Question 1

What is the Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

The Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) is MOM's cap on the proportion of foreign workers a company can employ relative to its local workforce. Different sectors have different ceilings: Manufacturing 60%, Services 35%, Construction and Process 87.5%, Marine Shipyard 77.8%. The DRC is used alongside the Man-Year Entitlement (MYE) to control foreign worker inflows.

Question 2

How much is the foreign worker levy in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

Levy rates vary by sector and skill tier. For Services sector, the basic-skilled levy starts from S$650/month (Tier 1) and can reach S$800/month for Tier 3. Higher-skilled (R1) workers pay lower levies — approximately S$450/month in Services. Construction levies are S$950/month (basic) or S$300/month (higher skilled). Manufacturing levies range from S$300 to S$550/month.

Question 3

How many foreign workers can I hire for every local in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

For Services sector (DRC 35%), you can hire roughly 0.54 foreign workers per local — meaning 10 locals allows up to 5 foreigners. For Manufacturing (DRC 60%), it's 1.5 foreigners per local, so 10 locals allows 15 foreigners. The formula is: max foreign = local × DRC ÷ (1 − DRC).

Question 4

What is the DRC for the services sector?

Accepted Answer

The Services sector DRC is 35%, meaning at most 35% of the workforce can be foreign workers on Work Permits. This is the strictest ceiling of the major sectors, reflecting MOM's goal to keep service jobs accessible to Singaporeans and PRs. The Services sector also has MYE restrictions.

Question 5

What is Man-Year Entitlement (MYE) in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

Man-Year Entitlement (MYE) is an additional quota mechanism used in Construction and Process sectors, controlling the total number of Work Permit holders a company can employ based on project value. One Man-Year represents one worker for one year. MYE applies on top of the DRC and is allocated by MOM per project.

Foreign Worker Quota Calculator Singapore 2026

What is the Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC)?

Sector DRC Table 2026

Monthly Levy Rates (Indicative)

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Sector	DRC	Foreign:Local Ratio
Manufacturing	60%	1.5 : 1
Services	35%	0.54 : 1
Construction	87.5%	7 : 1
Process	87.5%	7 : 1
Marine Shipyard	77.8%	3.5 : 1

Sector	Basic (R2)	Higher Skilled (R1)
Manufacturing	S$550	S$300
Services	S$650	S$450
Construction	S$950	S$300
Process	S$650	S$450
Marine Shipyard	S$400	S$300