Singapore adds 8 occupations to NTS Work Permit hiring on Sept. 1

What the NTS framework actually covers

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) lists nine countries as approved Non-Traditional Sources for Work Permit hiring: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Bhutan, Cambodia and Laos are already on that list, per the MOM NTS Occupation List page updated March 3, 2026.

The framework only applies to employers in the Manufacturing and Services sectors hiring for a restricted set of jobs. The current NTS Occupation List covers cooks, food processing workers, heavy vehicle drivers, housekeeping workers, porters and manufacturing workers. MOM said eight more occupations across food services, air transportation and social services will be added on Sept. 1, 2026.

This is a hiring channel for employers, not a visa route for tourists or remote workers.

Who this actually touches

The change matters to Singapore-based companies that need to fill specific blue-collar and service roles and to workers from the nine NTS countries seeking those jobs. Work Permit holders don't get family passes under the scheme, MOM said.

It doesn't create a digital nomad visa. It doesn't change tourist entry rules. Remote workers passing through Singapore, expats on Employment Passes and family members on Dependant's Passes aren't affected by the NTS occupation list itself.

For foreign workers from Bhutan, Cambodia and Laos, the practical effect is access to a defined set of jobs at Singapore employers willing to sponsor a Work Permit.

Costs, caps and the application path

Employers must apply through MOM, not the worker. Key conditions on the NTS channel:

• Sub-Dependency Ratio Ceiling of 8% for NTS Work Permit holders within a firm's foreign worker quota
• Minimum fixed monthly salary of S$2,000 for workers in NTS Occupation List roles
• Employer-arranged medical insurance and in some cases the Primary Care Plan, before issuance or renewal

Two other dates sit on the calendar. The minimum age to apply for a Work Permit rises to 62 on July 1, 2026. The next NTS occupation expansion lands Sept. 1, 2026.

Read our full Singapore guide for the complete picture.