Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) for administrators and drivers

Companies must meet the Occupational Progressive Wages and training requirements for administrators and drivers who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents.

Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) was developed by the National Wages Council (NWC).

From 1 March 2023, employers must meet the OPW requirements in order to renew existing work passes or apply for new work passes.

What does OPW cover?

The OPW requirements cover all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are:

• Full-time or part-time employees in administrative or driving roles on a contract of service, and
• Employed by firms which hire foreign workers.

OPW training requirements

Employers must ensure that their Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident administrators and drivers meet the OPW training requirements of attaining:

• At least 1 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Statement of Attainment, with no restriction on which WSQ course can be taken; or
• An in-house training programme.

The in-house training programme must be guided by training objectives, training modality, key training tasks and training duration to meet the training requirements. When required, employers are expected to show supporting documentation on their in-house training programme and records of workers who attended the trainings.

Employers will be given a grace period to comply with the OPW training requirements:

• For new hires: six months from the new hire’s date of employment.
• For existing employees: one year from when the OPW takes effect in March 2023; up to 29 February 2024.

Through proper training, administrators and drivers will be able to increase their productivity and skillsets. Find out our suite of courses available to fulfil OPW requirements.