19 Feb 2022 21:22 | Modified date / time: 19 Feb 2022 21:23
From April this year, their employers will be required to purchase a basic health care plan for foreign workers residing in hostels or working in the construction, maritime and industrial sectors.
It will be mandatory as part of the work permit for foreign workers.
This program is mandatory when applying for and renewing an S-Pass Permit or Work Permit.
The Ministry of Human Resources said this on Saturday (February 19).
The annual fee for a basic health care plan can range from $ 108 to $ 138. You can also pay it as a monthly fee.
The scheme will cover the expenses incurred for most of the basic health needs of the foreign workers in these divisions.
The plan will cover the cost of medical examinations for the work permit application, annual medical examinations, direct medical consultation, medical treatments, and telephone medical services.
Foreign workers also have to pay a small fee when using medical services.
Details of the Basic Maintenance Plan:
S-Pass Work Permit will be issued to eligible new foreign employees only after the employers purchase the scheme.
The plan must also be purchased first for foreign workers here who are renewing their work permit or moving to other companies.
If foreign workers currently working in Singapore are covered under the scheme, they must have a basic health care plan before March 31, 2023.
This applies even if their work permit is renewed after that date.
To make foreign workers responsible for their health, they must pay a $ 5 surcharge each time they visit the clinic.
The Ministry of Human Resources said they would have to pay $ 2 when receiving medical services over the phone.
The Ministry of Human Resources said that in the first phase, about one-third of the foreign workers working in Singapore, 300,000, will be brought under the scheme.
The project was announced in November last year, following the outbreak of the virus in hostels and residential areas during the Kovit-19 period.
Medical Centers for Foreign Employees:
Human Resources Minister Dan Chee Leng said the scheme would provide additional peace of mind for foreign workers accessing basic medical services.
The minister, who visited the St Andrews Overseas Employee Medical Center on Saturday, commented on the plan.
This plan will give employers clarity about medical expenses. He said it would protect them against unforeseen medical expenses.
It is the first of six medical centers to be set up in different parts of Singapore.
These centers provide outpatient treatment to overseas staff.