More than 9 in 10 migrant workers were satisfied with their working and living conditions in Singapore in 2024: MOM

While 47.5% of employers felt they had good access to migrant workers overall, only 27.3% said it was easy to find migrant workers with the relevant skills, suggesting that there is room for improvement to enable employers to hire higher-skilled workers, particularly in more specialised roles. 

In 2024, 95.3% of migrant workers indicated that they were satisfied with working and living in Singapore, according to the Ministry of Manpower's recent Migrant Worker Experience and Employer Survey 2024. Per to the report, released on Thursday (21 August 2025), this statistic is an improvement from 2018 (86.3%), and it is the highest level recorded since the survey began in 2011. 

In addition, 96.7% of workers surveyed in 2024 said they would continue working in Singapore or return in the future, which is also an increase from 91.9% in 2018, reflecting continued confidence in Singapore as a preferred destination for work.

When asked about their plans after their current contracts expire, 96.7% of migrant workers said they planned to continue working in Singapore – either with their current employer, a new employer or return to Singapore for employment in the future. This is an increase from 91.9% in 2018, suggesting continued confidence in Singapore as a preferred destination of work. 

This positive outlook is also reflected in their willingness to recommend Singapore to others. In 2024, 92.3% of migrant workers indicated they would recommend Singapore to friends and relatives as a place to work, up from 84% in 2018.

The main drivers behind these recommendations were a safe working environment (84.4%), high salary (71.2%), and worker protection (65.2%). The top five reasons are as follows: 

These sentiments not only highlight Singapore’s appeal as a destination for work but also underscore the importance of employer-employee dynamics. From the employers’ perspective, the relationship is similarly positive – with a majority (70.8%) reporting satisfaction with the quality of their migrant workers, suggesting generally favorable sentiments toward their workforce.

With regards to retention of migrant workers, three in four employers reported that they retained more than 80% of their migrant workers through the renewal of their Work Permit contracts. This points to a stable employment relationship.

When it comes to recruitment, employment agencies or agents in Singapore were the most common channel used by employers, with 56.2% engaging their services. Word-of-mouth recommendations from other migrant workers were also significant, cited by 45.8% of employers. Among the 28.8% who indicated “Others,” most pointed to online job portals as a recruitment method.

For those who engaged overseas employment agencies or agents, the majority (95.4%) relied on them for sourcing prospective workers. These agencies and agents also commonly supported employers with skills testing of workers and arranging transportation.

Employers were also proactive in retaining their workers, with nearly nine in 10 (88.8%) reporting that they would offer benefits to encourage migrant workers to remain with the firm. Salary increment was the most common retention measure, offered by 81.7% of employers, followed by promotion opportunities (37.5%). Other benefits included one-time contract-extension bonuses (9.6%), additional paid work opportunities (7.0%), and extra monthly rest days (5.5%).

In addition, most employers (80.6%) provided training beyond mandatory requirements, underscoring their commitment to maintaining a skilled workforce. Job-specific core competencies were the most common type of training (68.8%), followed by safety and first-aid courses (39.6%).

The report also gathered other survey findings, including: 

1. Migrant workers
   1. Pre and in-employment experiences
   2. Channels of assistance and information 
   3. Perceptions on access and skills

1. Perception of MOM and workplace conditions 
2. Employers of migrant workers
   1. Medical insurance

"We are encouraged by the high and rising levels of satisfaction among workers, as well as their continued trust in MOM’s regulatory role. The strong adoption of fair employment practices and high employer retention rates point to a well-functioning system," MOM shared in a statement.

MOM acknowledged that employers are facing growing challenges in finding workers with the right skills and noted that steps are being taken to address this.

"As announced at the Committee of Supply 2025, we will enhance the Work Permit framework to raise the quality of Work Permit holders and enable employers to hire and retain higher quality workers," The Ministry added.

Further, MOM commented that it will continue to work closely with key stakeholders to improve workers’ living conditions and support their wellbeing, highlighting its first built-and-owned Purpose-Built Dormitory, scheduled for completion in early 2026, as an example, which reflects the higher standards it is working towards – with spaces designed for livability and stronger public health resilience.

READ MORE: MOM urges companies to conduct Safety Time-Out amid rise in workplace fatalities
Lead image / MOM