KUALA LUMPUR - Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced a wide range of initiatives under Budget 2026 to improve career resilience, protect workers, and help businesses adjust to an AI-driven economy.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said the ministry will continue working with employers and workers to ensure businesses thrive while employees are able to build meaningful careers and realise their potential.

A key focus of the reforms is preparing workers for AI-led changes, with MOM providing participants of selected SkillsFuture AI courses a free six-month subscription to premium AI tools for practical learning.

Training support will also increase, with the Workfare Skills Support allowance for self-sponsored trainees rising from SGD6 to SGD10.50 per hour from July 2026.

SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore will merge to form Workforce and Skills Singapore, offering a single platform for training, career guidance, and job opportunities.

MOM will pilot nine specialised career services for groups including fresh graduates, mid-career professionals, caregivers, and seniors under the Alliance for Action on Advancing Career and Employment Services.

The Careers and Skills Passport platform will expand access to five job portals to help workers find employment more easily.

Worker protections remain a priority, with the Employment Act under review to balance overtime and time-based protections for lower-wage workers while maintaining employer flexibility, with findings expected in late 2026.

The Jobseeker Support Scheme has helped over 3,500 jobseekers as of October 2025, with around 1,600 securing new employment.

To promote inclusive employment, the government will expand flexible work support for caregivers, extend the part-time re-employment grant until 2027, raise the retirement age to 64, and increase the re-employment age to 69, targeting 65 and 70 by 2030.

The Local Qualifying Salary for lower wage workers will rise from SGD1,600 to SGD1,800 in July 2026, and the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme will be extended to 2028 with government co-funding of wage increases increasing to 30%.

Additional reforms include better facilities for migrant workers, expanded protections for persons with disabilities, apprenticeship pathways for specialist trades like electricians, and the SkillsFuture Workforce Development Grant to fund up to 70% of job redesign projects, capped at SGD150,000 per company.

Foreign workforce policies will also be adjusted, with minimum qualifying salaries rising to SGD6,000 for Employment Pass holders and SGD3,600 for S Pass applicants from January 2026, with further increases planned by 2030.

The combined measures aim to help Singaporean workers adjust to labour market changes while ensuring businesses can continue creating quality jobs.