Recruitment activities are regulated by the Singapore Employment Agency Act and can be completed by companies that need to respect various requirements. Among these, the recruitment agency must obtain certain business licenses with the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore.
Below, you can find out how to open a recruitment agency with the help of our Singapore company formation consultants.
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The Employment Agencies Law in Singapore
Employment agencies in Singapore have been established to help other companies recruit personnel. Employment agencies may also help Singapore companies to hire personnel from abroad. As the Singapore employment market has expanded a lot during the last few years, more and more recruitment agencies have also started to appear. However, there are certain requirements to be met before starting an employment agency in Singaporein 2026.
Foreign investors who want to open a Singapore company and apply for a staffing agency license must comply with the Employment Agencies Act which was enabled in 1958. The law was last amended in 2012 and provides for all the requirements to start this type of company in Singapore. It also provides for exceptions from applying for a special license related to recruiting personnel in Singapore.
One of the most important provisions of the Employment Agency Law in Singapore refers to key appointment holders who control the recruitment company and must have a certain moral conduct, but most of all a clear criminal record. The employees of the recruitment agency must also have clear criminal records.
Our experts in Singapore company formation can offer more information on the Employment Agencies Law. They can also help you set up a company in Singapore.
Recruitment agency license in Singapore
All companies or citizens in Singapore involved in employment agency activities are required to apply for an employment agency license with the Ministry of Manpower. Singapore employment agencies’ activities mean:
- interviewing candidates about job applications;
- collecting resumes of candidates looking for employment in Singapore;
- submitting employment visa applications on behalf of a company or a candidate;
- facilitating the placement of employees.
Singapore recruitment agencies may select the type of license they want to apply for:
- the select license;
- the comprehensive license.
Our Singapore consultants in company formation will guide you through the license application procedure with the Ministry of Manpower.
How to open a company in Singapore as a recruitment agency in 2026
The first step when opening a recruitment agencyin 2026 is to select the type of Singapore company and register it with the Trade Register. Once the company is registered, a business office must be selected for which approval from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore must be obtained. The third step will be the application for the employment agency license. Depending on the type of employment agency license, Singapore recruitment companies are required to pay a security deposit as it follows:
- for the select license, the security deposit is 20,000 S$,
- for the comprehensive license, the security deposit varies between 20,000 $S and 60,000 S$ depending on the placement volume.
Employees of recruitment companies in Singapore must pass the Certificate for Employment Intermediaries (CEI) course. The personnel of Singapore employment agenciesmust also register with the Ministry of Manpower.
The select and the comprehensive licenses in Singapore
Staffing agencies in Singapore can apply for two main types of licenses, as seen above. However, the comprehensive license is divided into the following sub-categories:
- the comprehensive license for any type of worker (AII);
- the comprehensive license for local employees (L);
- the comprehensive license for local and foreign employees (non-FDW).
The select license is available for recruitment agencies hiring employees with a salary above 4,500 SGD per month. All types of licenses have a three-year validity period and can be renewed.
Who can file for a recruitment license in Singapore?
Setting up a company in Singapore with the purpose of offering recruitment services is available for those who want to operate on their own or who decide to establish a corporate entity. However, the license can only be obtained by a designated person, as follows:
- in the case of sole proprietorships, the owner must apply for the license;
- in the case of partnerships, any of the members for general partnerships, and the general partner in the case of limited ones;
- in the case of private and public companies, of the directors or managers.
The respective person is also subject to several requirements, as follows:
- he or she must be a Singapore permanent resident or citizen;
- he or she cannot have undergone bankruptcy;
- he or she must have a clean criminal record;
- he or she has not previously administered another agency that had the license revoked.
If you want to open a recruitment company and need guidance in applying for any of the licenses available, you can rely on our company formation agents in Singapore for support.
The video below shows the main steps to open a company in Singapore as a recruitment agency:
Applying for an employment agency license in Singapore in 2026
In order to apply for an employment agency (EA) license, a Singapore company must file the following documents with the Ministry of Manpower:
- apply for a security bond with a Singapore bank; the amount must cover 15 months of activity;
- a copy after the ID for nationals, or employment visa for foreign citizens;
- a copy after the company’s business profile issued by ACRA;
- a passport-size photograph;
- a copy of the pre-approval letter issued by the Ministry of Manpower;
- a copy of the Certificate for Employment Intermediary course which stipulates the applicant passed the test;
- a checklist issued by the Ministry.
Licensing exemptions
Not all recruitment agencies need to obtain the special licenses issued by the Ministry of Manpower. Specifically, there are several exceptions to the general licensing rules. They apply to:
- outsourcing companies that have their own employees and provide services to other businesses;
- job portals that aggregate employment ads on websites;
- companies with job bulletins that do not perform employment placement operations;
- companies engaged in filing for work passes in Singapore.
If any of the above-mentioned types of businesses also engage in pairing employers with potential employees, one of the available Singaporerecruitment agency licenses must be obtained.
Business activity codes for recruitment companies in Singapore
Opening a recruitment agency in Singapore also implies selecting an appropriate business activity code based on the services it will provide. Such companies can use one of the following:
- SSIC code 78103 for employing maids (the so-called maid agencies);
- SSIC code 78104 for recruitment agencies engaged in other operations that do not include maid hiring jobs;
- SSIC code 78105 for companies posting executive hiring positions.
In most cases, the second SSIC code is preferred.
The employment market in Singapore
The employment rate rose for both residents and non-residents over 2024, but overall growth was a little slower than in 2023. Specifically, in 2024, the number of new jobs created for both categories of workers was 45,500.
The unemployment rate went up during September and October 202,4 covering both Singapore residents and citizens, as follows:
- it increased from 2.6% to 2.8% for residents;
- it went up from 2.7% to 2.9% for Singapore citizens.
The end of the year came with a slowdown in unemployment, which reached a total rate of 1.9%.
For the near future, the Ministry of Manpower forecasts that the labor market will grow due to the better economic climate and to a poll among companies that anticipate hiring more personnel.
For recruitment company registration, please contact our specialists in opening companies in Singapore.