Work Permit Holders Obtaining Skills Certification in Singapore Instead of Overseas Testing Centres

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development (a) to date, how many work permit holders (WPHs) have been permitted to obtain their skills certification in Singapore instead of Overseas Testing Centres (OTCs); (b) how many of these WPHs successfully obtained their skills certification in Singapore; (c) what are the main reasons for those who fail to obtain their skills certification; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider (i) making this a permanent programme and (ii) allowing WPHs from more countries to obtain their skills certification in Singapore instead of OTCs.

BCA has worked with MOM to temporarily allow new construction Work Permit Holders (WPHs) from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to obtain their skills certification in Singapore instead of at Overseas Testing Centres (OTCs) in the PRC, from 7 May 2021 until the end of this year. This temporary flexibility has been extended to other approved sources of construction WPHs on a case-by-case basis. Agencies will review whether this arrangement can be made permanent, while continuing to ensure that workers are equipped with the basic knowledge and skills required to work in our construction industry.

These workers must obtain their skills certification within a year of their work pass issuance. To encourage employers to get their workers certified earlier, employers have to pay higher levy rates if their workers do not obtain their skills certification within three months of their work pass issuance.

To date, about 3,500 WPHs have been permitted to obtain their skills certification in Singapore. About 1,700 of these workers have arrived in Singapore and about 90% have yet to attempt the certification test. So far, slightly more than 100 of them have obtained their skills certification.