Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) for Administrators and Drivers

What is Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW)?

Occupational Progressive Wages (OPW) are standards established by the National Wages Council (NWC) that apply to administrators and drivers in Singapore. These guidelines are requirements for employers in order to focus on meeting wage and training standards for their employees who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.

Starting March 1, 2023, employers need to meet OPW requirements when renewing existing work passes or applying for new ones.

Who does OPW cover?

OPW encompasses all Singaporean citizens and Permanent Residents who are:

  • Full-time or part-time administrative or driving employees under a contract of service.
  • Employed by companies hiring foreign workers

What roles does OPW cover?

Administrators

Administrative Assistants

Duties involve carrying out basic administrative functions such as:

  • Running errands
  • Data entry
  • Receiving and registering documents
  • Sorting and storing of files

Examples of roles:

  • Office attendant
  • Clerk for data entry, library, etc.
Administrative Executives

Duties involve executing various administrative functions, including:

  • Financial tasks like accounting, bookkeeping, and money management
  • Customer-oriented duties such as answering and directing calls, providing client information and services
  • Record management, involving the maintenance and updating of filing systems and inventory
  • Secretarial responsibilities, like scheduling appointments and organising meetings
  • Preparation of production schedules

Roles covered by these responsibilities include:

  • General office clerk, customer service clerk, stock clerk, transport clerk, statistical clerk, legal clerk, accounting and bookkeeping clerk, production clerk, computer operations clerk, postal service counter clerk, finance and insurance clerk, travel agency clerk, proofreading clerk
  • Office cashier, bank cashier
  • Receptionist
  • Telephone operator
  • Secretary
  • Verbatim reporter
  • Typist and word processing operator
  • Concierge
Administrative Supervisors

Duties include:

  • Overseeing staff performing administrative or clerical tasks such as general administration, customer service, records management, and data analysis
  • Managing personnel, addressing work-related issues, and facilitating coordination between units within an organisation.

Example of roles:

  • Office supervisor

Drivers

General Drivers

Duties:

  • Operating vehicles that require Class 3 driving licence or below such as motorcycles, cars, vans, and trams

Examples of roles:

  • Motorcycle delivery drivers
  • Van drivers
  • Tram drivers
Specialised Drivers

Responsibilities:

  • Operating vehicles that require a Class 4 driving licence and above such as lorries, trailer trucks, and buses, and other specialised driver roles like chauffeurs

Examples of roles:

  • Trailer truck drivers
  • Bus drivers
  • Lorry drivers
  • Chauffeurs
  • Concrete mix truck drivers

OPW Training Requirements

Employers must ensure their Singaporean and Permanent Resident administrators and drivers fulfill OPW training requirements by obtaining:

  • At least 1 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Statement of Attainment (no specific course restrictions)
  • Completion of an in-house training program

Note: The in-house training should align with specific objectives, modality, key tasks, and duration. Employers must maintain documentation supporting the in-house program and attendance records.

Employers are given a grace period for OPW training compliance:

  • New hires: Six months from the employment start date.
  • Existing employees: Up to February 29 2024, one year from the OPW implementation in March 2023.

By providing proper training, administrators and drivers are able to enhance productivity and skillsets.

ASK Training WSQ Courses

Explore @ASK Training’s range of courses designed to meet OPW requirements.

Click to view full course details.

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