Politics

Singapore raises PMET worker salary thresholds, tightens foreign hiring criteria

26 October 2026 · Source balance: Centre

Singapore announced updated foreign workforce policies in March 2025 targeting PMET roles—professionals, managers, executives, and technicians. The government increased the Employment Pass qualifying salary to 5,600 Singapore dollars monthly, with progressive increases for older workers reaching 10,700 for mid-career candidates. The S Pass salary threshold rose to 3,300 dollars. These changes aim to ensure foreign workers complement rather than replace local talent. Singapore also removed caps on work permit employment duration and raised the maximum employment age to 63 years, effective July 2025. The government expanded eligible source countries to include Bhutan, Cambodia, and Laos for non-PMET workers. Official data shows resident PMET employment grew by 382,000 over the past decade, compared to only 38,000 new foreign PMET permit holders, suggesting net job gains for locals despite higher foreign worker inflows.

Key facts

Employment Pass qualifying salary increased from 5,000 to 5,600 Singapore dollars monthly from 2025, scaling up to 10,700 for mid-career professionals
S Pass minimum salary rose to 3,300 dollars from September 2025, with progressive age-based increases to 4,800 dollars
Over the past decade, resident PMET employment grew by 382,000 while new foreign PMET permit holders increased by 38,000
PMET retrenchments in 2025 reached 10.1 per 1,000 workers, up from 8.6 in 2024—highest in recent years
From July 2025, work permit holders face no maximum employment period limit; maximum employment age raised to 63
As of December 2023, Singapore had 205,400 Employment Pass holders, up from 161,700 in December 2021
One in three new resident PMETs came from non-PMET roles upgrading into higher-skilled positions
New source countries for non-PMET workers expanded to include Bhutan, Cambodia, and Laos from June 2025

How different outlets framed it

Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning critics and opposition parties highlight rising PMET retrenchments and job displacement concerns. In 2025, PMET layoffs hit 10.1 per thousand workers—the highest in years. Critics argue foreign workers take jobs from locals and call for stricter enforcement. Union representatives note companies are relocating operations overseas and using AI for workforce restructuring, while concerns persist about work pass holders bypassing hiring requirements. Activist groups emphasize that higher salary thresholds alone don't address systemic job competition fears.

Right-leaning coverage: Business-friendly sources and pro-growth analysts view the policy updates as pragmatic compromises that maintain Singapore's status as a global financial hub while addressing local sensitivities. They stress that foreign PMET workers drive economic expansion, create downstream jobs, and fill skill gaps locals cannot meet. They warn that overrestricting foreign talent could push companies to relocate operations or hire less capable workers, hurting overall competitiveness. Conservative outlets emphasize Singapore's need to stay open to capital and talent, noting that protectionist policies risk damaging the economy and employment prospects.

Limits of this briefing

Debate centres on whether higher salary thresholds genuinely protect local PMET jobs or merely shift hiring patterns. Aggregate employment data suggests net gains for locals, but individual sectors and age groups experience divergent outcomes. Limited evidence exists on whether cost increases cause companies to relocate roles entirely rather than hire locals. Perspectives from smaller SMEs or non-finance sectors remain underrepresented in available sources.

Singapore raises PMET worker salary thresholds, tightens foreign hiring criteria

Key facts

How different outlets framed it

Limits of this briefing

Sources

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