Statutory Study and Training Leave Policies in Other Countries that May Be Feasible for Singapore

Dr Charlene Chen asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has studied the impact of statutory study or training leave policies on the upskilling of workers in other countries; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider introducing such leave entitlements in Singapore to support skills upgrading, lifelong learning, and workforce adaptability in a changing economy.

The Government regularly reviews various international approaches to workforce development, including statutory training leave entitlements, to draw lessons from their experiences.

In Singapore, instead of mandating training leave, we have built a flexible and comprehensive system to support lifelong learning to cater to the diverse needs of our workforce while addressing business needs. Employers and workers receive support through SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore's initiatives, including Absentee Payroll funding and Training Allowance. We also encourage flexible work arrangements to help workers balance longer-form training with work.

We will continue monitoring international best practices and reviewing our approach to ensure Singapore's workforce remains competitive and ensure that training is accessible.