Data on Premature Work Permit Cancellations in Last Five Years

20 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Manpower in each of the last five years (a) what is the percentage of work permits that have been cancelled before their expiry dates, as a proportion of total work permits issued or valid in that year; and (b) of these premature cancellations, what are the percentages of premature cancellations as broken down by six-month bands before expiry.

Dr Tan See Leng: Work Permits (WPs) are valid for up to 24 months upon issuance or renewal. Employers may cancel WPs before they expire for various reasons, such as if the worker is found to be unsuitable, or if the worker needs to return home for personal reasons. The breakdown of WPs that are cancelled before they are due for renewal, as a proportion of total WPs issued or renewed between 2021 and 2025, is shown in the table below. About one third of WPs are cancelled before they are due for renewal.