Getting medical care as a migrant worker

Getting sick or hurt in a foreign country is frightening, especially if you are worried about the cost. In Singapore, the law already gives you some protection: your employer is required to buy you medical insurance, and if you live in a dormitory you are also enrolled in a low-cost primary care scheme. On top of that, NGOs like HealthServe offer subsidised and free care. This guide explains each of these in plain language, and what to do if it is an emergency.

1. Your employer must buy you medical insurance

Every Work Permit and S Pass employer in Singapore is legally required to buy medical insurance for each worker. Under the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) rules:

• The policy must cover at least $60,000 a year for your inpatient (hospital admission) care and day surgery — including conditions that are not related to your work.
• Your employer pays for this insurance. The cost cannot be passed on to you.
• In limited situations, your employer may ask you to co-pay part of a medical bill — but only if it is written into your employment contract with your agreement, the co-payment is capped at 10% of your fixed monthly salary, and it applies for no more than 6 months in every 2 years of your employment.
• MOM has been strengthening this insurance in stages — including a 2023 update requiring insurers to cover 75% of claims above $15,000 (employers cover the rest), and a 2025 update adding standard exclusion terms and letting insurers pay hospitals directly.

If you are billed for hospital treatment and are not sure whether your employer's insurance should be covering it, ask your employer for your insurance policy details, or check MOM's official page below.

2. If you live in a dormitory: the Primary Care Plan (PCP)

Since 1 April 2022, it has been compulsory for employers to enrol workers who live in a dormitory (or who work in the Construction, Marine Shipyard or Process sectors) in a Primary Care Plan (PCP). This is on top of your medical insurance, and is meant for everyday clinic visits rather than hospital admission.

Under the PCP, you are assigned to an "Anchor Operator" that runs your zone's medical services. It gives you:

• Consultations and treatment for acute or chronic (ongoing) medical conditions at MOM medical centres and designated GP clinics.
• 24/7 telemedicine (video consultation with a doctor by phone).
• An annual basic health screening.
• Scheduled transport between your dormitory and the medical centre for appointments.

You pay a small standard co-payment each time: $5 for a physical clinic visit and $2 for a telemedicine session. Ask your employer or dormitory operator which clinic and Anchor Operator you are assigned to, and keep that contact saved on your phone. MOM has also announced further improvements to the PCP (more clinics closer to dormitories, a new enrolment portal) that are expected to roll out from April 2027.

3. Low-cost and free care: HealthServe

HealthServe is a Singapore charity that provides subsidised medical and dental care, plus free counselling and casework support, for migrant workers — including workers who are between jobs, in a dispute with their employer, or otherwise struggling to access care.

• Clinic: 1 Lorong 23 Geylang, #01-07, Building 4, Singapore 388352 (near Aljunied MRT).
• Medical clinic hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 6.30pm–9.30pm.
• Dental clinic hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am–1.30pm & 2.30pm–6pm; Tuesday & Thursday 6.30pm–9.30pm.
• Services include general medical consultations, dental care, and specialist referrals (orthopaedic, dermatology, physiotherapy) at subsidised rates. Casework and counselling support is free.

You do not need to go through your employer to visit HealthServe. You can call their 24-hour helpline any time (see hotlines below), or check help.healthserve.org.sg for guidance in your situation.

4. In an emergency, call 995

995 is Singapore's free ambulance and fire emergency number, run by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), and it operates 24 hours a day. Call 995 if someone has chest pain, difficulty breathing, is unconscious, is bleeding heavily, or has a serious injury or accident. For police emergencies, the number is 999.

You do not need to check your insurance or ask your employer's permission before calling 995 — get emergency help first.

5. Mental-health support

Being far from home, working long hours, or dealing with a problem at work can affect your mental health too. It is okay to ask for help. Free, confidential support is available:

• National mindline 1771 — Singapore's national mental-health helpline and textline, free and available 24/7. Call 1771, or message 6669 1771 on WhatsApp. More at mindline.sg.
• Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) — 24-hour hotline 1767, or CareText on WhatsApp at 9151 1767, for anyone in emotional distress or crisis.
• HealthServe counselling — individual and group counselling with counsellors who speak workers' own languages; contact HealthServe's helpline to ask about this service.