Private Hire Driver's Vocational Licence for Permanent Residents and Work Permit Holders

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport why are Permanent Residents and Work Permit holders allowed to apply for a Private Hire Driver's Vocational Licence (PDVL).

Today, traditional limousine companies and car rental companies employ Permanent Residents and work pass holders as drivers. Work pass holders are subject to work pass conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Manpower. They provide chauffeured services that can be chartered for trips like airport transfers and ferrying of very important persons (VIPs) at events. In order to not disrupt traditional limousine companies and car rental companies when the new regulatory regime is implemented, these Permanent Residents and work pass holders will also be able to apply for the Private Hire Car Driver Vocational Licence.

However, Permanent Residents and work pass holders can only provide chauffeured services in the course of their employment under these car rental or limousine companies. This is unlike for Singaporeans, who can be Uber or GrabCar drivers as long as they are sole proprietors of a chauffeured services company. As we understand it, there are no work pass holders driving for Uber or Grab today.