Trade Testing for New Foreign Workers
The Skills Evaluation Certificate (Knowledge) or SEC(K) trade test evaluates the foreign workers’ trade knowledge and craft-skills competency. Foreign workers who are interested to work as construction work pass holders (WPHs) in Singapore are required to pass this SEC(K) trade test, which comprises of two components:
a. Written test
A 1-hour written test consisting of multiple–choice questions (MCQs) in English with translations in Chinese, Tamil and Thai. It ensures that the workers possess essential trade knowledge such as the materials, tools and equipment used in the trade, work sequence, good practices to be adopted and safety requirements.
b. Practical test
A 4 to 5-hour practical test to assess the workers’ practical craft-skills competency. It ensures that the workers are able to meet quality standards for the trade through the timely completion of a practical test project based on the expected skills set of a skilled tradesman.
The Overseas Testing Centre (OTC) will inform the candidates of their test results, and only those who pass will be awarded with the SEC(K) certificate during their identity verification at the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
Candidates who would like to know more about the SEC(K) trade test can purchase a set of the syllabus and sample test papers from the Manpower Development Department at S$21 (inclusive of 9% GST) per trade by placing an order via the Purchase of Trade Syllabus form.
The total fees for Skills Evaluation Certificate (Knowledge) for all the areas of test per candidate is capped at $925 (before GST), which is payable by the employer-to-be sponsoring the worker, to the OTC office in Singapore, at the point of test enrolment. A receipt will be issued to the employer- to-be upon payment by the respective Overseas Testing Centre (OTC).
Upgrading Pathway and Schemes for New or Experienced Foreign Workers
To raise the quality and productivity of the construction workforce in Singapore, BCA launched the following schemes overseas to allow new and experienced foreign workers to be eligible to become a Higher Skilled Worker (R1):
a. Direct R1 Pathway
For new and experienced workers who have 0 or less than 4 years of construction experience in Singapore. They must pass the SEC(K) trade test at higher skills standard, and draw a fixed monthly salary of S$1,600 or more to qualify as a Higher Skilled Worker (R1).
b. Multi-Skilling Scheme
For experienced workers who have at least 4 years of construction experience in Singapore. They must achieve at least 2 SEC(K) skill certifications of different trades, and be registered under the Multi-Skilling scheme to be recognised as a Higher Skilled Worker (R1).
c. Construction Registration of Tradesmen (CoreTrade) Scheme
For experienced workers who have at least 4 years of construction experience in Singapore and holding a valid work permit. They must be registered under the CoreTrade scheme, have valid Acknowledgement Notice (AN) and pass the stipulated skill assessments conducted by the BCA to be recognised as a Higher Skilled Worker (R1).
d. Market-Based Skills Recognition Framework (MBF)
For experienced workers who have at least 6 years of construction experience in Singapore and earn a fixed monthly salary of S$1,600 or more. The MBF is implemented by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and more details can be found in their website at https://www.mom.gov.sg/.
Registration Procedures for Overseas Trade Testing
Employers who would like to hire new or experienced foreign workers can approach the Singapore offices of the OTCs to check the closing dates for test registration each month.
The SEC(K) trade test can be registered with a Request of Approval (RA) administered by the Manpower Development Department of the BCA.
As MYE is not required to hire new workers from Jan 2025 onwards, an employer can register workers for tests at source without Prior Approval (PA). Instead, an employer can submit a Request for Approval (RA) to enrol a worker for a test. Employers are required to complete and submit the following documents to the BCA appointed OTCs’ Singapore offices to register their workers for tests.
- Declaration Letter for Overseas Test Registration
- Request for Approval (RA)
- Latest ACRA printout; and
- SLOT registration certificate (exempted for BCA registered contractor).
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I still need to register workers for the SEC(K) trade test using Man-Year Entitlement (MYE) or Prior Approvals (PA)?
Your firm no longer needs to use MYE and PA to register workers for SEC(K) trade tests, as the MYE and PA framework was fully dismantled on 31 December 2024.
2. What is Request for Approval (RA)?
Employers can submit a Request for Approval (RA) to register workers for tests. Workers who pass the SEC(K) test at basic skills level are eligible for a construction work pass.
3. Who can register workers for tests with RA?
Firms registered with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Contractors Registration System (CRS) or Singapore List of Trade Subcontractors (SLOTS) can register workers for tests.
4. How many workers can I register for tests with RA?
Employers are urged to register workers for tests with RA based on the number of work pass holders they can hire under their Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC). With effect from 1 Jan 2024, the DRC is 1:5 (i.e. 1 local employee to 5 WPHs or S Pass holders). For more information, please refer to: Supporting transformation in the Process and Construction Sectors.
5. Can a RA worker who is sponsored under Company A choose to be employed under Company B after passing their test?
Yes, a worker who has registered for SEC(K) with RA under Company A can choose to be employed under Company B after passing their test.
6. How can a worker obtain Higher-Skilled (R1) status?
Under the Direct R1 pathway, a worker who has passed SEC(K) at higher skills level and earns a monthly salary of $1,600 will qualify as a Higher-Skilled (R1) worker.
Employment and In-principle Approval Letter Endorsement
Upon receiving the test results from OTC, the employer is to apply for the worker's In-principle Approval (IPA) from MOM to bring worker to Skills Certification Enrolment Counter at BCA Academy (located at 200 Braddell Road) for identity verification and IPA letter endorsement within 4 or 5 months of the test date for those candidates who passed with PA or RA respectively. The identity verification and IPA letter endorsement is strictly by appointment only. Employer or the employer’s representative can login to Overseas Testing Management System (OTMS) at https://otms.bca.gov.sg/ to register for the appointment. Instructions and user guides can also be found at the website.
New Integrated Syllabi for Formwork Trades
All trainings and testing of formwork trades held at the Approved Training and Testing Centres (ATTCs) and Overseas Testing Centres (OTCs) will be based on a new integrated syllabus, which has been enhanced with formwork safety components with effect from 1 January 2016.
Workers who attended the training and passed the test at the ATTCs or OTCs based on the integrated syllabi are exempted from attending the Formwork Safety Course for Workers (FSCW) conducted by MOM’s Accredited Training Providers (ATPs) or Learning Service Providers (LSPs). The certificates issued to these workers will have “Enhanced” added to the trade names. For example: Enhanced Aluminium Formwork, Enhanced System Formwork and Enhanced Timber Formwork.