OPW Training Requirements for Administrators & Drivers

Do you hire Singapore citizens and permanent residents for drivers or administrators? As per Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s requirements, companies must meet the Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) and training requirements if they have Singaporean and Permanent Resident (PR) employees who are administrators and drivers.

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What is OPW

Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) is a wage framework that focuses on uplifting administrators and drivers in Singapore, regardless of the industry they work in. 



Progressive Wage Model

OPW is part of the broader Progressive Wage Model (PWM) and was developed by the National Wages Council (NWC) to ensure that local workers receive fair wages and have clear career progression opportunities.

Skills & Productivity

Employers must comply with OPW requirements, including providing necessary Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) training and certifications by enrolling admin and driver workers for OPW courses, to renew or apply for new work passes for employees in these roles. 


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Who is Covered Under OPW

Designed specifically for lower-wage workers in administrative and driving roles (but not for those who are in other roles). OPW requirements apply to employees who are:

Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents

Full-time or part-time employees who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents

Working for firms that hire foreign workers

Your employer has at least one non-Singaporean or non-PR staff member on a work pass

Employed on a Contract of Service

Applies to all workers under a standard employment contract, ensuring protections and wage floors are met

Requirement

Employed on a Contract of Service

Applies to all workers under a standard employment contract, ensuring protections and wage floors are met

Legal Compliance Guaranteed

Our training modules are fully vetted to ensure your company meets the NWC and MOM 2024 compliance benchmarks for all covered roles.

What Roles Does OPW Cover

Administrators

3-Level Ladder
Administrative Assistants
Provides administrative support through data entry, document management, issue reporting, incident response, and general administrative assistance.
Administrative Executives

Performs advanced administrative functions, including processing business transactions, managing financial and operational records, coordinating resources and procurement, supporting meetings and secretarial activities, handling customer enquiries, analysing data, and using digital tools to improve workflow efficiency.

Administrative Supervisors

Supervises administrative operations and staff, oversees workplace standards and work coordination, provides coaching, manages customer issue resolution, and leverages digital tools to improve processes and service delivery.

Drivers

2-Level Ladder
Class 3 or Below Drivers
Driver Level 1
Operates Class 3 or below vehicles safely and efficiently, conducting vehicle checks, completing scheduled transport operations, maintaining records, interacting with customers, and complying with safety and reporting requirements.
Driver Level 2
Performs all Level 1 driver duties and takes on additional responsibilities such as route planning, mentoring other drivers, carrying out specialised transport activities, and obtaining required certifications to support operational or regulatory needs.
Class 4 or Above Drivers
Driver Level 1 (Class 4)
Operates Class 4 vehicles safely and efficiently, conducting vehicle inspections, carrying out scheduled transport operations, maintaining records, interacting with customers, and complying with safety, security, and incident reporting requirements.
Driver Level 2 (Class 4A/5 or Enhanced Class 4)
Operates Class 4A or Class 5 vehicles, or performs enhanced Class 4 driver duties with additional responsibilities such as route planning, mentoring and training drivers, undertaking specialised transport activities, and obtaining required certifications to meet operational or regulatory requirements.
WSQ Certified
Our training programs fulfill all MOM
requirements for OPW compliance.

OPW Training Requirements

Employers must ensure that their Singapore citizen and permanent resident administrators and drivers meet the OPW training requirement by attaining one of the following:

At least 1 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Statement of Attainment, with no restriction on which WSQ course can be taken

An in-house training programme that must be guided by specified training topics (Admin: HR, Admin, Finance, IT; Driving: Logistics, Safety, Ops).

Grace Period for Employers

Employers are given a grace period to comply with the OPW training requirements.


For new hires: Six months from the new hire’s date of employment.

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FAQs

OPW (Occupational Progressive Wages) was developed by the National Wages Council (NWC) to uplift lower-wage Singapore citizens and permanent residents in cross-industry roles, specifically administrators and drivers, by linking wage growth to skills upgrading, productivity improvements, and career progression. It extends the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) approach to these occupations.

From 1 March 2023, employers must meet OPW wage and training requirements for their covered local employees (Singapore citizens/PRs in admin/driver roles) to renew existing work passes or apply for new ones. Non-compliance affects eligibility for Work Passes for foreign workers.

Non-compliance can result in ineligibility to renew existing work passes or apply for new ones for foreign workers. This may disrupt operations if the firm relies on foreign manpower.

Any WSQ course qualifies, there are no restrictions on the specific course. Employers can also meet the requirement through completion of an approved in-house training programme.

No. OPW applies only to Singapore citizens and permanent residents in administrative or driving roles (full-time or part-time on a contract of service) who are employed by firms that hire foreign workers.

Visit the official Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website. It includes detailed guidelines, wage ladders, job descriptions, and FAQs.

Check if they are Singapore citizens/PRs in admin or driving roles (full-time/part-time on contract of service) and your firm employs foreign workers. Refer to MOM’s detailed job descriptions for administrators and drivers to confirm coverage based on actual job scope.

No, not automatically. Coverage depends on whether their primary role falls under the “driving” category per MOM’s job descriptions (e.g., professional drivers). Incidental vehicle use (e.g., occasional delivery by an admin) typically does not qualify unless driving is a core job function.

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