Number of Resident Cleaners Attaining Minimum Progressive Wage Model Training Requirements and Planned Enforcement Actions against Cleaning Businesses for Non-compliance

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the total number of resident cleaners who have attained the minimum two Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) certificates as required by the training requirements under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the cleaning sector; and (b) what enforcement actions will be taken against the cleaning businesses and companies that failed to ensure that their cleaners meet the PWM training requirements by 31 December 2022.

In June 2021, the Government accepted the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners’ (TCC) recommendation to enhance the mandatory training requirements for cleaners under the Progressive Wage Model. Following the announcement on 7 June 2021, all licensed cleaning businesses were given 18 months, until 31 December 2022, to ensure that their cleaners attain one Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) module on Workplace Safety and Health and one other WSQ module related to environmental cleaning. As of end February 2022, around 14,500 cleaners, or about 35% of the resident cleaning workforce, have fully met the enhanced training requirements. Another 21,200 or about 51% of resident cleaners have completed one of the two required modules.

Any cleaning business not in compliance will face a financial penalty of up to $5,000 and repeat offenders may have their cleaning business licences revoked. The National Environment Agency, together with SkillsFuture Singapore, has been actively engaging licensed cleaning businesses to send their cleaners for training early.