INTRODUCTION OF THE MANPOWER FOR STRATEGIC ECONOMIC PRIORITIES (M-SEP) SCHEME
Effective 13 December 2022, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) together with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and participating economic agencies, launched the Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities (M-SEP) scheme.
The scheme aims to support the growth of businesses that contribute to Singapore’s strategic economic priorities through ambitious investment, innovation, or internationalisation activities.
The M-SEP scheme gives firms the flexibility to temporarily hire S Pass and Work Permit holders above their existing Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) and S Pass sub-DRC. Valid for 2 years upon enrolment, the passes may be renewed thereafter subject to the firm’s continued fulfilment of the scheme’s eligibility.
Eligible firms can obtain additional S Pass and Work Permit quota up to 5% of their base workforce headcount, subject to a cap of 50 workers per firm and fulfilment of the commitments listed below.
ELIGIBILITY AND RENEWAL CRITERIA
Applying firms must meet the following criteria;
| Condition |
Criteria |
| 1 |
Participate in at least one of the following initiatives by the five economic agencies:
- Supporting agency: Economic Development Board (EDB)
- Recipients of the Development and Expansion Incentive (DEI), including International Headquarters-DEI
- Pioneer Certificate Incentive (PC) recipients
- Research and Innovation Scheme for Companies (RIS(C)) participants
- Manufacturers with significant activities in Singapore (i.e. hire at least 500 locals).
- Supporting agency: Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG)
- Global Trader Programme (GTP) participants
- Scale-Up SG participants
- Singapore Global Executive Programme (SGEP) participants
- High-growth start-ups that are incorporated in Singapore:
- With a minimum investment amount of USD$10 million over the past 36 months, and
- Have received funding from EDBI, SEEDS Capital or other recognised investment firms.
- Supporting agency: Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)
- Accreditation@SG Digital recipients
- Supporting agency: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
- Maritime Sector Incentive:
- Approved International Shipping Enterprise (MSI-AIS) Award recipients
- Shipping-related Support Services (MSI-SSS) Award recipients
- Maritime Leasing (ML) Award recipients
- Maritime Cluster Fund – Business Development (MCF-BD) recipients
- Supporting agency: Singapore Tourism Board (STB)
- Selected Business Improvement Fund (BIF) grantees with innovative projects that bring about substantial transformation or productivity savings.
- Selected Singapore Tourism Accelerator (STA) participants with innovative projects that bring about substantial transformation or productivity savings.
OR
- Participate in at least one of the following key economic priorities:
- Promote investments which support Singapore’s hub strategy
- Promote innovation or Research & Development (R&D)
- Support internationalisation
|
| |
AND |
| 2 |
Commit to hiring and/or training locals. There must be an increase in the overall local workforce size at the point of M-SEP renewal compared to the point of the M-SEP application. With respect to training requirements, locals must be enrolled into any of the following qualifying programmes:
- Supporting agency: Economic Development Board (EDB)
- Accelerated Pathways for Technicians & Assistant Engineers (Manufacturing) Grant “APT(M)”
- Supporting agencies: Institutes of Higher Learning, supported by Ministry of Education (MOE) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)
- Work-Study Degree (WSDeg) In-Employment upgraders
- Work-Study Diploma (WSDip)
- Work-Study Post-Diploma (WSPostDip)
- Work-Study Certificates (WSCerts)
- Supporting agency: Workforce Singapore (WSG)
- Redeployment / Job Redesign Reskilling Career Conversion Programmes
- Capability Transfer Programme (CTP)
- Supporting agency: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
- Maritime Leadership Programme
- Global Talent Programme
- Maritime Cluster Fund – Manpower Development (Management Associate)
|
Firms with either gold or platinum certification from the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning, or SkillsFuture Queen Bee status, will also qualify under the second criteria.
To be eligible for M-SEP renewal, firms will have to show that they have met both commitments by the end of the support period. They will also have to maintain their local workforce share during this period.
| What does the scheme do |
Eligibility |
Validity |
- Allow firms to temporarily hire S Pass and Work Permit holders above their existing Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) and S Pass sub- DRC
- Eligible firms can obtain additional S Pass & Work Permit quota up to 5% of their base workforce headcount, subject to a cap of 50 workers per firm
|
1. Participate in one of the following key economic priorities:
- Promote investments which support Singapore’s hub strategy
- Promote innovation or Research & Development (R&D)
- Support Internationalisation
AND
2. Commit to hiring and/or training locals
|
- First-time applications: 2 years
- Renewable subject to meeting criteria thereafter
|
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