Singapore's Work Permit (Performing Artiste) scheme ended on 1 June 2026, closing a chapter that began in 2008. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced the cessation in December 2025, citing the widespread abuse of the scheme by syndicates. For public entertainment outlets — bars, hotels, nightclubs and licensed F&B venues — the closure creates immediate [...]
The Ministry of Manpower confirmed on 1 December 2025 that Singapore's Work Permit for Performing Artistes — a scheme operating since 2008 — would cease accepting new applications from 1 June 2026. That date has now passed. If your business operates a licensed public entertainment outlet and you relied on this scheme to hire foreign [...]
From 1 June 2026, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) stopped accepting all new applications under the Work Permit (Performing Artiste) scheme. For bars, hotels, nightclubs, lounges, and other public entertainment outlets that have relied on the scheme to hire foreign singers, musicians, dancers and entertainers, the question is urgent: what happens next, and what are [...]