Singapore opens 8 new job categories to foreign workers, including Sri Lankans

Singapore has expanded its work permit scheme to hire foreign workers, including Sri Lankans, for eight new job categories in the food services, social services and aviation sectors.

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower said the aim of the new arrangements is to address labour shortages in sectors struggling to attract local workers.

Under the Non-Traditional Sources occupation list, the new categories added are butchers, fish sellers and related food preparers, restaurant assistants, kitchen assistants, table servers, aircraft cabin crew, childcare workers, pre-primary educators and teacher aides.

Citizens of nine countries, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand, are eligible for employment under this scheme.

Under the rules, employers hiring foreign workers from this list must pay a fixed monthly salary of at least 2,000 Singapore dollars, and workers hired this way must not exceed 8 per cent of the employer's total workforce.

The expanded scheme offers additional opportunities for Sri Lankans seeking work in Singapore in hospitality, food services, childcare and aviation.

However, the new rules are not a job guarantee or automatic permit approval; it is the responsibility of Singapore employers to meet the eligibility conditions and obtain the necessary permits, the ministry explained. The policy, announced in March 2026, came into effect in September.