General labourer

General labourers in Singapore: pay and rules

Updated 4 November 2026

A general labourer in Singapore is advertised at about S$1,800 to S$3,000 a month, with basic pay for general workers often around S$1,900 to S$2,300. The quickest way to current rates is a request on BlaBlaPrice, where you describe the work and local sellers reply with their offers and terms.

Pay is quoted per month in S$, though some listings pay by the hour, at about S$10 to S$15. One listing quotes a basic salary and a gross figure above it, plus annual wage supplement, leave and medical benefits, so compare the same items.

Work permits and levies

Foreign workers in construction must complete a required course within two weeks of arriving in Singapore and pass it within three months, or their work permits may be revoked. Employers also pay a monthly levy per worker, which one recruitment guide puts at S$330 to S$650 depending on the sub-quota tier. If you hire through an agency, the agency must hold an employment agency licence, which costs S$400 to apply for and S$100 to issue.

Heat, rain and the working day

Singapore is hot all year, with wet and dry seasons instead of winter and summer, so outdoor work runs through the year. Rain can stop site work, so agree in advance how wet-weather days are paid and when shifts start. Ask about the working hours and whether the job is on day or night shifts.

Workplaces and how pay is quoted

Name the workplace, whether Singapore, Tampines, Jurong West, Woodlands or Ang Mo Kio, because travel time between them changes the shift start. Compare pay in the same unit, monthly in S$ or hourly. Pay also depends on experience: one listing quotes a basic salary of S$1,900 to S$2,600 based on relevant experience.

What to put in your request

Describe the duties, such as lifting, clearing rubble or assisting trades on site, and the employment type, whether full-time, part-time or contract. Give the monthly pay you can offer, the workplace, the schedule and the work experience you need. Say whether accommodation is provided.

BlaBlaPrice is free for buyers. Describe the job in your own words in the chat, and add a photo of the site if it helps. The AI reads your request, asks for missing details, looks through sellers' websites and price lists in Singapore, and shows the prices and businesses it found. Registered sellers reply in the chat with their own offer: pay, terms and start date. Your contacts stay hidden until you choose who to exchange them with. For neighbouring trades see bricklayer or construction worker, or read how BlaBlaPrice works.