Multi-Skilling Scheme
Register your experienced workers for the Multi-Skilling Scheme to build a pool of competent multi-skilled construction workers and improve on-site productivity.
Last updated 14 March 2026
The Multi-Skilling Scheme provides an alternative pathway for the industry to upgrade their experienced workers. It complements the CoreTrade Scheme, which caters to workers specialised in key construction trades.
What is the Multi-Skilling Scheme?
The scheme aims to:
Build up a pool of workers who are competent in multiple construction trades and can carry out more than one type of work task on-site.
Provide employers with greater flexibility in deploying multi-skilled workers on-site, which helps to reduce downtime and improve productivity.
Construction personnel registered under the Multi-Skilling Scheme are qualified as "Higher Skilled" R1 construction workers.
Who is eligible?
Workers can register under the Multi-Skilling Scheme through three pathways, each with specific requirements:
General workers
Minimum experience: 4 years of construction experience in Singapore¹
Required certifications: 2 acceptable certifications:
First certification: Any SEC or SEC(K)² trade certification, or Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) certification for Malaysian Work Permit Holders
Second certification³: Any SEC(K) trade certification in a different trade from the first certification
Workers trained in approved safety courses
Available from 1 October 2016
Minimum experience: 6 years of construction experience in Singapore¹
Required qualifications: SEC(K) in construction trade, plus either:
120 hours of training in approved safety-related courses [PDF, 311 KB], OR
WSQ Advanced Certificate in Workplace Safety and Health
Landscape construction workers
Available from 1 Sep 2018
Minimum experience: 6 years of construction experience in Singapore¹
Required qualifications: SEC(K) in construction trade, plus:
Employed by firm registered under NParks Landscape Company Registry (LCR)
One of the following:
WSQ Higher Certificate in Landscape (Horticulture and Turf Maintenance)
WSQ Certificate in Landscape Operations by NParks (This programme is no longer available and valid only for certification obtained before 10 Feb 2022.)
Important notes:
¹ During registration, the employer will need to produce documents showing the Work Permit Holder's years of working experience in Singapore.
² SEC(K) certification is available at:
BCA Academy and various BCA Approved Training and Testing Centre (ATTCs)
Various BCA Appointed Overseas Testing Centres (OTCs)
³ View the complete list of SEC(K) trade skills recognised under the 2nd certificate of the Multi-Skilling Scheme below.
SEC(K) trade skills recognised under 2nd certificate
The following 74 trade skills are recognised for the second certification under the Multi-Skilling Scheme:
Table of trade skills recognised for the second certification
No. | Trade Skill | No. | Trade Skill |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aircon Piping Installation | 38 | Marine Driven Piling Operation |
2 | Aluminium Formwork | 39 | Marine Sand Compaction Piling Operation |
3 | Asphalt Concrete Paving | 40 | Metal Scaffold Erection |
4 | Bored Micro-Piling Operation | 41 | Metal Scaffold Erection (System Scaffold) |
5 | Bored Piling Operation | 42 | Metal Scaffold Erection (Tubular Scaffold) |
6 | Bricklaying | 43 | Mobile Crane Operation |
7 | Cladding Installation | 44 | Painting |
8 | Construction Plant Operation (Bulldozer Operation) | 45 | Pipefitting |
9 | Construction Plant Operation (Excavator Loader Operation) | 46 | Plastering |
10 | Construction Plant Operation (Track Shovel Operation) | 47 | Plumbing & Pipefitting |
11 | Crawler Crane Operation | 48 | Precast Concrete Component Erection |
12 | Crawler Drill Operation | 49 | Precast Concrete Component Erection (with Tower Crane Hoist) |
13 | Curtain Wall Installation | 50 | Precast Kerb and Drain Laying |
14 | Deep Cement Mixing Operation | 51 | Precision Blocklaying and Wall Panel Installation |
15 | Doors & Windows Installation (Timber) | 52 | Prestressing |
16 | Doors and Windows Installation (Aluminium) | 53 | Soil Drilling & instrumentation |
17 | Driven Piling Operation | 54 | Steel Reinforcement Work |
18 | Ducting Installation for Air-Conditioning and Ventilation | 55 | Structural Steel Fitting |
19 | Electrical Wiring Installation | 56 | Suspended Ceiling Installation (Acoustical) |
20 | Enhanced Aluminium Formwork | 57 | Suspended Ceiling Installation (Fibrous Plaster) |
21 | Enhanced System Formwork | 58 | Suspended Scaffold Installation (Mast Climbing Platform) |
22 | Enhanced Timber Formwork | 59 | Suspended Scaffold Installation (Gondola) |
23 | Fibre Optics Installation | 60 | System Formwork Installation |
24 | Fire Sprinkler Installation | 61 | Telescopic Handler Operation |
25 | Gas Pipefitting | 62 | Thermal Insulation |
26 | Glazing | 63 | Tiling |
27 | Guniting | 64 | Timber Flooring |
28 | Hydraulic Excavator Operation | 65 | Timber Formwork |
29 | Hydraulic Excavator Operation (as Lifting Machine) | 66 | Tower Crane (Luffing Jib) Operation |
30 | Interior Drywall Installation | 67 | Tower Crane (Saddle Jib) Operation |
31 | Interlocking Blocks Pavement Construction | 68 | Trenchless Pipe Installation |
32 | Interior Gas Pipefitting | 69 | Tunnel Boring Machine (Earth Pressure Method) |
33 | Jack-in Piling Operation | 70 | Tunnel Boring Machine (Slurry Method) |
34 | Jet Grout Piling Operation | 71 | Underground Pipe-Jacking |
35 | Joinery | 72 | Waterproofing |
36 | Lift Installation | 73 | Welding |
37 | Marine Dredging Plant Operation | 74 | Mini Crane Operation |
How to apply
Online registration portal
The Construction Workforce Registration System (CWRS) is an online portal for Multi-Skilling registration and renewal.
Application steps:
Submit an online application through the CWRS.
Follow the step-by-step guide found on the CWRS login page.
Pay the non-refundable application fee of $22 (inclusive of GST) for Multi-Skilling registration or renewal.
Required Documentation
During registration, employers must provide:
Documents showing the Work Permit Holder's years of working experience in Singapore
Relevant certification documents
Employment verification for landscape workers (NParks LCR registration)
Related workforce development pathways
The Multi-Skilling Scheme is one of four pathways available for upgrading "Basic Skilled" R2 Work Permit Holders to "Higher Skilled" R1 workers:
Pathway | Overview | Minimum Years of Experience | Skills or Certification Required | Minimum Fixed Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Registration scheme for experienced workers in the various key construction trades, who have passed the stipulated skill assessments by BCA. | 4 years | Yes | No minimum | |
Allows the upgrading of WPHs who have at least 4 to 6 years of construction experience in Singapore, and are certified in 2 or more trade skills. | 4 to 6 years | Yes | No minimum | |
Allows the upgrading of workers who pass the SEC(K) at Direct R1 higher skills standards, and draw a fixed monthly salary of $1,600 or more. | No minimum | Yes | $1,600 | |
Allows the upgrading of workers who have at least 6 years' construction experience in Singapore, and earn a fixed monthly salary of $1,600 or more. | 6 years | No | $1,600 |
Continuing Education and Training (CET) requirements
Personnel registered under the CoreTrade, Multi-Skilling and Direct R1 schemes are required to attend Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses under their respective registered trade category in order to renew their registration or their R1 eligibility.
The CET courses are available at BCA Academy and the appointed BCA Approved Training and Testing Centres (ATTCs).