Outsourced Progressive Wage Model workers to get minimum 10 days of leave from 2029

• Outsourced Progressive Wage Model (PWM) workers in Singapore will receive at least 10 days of annual leave from 2029, up from the current seven-day minimum.

• Enhancement will benefit outsourced workers in sectors such as cleaning, security, landscape, lift and escalator maintenance, and waste management.
  

• NTUC launched a public appreciation campaign to raise the image of PWM workers and encourage Singaporeans to recognise their role in keeping the country clean, green, safe and liveable.

• NTUC also unveiled the Please Watch-over Me comic book to bring real-life stories of PWM workers to life, fostering greater empathy for PWM workers.

Around two out of three outsourced cleaners, security officers, landscape technicians, lift and escalator employees, and waste management workers can look forward to more annual leave under a new enhancement to the Progressive Wage Model (PWM).

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will raise the minimum annual leave entitlement to 10 days, while keeping other existing statutory leave benefits under the law.

Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash announced the leave enhancement on 19 July 2026 at an NTUC-led “Appreciating Our PWM Workers” event, following consultations with tripartite partners.

He said: “This move is in line with our broader effort to professionalise outsourced PWM sectors – sectors that many of us rely on every day for essential services.

“It will enable these sectors to better attract and retain talent, harness a stable and capable core resident workforce, and deliver consistent, quality service.”

The leave increase will be progressively rolled out from 2029 to give employers time to adjust their business operations. A specific implementation timeline can be expected following further discussions by the respective tripartite representatives within the impacted PWM sectors.

NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Melvin Yong welcomed the move, noting that it supports workers who join a new employer in hope of remaining at the same job site.

He said: “I am glad that our employers and the Government support NTUC’s call for raising the baseline leave entitlement. It will better recognise our workers’ years of service and improve their welfare.”

Enhanced PWM leave supports continuous employment

Currently, under the Singapore Employment Act, PWM workers are entitled to a minimum of seven days of annual leave in their first year of service. This gradually increases by one day per year, up to a maximum entitlement of 14 days.

However, when a new employer takes over an existing contract to provide these essential services, workers rehired to continue the job may find their leave reset to seven days regardless of the number of days they had under the previous employer.

The widespread practice within these sectors has often been cited as unfair to outsourced workers, who may lose their accumulated leave benefits despite working continuously for many years.

PWM workers share their views on the extra leave days

Cleaner Lim Swee Mai (above), who has spent the past seven months keeping Simei HDB blocks spick and span, warmly welcomed the additional leave.

“It’s good to have more days of leave. I can use them to go on holidays with my friends,” said the 67-year-old with a smile.

Contracted to work for East Coast Town Council, Mr Lim used to take on odd jobs at Changi Airport before switching to cleaning, which he finds less physically demanding.

He is not alone. Many other cleaners are also heartened by the move.

Cleaning supervisor Albert Lee (above), 62, who oversees a team of 10 cleaners, said his team members are pleased with the extra leave.

“The workers are very happy with the three extra days of leave. It is almost 45 per cent more than the seven days they currently have, giving them more time to do the things they want,” he shared.

How the PWM has improved careers over the years

At the event, Mr Yong also gave an update on how workers have progressed under the PWM.

Since NTUC introduced the model in 2012, it has expanded to uplift the careers of more than 200,000 workers across eight sectors and two occupations. Today’s PWM sectors cover cleaning, security, landscape, waste management, retail, food services, and pest management.

Mr Yong cited workers in the cleaning sector — the first sector to come under the PWM — as an example. Their entry-level salaries have more than doubled, from about $1,000 when the PWM was implemented in 2014 to $2,080 today.

However, despite the progress made under the PWM through the years, Mr Yong was quick to add that challenges remain in skills upgrading.

In a recent NTUC survey of some 1,500 PWM workers, more than 50 per cent cited time constraints as the top reason for not upskilling.

He urged PWM employers and service buyers to continue supporting workers in growing their skills to further develop their careers.

Public movement to recognise PWM workers’ contributions to Singapore

Beyond the security of the wage and career progression PWM provides, many workers are still unable to sweep away the stigma surrounding the essential work they do.

To address this, NTUC launched a new campaign at the event to raise the image of PWM workers in the public eye.

And the campaign’s message is this: Show greater appreciation to PWM workers who perform the essential work of making Singapore a clean, green, safe, and liveable city.

“While policies like PWM strengthen wages and career progression, building a culture of respect and appreciation is equally important in uplifting workers,” said Mr Yong, who is also the director of NTUC’s Care Division.

Local comic book to foster deeper empathy for PWM workers

At the event, NTUC also unveiled the Please Watch-over Me comic book to further recognise PWM workers’ contributions to Singapore.

Popular local artist Johnny Lau, of Mr Kiasu fame, lent his talent to bring the real-life stories of these everyday heroes to life through tasteful illustrations infused with his signature local style.

NTUC also celebrated the occasion with a showcase at Heartlands@Bedok to educate the public on the PWM and its workers. Representatives from NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) and NTUC LearningHub were also on-site to highlight PWM career pathways, training opportunities and job openings

Find out more about the Progressive Wage Model improves essential workers’ wages, welfare and work prospects.