Foreign Workers · "I need workers"
Foreign worker
recruitment, end to end
We recruit Work Permit and S Pass workers for Singapore employers across construction, marine, process, manufacturing and services. We check your quota and levy before you commit, source and screen candidates through licensed partners in the region, manage the application to In-Principle Approval, and stay with you through deployment, renewal and replacement. Start with a free quota check below.
Work Permit, S Pass or Employment Pass — which one do you need?
It comes down to the worker’s skill level and salary. A Work Permit covers semi-skilled workers in approved sectors and is governed by source-country rules, a quota and a monthly levy. An S Pass covers mid-skilled staff who meet a salary floor and the COMPASS framework, and is also quota- and levy-bound. An Employment Pass is for professionals — no quota or levy, but COMPASS applies. Most hiring employers we work with use Work Permits and S Passes.
The practical difference for you is cost and headroom. Work Permit and S Pass numbers are capped by your Dependency Ratio Ceiling and carry a monthly levy per worker; an Employment Pass has neither cap nor levy but a much higher salary bar. The table sets the three side by side.
| Pass | Min salary (general) | Min salary (financial services) | COMPASS | Quota | Levy | Security bond | Dependant's Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass | $5,600 | $6,200 | Yes | No | No | Not required | From $6,000 |
| S Pass | $3,300 | $3,800 | No | Yes | Yes | Not required | From $6,000 |
| Work Permit | No salary floor | — | No | Yes | Yes | $5,000 | Not eligible |
S$5,000 per non-Malaysian Work Permit holder; Malaysians exempt; refundable on the worker's departure with no outstanding levies or violations.
Compiled from officially published Ministry of Manpower information · Last reviewed against officially published rates: 2026-06-13. Figures may change — confirm with official sources before acting.
Free quota check — 30 seconds
headroom and what it means for your hiring plan.
FREE QUOTA CHECK · 30 SECONDS · NO OBLIGATION
Tell us three things. We reply on WhatsApp with your indicative quota headroom and what it means for your hiring plan.
Free, no obligation. Indicative guidance based on published quota rules — we confirm the details with you on WhatsApp. Replies within the hour, business hours.
Which sectors do you recruit foreign workers for?
We recruit across the five main Work Permit sectors: construction, marine shipyard, process, manufacturing and services. Each sector has its own quota, levy rates and approved source countries, and some have skills-certification requirements before a worker can be deployed. Pick your sector below for the rules, costs and trades specific to it — or use the quota check above if you’re not sure where you sit.
Construction
Site crews, trade workers and supervisors for main and sub-contractors.
Marine & shipyard
Shipyard trades: welders, fitters, riggers and marine support crews.
Process
Plant construction and maintenance crews for petrochemical and pharmaceutical sites.
Manufacturing
Production operators and technicians for factories and assembly lines.
Services
F&B, cleaning, landscape and other approved services roles.
How does hiring a foreign worker actually work?
1
Quota & levy check
2
Sourcing & screening
3
Selection
4
Application & IPA
5
Pre-deployment
6
Arrival & deployment
Entry, settling-in formalities and first day on your site.
Why work with Biz Manpower?
Quota checked first, always
No signed agreements until we've confirmed your headroom holds. You never pay to find out you can't hire.
A clean recruitment chain
Licensed partners at source, documents verified at origin, paper trail intact from interview to IPA.
One team for the whole journey
Sourcing, application, renewal and replacement — handled by people who do this every day.
Which countries can I hire foreign workers from?
It depends on your sector. Construction, marine and process can recruit from the widest range, including Non-Traditional Source countries such as India and Bangladesh alongside Malaysia, China and the North Asian Sources. Manufacturing and services have historically been narrower — though from September 2026 services employers can hire specific roles from NTS countries under the NTS Occupation List. The table shows current eligibility by sector; we confirm the rules for your exact roles before sourcing begins.
