The CoreTrade Registration Scheme was introduced, in Dec 2008, to facilitate the construction sector in building up a core group of competent and experience construction personnel in key construction trades to anchor and lead the construction workforce. It provides a platform to retain these workers by providing them a clear career progression path and giving them due recognition through a registration system.

Foreign work permit holders, who are CoreTrade registered, are qualified as “Higher Skilled” workers. This will allow their employer to benefit from a lower foreign worker’s levy and a longer employment period in Singapore for the workers. CoreTrade registered personnel are also required for manpower deployment under the Building Control (Amendment) Act 2007. This act requires licensed Class 1 General Builders to deploy a minimum of such registered workers in their projects.

You may refer to following websites for more information on MOM foreign worker's work permit and tier levy scheme
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-worker/sector-specific-rules/higher-skilled-workers-for-construction-sector
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-worker/sector-specific-rules/construction-sector-requirements

Workers who are eligible for registration include locals, as well as suitable longer-staying and experienced foreign workers who have been working in the Singapore construction industry. Construction personnel, local and foreign alike, will be assessed based on their skill level and relevant working experience for registration under this scheme

Employer or its representative applying on behalf of their worker should select ‘Company’ option to submit the application. When approved, applicant must use the employer’s One Stop login account when enrolling the worker for Skills Assessment (SA) and Continuing Education and Training (CET).

Workers who are applying for themselves can select ‘Individual’ option to submit the application. Those who submit via ‘Individual’ option must register for an individual One Stop login account to enrol for SA and CET.

Workers can apply for registration in any of the 17 trade categories. A total of more than 60 trades are available for skills assessment under these categories. Please refer to www.bca.gov.sg/CoreTrade/registration_requirements.html for more information on the trade categories available for registration,

Besides academic or technical qualification, an applicant must also fulfil the minimum local construction work experience requirement to be eligible for registration. Generally, a foreign work pass holder with a Skills Evaluation Certificate would need 4 years of local construction experience to be eligible for registration as Tradesman, 6 years for Trade Foreman and 8 years for Supervisor.

Yes, he can apply directly as CoreTrade Supervisor if he fulfils the requirement for registration. Generally, a foreign worker with a Skills Evaluation Certificate would need a minimum of 8 years of local construction experience to be eligible for registration.

No. It is not necessary for foreign worker permit holders from the *Non-Traditional Sources (NTS) or PRC, who apply for work permit under the construction sector, to submit this certificate during their CoreTrade application. These group of workers are required to possess a Skills Evaluation Certificate when they applied for work permit as new entrants.

*As defined under Ministry of Manpower Work Pass framework, PRC refers to workers from the People's Republic of China; Non-Traditional Sources (NTS) refers to workers from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Philippines

A non-refundable application fee of $10 is charged, currently, for each online application (The application fee will be $15 with effect from 1 Oct 2018).When approved, applicants are required to enrol for the mandatory training course and skills assessment conducted at various BCA Approved Training and Testing Centre (ATTCs) and BCA Academy.

You may enroll your worker for the required skills assessment with any of BCA Approved Training and Testing Centres (ATTC) or BCA Academy with a copy of the acknowledgment notice. This notice can be printed online when the application is approved

Yes. The acknowledgment notice is valid for 6 months. A worker is required to pass the skills assessment before the expiry of the notice. Failing which, he will be required to submit a new application which will be subjected to the prevailing registration criteria.

The skills assessments for Tradesman and Trade Foreman are conducted in English, with translation in Mandarin, Tamil and Thai. The training and end-of-course assessment for Supervisor is conducted in English. However, special arrangement can be made for these to be conducted in Mandarin.

Employer who sponsored their workers for training and assessment, at BCA Approved Training and Testing Centres (ATTC) or BCA Academy, can apply for up to 80% funding of the training and test fee under the Workforce Training and Upgrading (WTU) Scheme. Please refer to www.bca.gov.sg/manpower/wtu.html for more information on the funding criteria and guidelines.

A plumber and gas service worker licensed by Public Utilities Board and an electrical worker licensed by the Energy Market Authority, can directly qualify for registration as Tradesman or Trade Foreman in Plumbing & Pipefitting Works, Gas Pipefitting or Electrical Works, respectively, if they meet the minimum years of working experience requirement. No skills assessment is required.

