreign talent is essential for maintaining Singapore's status as a global hub and that excessive restrictions could reduce job opportunities for locals by limiting business expansion and investment.
Limits of this briefing
Most recent analysis focuses on highly skilled PMET workers; perspectives on lower-skilled migrant workers and domestic worker rights are less represented. The debate remains contested between empirical data suggesting complementarity and public sentiment perceiving job competition, indicating a gap between statistics and lived experience.
Sources
- Al Jazeera: Singapore tightens rules for expat workers with an eye on local discontent Centre
- The Online Citizen: Behind the Numbers: Foreign workers take 9 in 10 new jobs in Singapore Left
- Ministry of Manpower Singapore: FACTSHEET ON FOREIGN WORKFORCE POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS AT COS 2025 Right
- Vulcan Post: Everyone thinks foreigners are taking over Singapore's high-paying jobs. Everyone is wrong. Right
- HCA Magazine: MOM introduces major changes to foreign worker rules Centre