Which corridor suits you depends on the trade and the sector. We recruit through licensed partners in each source country and verify worker documents at origin, so wherever your workers come from, the paperwork behind them holds up. Our active corridors are India and Bangladesh, with more across the region.
| Sector | Approved source groups | Countries include |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | TRADITIONAL, PRC, NAS, NTS | Malaysia, China (PRC), Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand All groups eligible, including the full NTS list. |
| Process | TRADITIONAL, PRC, NAS, NTS | Malaysia, China (PRC), Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand All groups eligible. NTS/PRC workers restricted to approved PCM occupations. |
| Marine Shipyard | TRADITIONAL, PRC, NAS, NTS | Malaysia, China (PRC), Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand All groups eligible. NTS/PRC workers restricted to approved marine occupations. |
| Manufacturing | TRADITIONAL, PRC, NAS | Malaysia, China (PRC), Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan NTS only via NTS Occupation List occupations - see nts-occupation-list.json. |
| Services | TRADITIONAL, PRC, NAS | Malaysia, China (PRC), Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan NTS only via NTS Occupation List occupations - see nts-occupation-list.json. |
Compiled from officially published Ministry of Manpower information · Last reviewed against officially published rates: 2026-06-13. Figures may change — confirm with official sources before acting.
Foreign worker hiring — your questions answered
Q1: How is my foreign worker quota calculated?
Your quota — the Dependency Ratio Ceiling — is a percentage of your total workforce that can be foreign, set by your sector. It’s calculated from your number of local employees who earn at least the Local Qualifying Salary. More qualifying locals means more foreign worker headroom. Use the free quota check above for an indicative figure, or our quota calculator for a fuller estimate.
Q2: What levy will I pay?
The foreign worker levy is a monthly fee per worker, priced by your sector, the worker’s skill tier (higher-skilled R1 or basic-skilled R2) and your quota band. Higher-skilled workers attract lower levies. Rates are set by the Ministry of Manpower and change periodically — see our levy guide and calculator for the rates as at our last review.
Q3: How long does the whole process take?
It varies by sector and source country, and by how quickly selection and document collection happen at your end. Skills-certified trades and workers from certain corridors take longer to prepare. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific case before you commit, rather than a generic promise — and we keep you updated through to your worker’s first day.
Q4: Can I hire workers from India or Bangladesh?
Yes, for sectors where Non-Traditional Source countries are approved — which includes construction, marine and process. From September 2026, services employers can also hire specific roles from NTS countries under the expanded NTS Occupation List. We run licensed recruitment partnerships in both India and Bangladesh, with documents verified at source.
Q5: What is the security bond?
For each non-Malaysian Work Permit holder, employers must furnish a S$5,000 security bond, usually arranged as a banker’s or insurer’s guarantee rather than cash. It’s a standing requirement for the duration of employment and is discharged when the worker leaves Singapore having met the conditions. We’ll point you to compliant, cost-effective bond options.
Q6: What happens if a worker doesn’t work out?
We agree replacement terms with you upfront, before placement, so you’re not exposed if a hire doesn’t settle. The exact terms depend on the role and timing. Our interest is in workers who stay, which is why screening at source and matching to your real requirements matters as much to us as filling the seat quickly.
Q7: Do I need to provide housing and insurance?
Yes. Work Permit holders have housing requirements, and employers must provide medical insurance and Work Injury Compensation cover, plus the primary-care plan for workers in the construction, marine and process sectors. We’ll walk you through what’s required for your sector so nothing is missed at the application stage.
Q8: Can I hire workers who are already in Singapore?
Sometimes — for example a worker transferring from another employer — subject to the rules on transfers, your quota headroom and the worker’s pass status. The route and conditions differ from hiring fresh from source. Tell us the situation and we’ll tell you whether a transfer is workable before you proceed.
Q9: What does Biz Manpower charge for this?
Our fee depends on the service and the sector, and we quote it upfront, before any work begins — no hourly billing and no surprises at invoice time. Message us with what you need and we’ll give you a clear quote.