Similarly, a worker authorised by the Ministry of Manpower to operate cranes under its Workplace Safety and Health (Operation of Cranes) Regulations, can directly qualify to be a Tradesman in Construction Plant Operation if he meets the minimum years of worker experience requirement.

Please note, however, that being a registered personnel in the above cases does not automatically qualify a worker to become a Licensed Plumber, Licensed Electrical Worker or authorized crane operator.

CoreTrade registration is valid for 2 years. Online application for renewal can be made 3 months before the expiry date. On approval, the worker will be required to attend the Continuing Education and Training (CET); a half-day course that teaches the latest codes and regulations, good practices, and demonstration of new methods, materials, tools and equipment relevant to the specific construction trade.

The CET is conducted by various BCA Approved Training and Testing Centre (ATTC) and BCA Academy. You may approach any of these providers to enroll for the CET with the acknowledgment letter. The letter can be printed online when the renewal has been approved.

The Multi-Skilling Registration Scheme provides an upgrading pathways for construction workers to progress from “Basic Skilled” to “Higher Skilled’ status under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s skills framework for the construction sector. It registers workers who are competent in multiple trade skills.

Foreign work permit holders who are registered under the Multi-Skilling scheme will be qualified as “Higher Skilled” personnel. This will allow their employer to benefit from a lower foreign worker’s levy and a longer employment period, in Singapore, for the workers.

To qualify for registration, the workers must have a minimum of 4 years local construction work experience and possess 2 Skills Evaluation Certificate, of different trades, issued by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

With effect from 1 Oct 2016, the Multi-skilling scheme will be extended for experienced construction personnel who are specialized in safety-related works. To be eligible, workers must have a Skills Evaluation Certificate, minimum of 6 years local construction work experience and the following certificate(s):

a) Attended at least 120 hours of training in stipulated safety-related courses with minimum 50 hours of training in selected courses with supervisory-level contents

OR

b) Obtained the WSQ Advanced Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health (WSH)

The application for registration can be submitted online at www.bca.gov.sg/cwrs. This portal will allow you to submit and also check the status of application as well as to print related forms and information at your convenience.

Skills Evaluation Certificate or SEC(K) is a skills certification framework conducted by the Building and Construction Authority to assess a worker’s competency and skills in a particular construction trade. The test, which comprises a practical and theory component, is conducted in English, with translation in Mandarin, Tamil and Thai.

Proof of your worker’s certification must be submitted during application. You can submit a statement obtainable from BCA’s Manpower Development Department to authenticate that he has attained the SEC(K) certification. An administrative fee will be imposed for the request of such statement.

No. The training is not compulsory. The worker may either enrol to take a direct test or opt to enrol in a related training course prior to the test. Both the training and test are offered by BCA Academy and BCA’s appointed Approved Training and Testing centres (ATTCs).

Application for this test can be made at BCA Academy or at the BCA Approved Training and Testing Centres (ATTCs).

Employer who sponsored their workers for their 2nd SEC(K) at BCA Approved Training and Testing Centres (ATTC) or BCA Academy, can apply for up to 80% funding of the course or test fee under the Workforce Training and Upgrading (WTU) Scheme. Please refer to www.bca.gov.sg/manpower/wtu.html for more information on the funding criteria and guidelines.

The Multi-Skilling registration is valid for a period of 2 years. All Multi-Skilled personnel are required to submit an application for renewal and attend a mandatory Continual Education and Training (CET) for the renewal of their registration.

You must, first, submit an online application for renewal. Once approved, You may approach any of BCA Approved Training and Testing Centre (ATTC) or BCA Academy to enroll for the CET with the acknowledgment letter. The letter can be printed online when the renewal has been approved.

No action is required from the employer. BCA will update MOM of all foreign workers who are upgraded to higher-skilled status under the CoreTrade registration scheme.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is updated monthly, by BCA, of all foreign construction workers who are upgraded to higher-skilled status under the CoreTrade or Multi-Skilling registration scheme. The levy adjustment, by MOM, takes effect from the following month.

On the expiry of the CoreTrade or Multi-Skilling registration, the worker will be automatically reverted to “Basic-Skilled” status. His foreign worker’s levy will be adjusted accordingly as such.