BCA to scrap overseas construction tests for China, Thailand in 2027

Hiring timelines are expected to drop from four months to one month.

From January 2027, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will cease overseas testing for new construction work permit holders from China and Thailand, according to Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat.

Announcing the changes at the BuildSG Lead Summit 2026, Chee said firms will instead be allowed to bring workers into Singapore and conduct testing locally.

Moreover, the requirement will be removed for all source countries from January 2028.

Chee said the move follows industry feedback that overseas testing prolongs hiring timelines and results in mismatches between workers’ skills and job requirements.

The BCA will also expand the ‘Alternative Entry Pathway Programme‘, allowing firms to hire workers with recognised foreign vocational certifications or equivalent skills.

In addition, the authority will work with the Ministry of Manpower to impose higher levy rates on workers who are not certified within six months of work permit issuance.

The higher rates will apply only after the six-month grace period.

“What we want to achieve is the outcome where we incentivise firms to train and to certify your workers in a timely manner, so that they can be deployed quickly to job roles that match their training,“ Chee said.

The changes are expected to reduce hiring timelines from about four months to around one month, and improve alignment between workers’ skills and job roles, he added.