What is it all about?
The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) is a scheme that was introduced by the Singapore government in 2012 to encourage companies to pay their worker’s fair wages and provide them with opportunities for skills upgrading and career progression. PWM is aimed at enhancing the skills and productivity of workers, improving the quality of their lives, and supporting the growth of the economy.
Workers enjoy a clearer career pathway for their wages to rise along with training and improvements in productivity and standards. At the same time, higher productivity improves business profits for employers. which in turn benefits both the workers and their employers.
Customers will also enjoy better service and quality.
Who does it cover?
The PWM requirements cover Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are :
- Full-time or part-time food services employees on a contract of service, working in a premise that has a Singapore Food Agency Food retail or Food processing (Central Kitchen) licence, and
- Employed by firms that hire foreign workers on mainstream work passes (i.e Work Permits, S Pass, Employment Pass), regardless of whether the firm is classified under the Food & Beverage Service Activities Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) or another SSIC.
The PWM requirements are mandatory from 1st March 2023 onwards, companies are required to fulfil these
requirements in order to renew or hire new work passes. The PWM is also a pre-requisite for companies to renew or register for the relevant licenses or registries to operate their businesses.
Wage Requirements
The food services PWM is a three to four-level career progression model, depending on the career track.
It features:
- Specific training requirements that tap on the Skills Framework for Food Services. This ensures that food service workers are equipped with the skills needed to carry out their job functions.
- Progressive wages are set at each level to ensure that food service workers are paid wages that are commensurate with their skills and productivity. Wage requirements for part-time workers are prorated on a 44-hours basis.
Monthly Gross Wage
Total monthly gross wage (for full-time work of 35- 44 hours per week) refers to the sum of:
- Basic wage
- Allowances, e.g travel, food and housing
- Productivity incentive payments
It Excludes : - Bonuses, e.g. Annual Wage Supplement
- Stock options
- Reimbursement of special expenses incurred in
- the course of employment
- Payments-in-kind
- Employer CPF contributions
Training Requirements
Employers must ensure that their Singapore citizen and PR food services workers meet the food services PWM training requirements of attaining at least 2 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Statement of Attainment, out of the list of approved WSQ courses.
The 2 WSQ courses will be a combination of
- Food Safety and Hygiene Level 1 (Mandatory)
- Any other course out of the list of approved courses.
Employers who do not comply with the requirements will not enjoy their work pass privileges.
List of APPROVED WSQ training modules endorsed by the TCF that have the prefix “FSS” in the accompanying Technical Skills & Competencies (TSC) code, these training modules can be used to meet the training requirements as well.
COMPLIANCE OF FOOD SERVICES PWM WAGES AND ENFORCEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF MANPOWER (MOM)
From 1 March 2023 to 31 August 2023, MOM will focus on helping and allowing employers of food service
workers to understand and adhere to the PWM requirements. MOM will focus on educating employers on the food services PWM wage requirements.
However, if employers underpay the mandated Food Services PWM wages, they should
make up for the shortfall. They should also make the corresponding Employee’s Central
Provident Fund (CPF) deduction and Employer’s CPF contributions in accordance with
the CPF Act.
1 September 2023 onwards
Those who do not comply with the requirements during this transitional period will not have their work pass privileges suspended.
Should there be any non-compliance with Food Services PWM requirements, MOM will advise employers on the appropriate rectification actions to take within a reasonable timeframe, failing which suspension of Work Pass privileges (such that employers will not be able to apply for new or renew existing Work Passes) may be imposed.
We do Provide training to cover the requirement for PWM in Food Services.
For More Information on the PWM and download our brochure or Training Matters,
Do contact our Training Consultant :
1) Adrian Tan
Email: Adrian@avanceacademy.sg
Contact Number: +65 8688 7869