Singapore Names 9 Countries Eligible for Special Work Permit Occupations

• Singapore's Ministry of Manpower published its Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List, naming nine countries whose nationals qualify for restricted Work Permits
• The list covers eight broad job categories across food services, manufacturing, childcare, and aviation, each tied to strict employer licence conditions
• Firms hiring NTS Work Permit holders must meet a sub-Dependency Ratio Ceiling of 8% and pay a minimum monthly salary of $2,000

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Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has released its Non-Traditional Sources (NTS) Occupation List, identifying nine countries whose nationals are eligible for Work Permits under a defined set of roles in the manufacturing and services sectors.

The list applies in 2026 and sets out both the eligible source countries and the specific employer requirements that must be met before a Work Permit application can proceed.

Countries eligible under Singapore's NTS scheme

Nationals from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are covered under the scheme.

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To qualify, employers must remain within a sub-Dependency Ratio Ceiling of 8% and ensure that NTS Work Permit holders receive a minimum monthly salary of $2,000.

The eight occupation categories listed are cabin attendants, childcare workers, food processing workers, food services workers, heavy vehicle drivers, housekeeping workers, porters, and manufacturing workers.

Each category carries its own set of licensing conditions that the hiring firm must satisfy before bringing in NTS workers.

Sector-specific licence requirements

Cabin attendants may only be hired by companies that hold a valid Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore Air Operator Certificate or a Foreign Operator's Permit for scheduled services to or from Singapore.

Childcare workers, which include babysitters, infant caregivers, childcare centre workers, and teacher aides, require employers to hold a valid Early Childhood Development Centre licence or to have been appointed by the Early Childhood Development Agency under the ChildMinding Pilot.

Food processing workers are eligible where the hiring firm holds a valid Singapore Food Agency Food Processing Establishment or Slaughterhouse licence registered under its name with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. Food services roles, covering butchers, fishmongers, cooks, food stall assistants, kitchen assistants, and waiters, require a valid SFA Food Shop or Supermarket licence, also registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.

Heavy vehicle drivers covering bus, lorry, and trailer truck roles must hold a class 4 or 5 licence as of 1 September 2025. They are not permitted to drive cars or light goods vehicles falling under class 3.

Housekeeping workers and porters may only be employed by licensed hotels, while manufacturing roles, which span assemblers, machine operators, welders, sheet metal workers, and quality checkers, require the firm to hold a work pass account under the manufacturing sector.

The full NTS Occupation List and associated conditions are published on the MOM official website.

Singapore sets age limit for foreign citizenship applicants

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that Singapore has listed five distinct pathways through which foreigners may apply for citizenship.

The primary route requires an applicant to hold Permanent Resident (PR) status for at least two years and be no younger than 21.

Persons who qualify through this route may include their PR spouse and any unmarried children under 21 in the same application.

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Source: YEN.com.gh