Singapore Announces New Occupations Foreigners Can Apply For Under Its Work Permit Scheme
- Singapore's Ministry of Manpower has announced an expansion of its Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List, effective 1 September 2026
- The update adds cabin attendants, childcare workers, and food services workers to the list of roles foreigners can fill under a work permit
- Each new occupation comes with specific licensing requirements that employers must meet before they can hire foreign workers for these roles
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Singapore has expanded the range of jobs available to foreign workers under its work permit framework, with three new occupation categories set to take effect from 1 September 2026.
The country's Ministry of Manpower confirmed the update to its Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List (NTS Occupation List), which governs the types of roles employers can fill using foreign workers sourced from non-traditional countries. The change opens up opportunities across aviation, childcare, and food services.
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Occupations added to NTS occupation list
The following roles will be eligible for foreign worker hiring from 1 September 2026:
1. Cabin attendants
2. Childcare workers (covering babysitters, child and after-school care workers, and teacher aides)
3. Food services workers (including butchers, food and drink stall assistants, kitchen assistants, and waiters)
Each category carries its own set of employer requirements that must be satisfied before a firm can bring on foreign workers in these positions.
Singapore: What employers need to qualify
For cabin attendant roles, the hiring firm must hold a valid Air Operator's Certificate or a Foreign Operator's Permit issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and must operate scheduled services into Singapore.
Employers seeking to hire childcare workers must either hold a valid licence from the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) or be appointed by the ECDA under its ChildMinding Pilot programme.
For food services roles, firms must maintain an active work pass account in the services sector and hold a valid Food Shop or Supermarket licence issued by the Singapore Food Agency, registered under the firm's name with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.
The update is relevant to Nigerians and other Africans exploring work opportunities in Singapore, particularly amid the ongoing japa wave driving many skilled and semi-skilled workers to seek employment abroad. Singapore's structured work permit system means that eligibility depends not only on the worker's qualifications but also on whether the employer meets the government's licensing criteria.
Full details of the requirements are available on the Ministry of Manpower's official page.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that Singapore named foreign permanent residents who are required to serve in the military.
Singapore work permit occupations: Qualified countries
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Singapore announced its Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List, which allows citizens of nine countries to apply for work permits in selected jobs.
The list covers roles from food services to manufacturing, but employers must meet strict licence and hiring rules. Eligible workers must also earn at least $2,000 a month, about N2.6 million.
Source: Legit.ng
