Progressive Wage Model (PWM)
for the food services sector
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What is pwm?
The Food Services Progressive Wage Model (PWM) affects Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are full-time or part-time employees in food services job roles in Quick Service (QS) food establishments or Full Service (FS) food establishments.
From 1 March 2023, employers must ensure that all food services workers that are Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) 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 training modules in order to renew existing work passes or apply for new work passes.
Who it covers?
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 (SFA) Food Retail or Food Processing (Central Kitchen) licence, and
Employed by firms which hire foreign workers on mainstream work passes (i.e. Work Permit, S Pass, Employment Pass), regardless of whether the firm is classified under the Food and Beverage Service Activities Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) or another SSIC.
Wage requirements
The food services PWM is a three to four-level career progression model, depending on career track. It features:
- Specific training requirements that tap on the Skills Framework for Food Services. This ensures that food services workers are equipped with the skills needed to carry out their job functions.
- Progressive wages set at each level to ensure that food services workers are paid wages that are commensurate with their skills and productivity.
The wage requirements recommended in the TCF’s report will take effect from 1 March 2023.
Wage requirements for part-time workers are pro-rated on a 44-hours basis.
The TCF will undertake a review of the wage schedule in 2025.
All resident food services workers covered under the Food Services PWM are required to attain at least two (2) WSQ training modules aligned to the endorsed Technical Skills & Competencies (TSCs) based on their job role.
ALS Singapore offer courses which will enable food service companies and their staff to meet the mandatory requirements
Waiter
Customer Service Excellence for Food Services L1
Workplace Safety and Health for Food and Beverage Operations L2
Food and Beverage Service L1 (Not avaliable)
Waiter Supervisor
Customer Service Excellence for Food Services L1
Workplace Safety and Health for Food and Beverage Operations L2
Productivity Optimization for Food and Beverages Operations L2 (Currently not available)
Systems and Work Process Improvement L1 (Currently not available)
Manager
Customer Service Excellence L3 (Currently not available)
Workplace Safety and Health for Food and Beverage Operations L3 (Currently not available)
Productivity Optimization for Food and Beverages Operations L4 (Currently not available)
Systems and Work Process Improvement L3 Food Safety Course L3 (Currently not available)
Counter Attendant / Stall Assistant
Customer Service Excellence for Food Services L1
Workplace Safety and Health for Food and Beverage Operations L2
Food and Beverage Service L1 (Not avaliable)
Kitchen Assistant
Workplace Safety and Health for Food and Beverage Operations L2
Food Waste Disposal and Reduction L2 (Currently not available)
Cook / Senior Cook
Workplace Safety and Health for Food and Beverage Operations L2
Food Waste Disposal and Reduction L2 (Currently not available)
Food Services PWM
The PWM for Food Service Industry will be implemented from 1 March 2023. The food services PWM will cover two categories of food services job roles:
Category A
This includes Quick Service (QS) food establishments, including food courts, eating houses, food kiosks, and fast-food outlets where customers are manually collecting their food and drink orders from food service counters.
Supermarkets that have ready-to-eat food stations.
Category B
Full-Service (FS) food establishments, which are establishments that have wait staff such as waiters or banquet servers and are not under Category A.
- Caterers
- Central kitchens
Training requirements
Singaporean and PR food service workers need to minimally attend at least 2 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) training module out of the list of approved courses to fulfil their Food Services PWM training requirements.
You can also conduct in-house WSQ training modules if these modules have the prefix “FSS” in the accompanying Technical Skills & Competencies (TSC) code.
Employers will get a grace period to fulfill the food services PMW training requirements:
For new employees: Six months from their date of employment
For existing employees: Until 29 February 2024
By attending proper training, food services employees would be able to increase their productivity and offer good food services experiences to customers as well.
Source: Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
Phased implementation of food services PWM
From the first six months from March 2023 to August 2023, MOM will give employers time to adjust and comply with the food services wage requirements.
Instead of enforcement, MOM will focus on educating employers on the food services PWM wage requirements. Those who do not comply with the requirements during this transitional period will not have their work pass privileges suspended.
