Progressive Wage Model expands to pest management sector; more than 1,800 workers stand to benefit

More than 1,800 full-time and part-time resident workers in Singapore’s pest management sector stand to benefit from structured wage increases and clearer career progression under a new sectoral Progressive Wage Model (PWM).

Resident workers covered by the PWM include Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Pest management is the 10^th sector to be covered since PWM was launched in 2014.

The agreement for the expansion was made by NTUC, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) on 15 July 2026 at a tripartite visit to pest management company Servcare Services Pte Ltd.

The move is intended to ensure that wage increases are sustainable, with workers rewarded in line with their enhanced skills, greater responsibilities and improved productivity.

Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash said the PWM expansion is the next step towards a collective effort to uplift workers through structured wage increases and improvements in skills and productivity.

NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and NTUC Care Division Director Melvin Yong said: “NTUC welcomes the introduction of the PWM to the pest management sector to uplift our workers who play an important role in safeguarding public health.”

Mr Yong noted that pest management is an essential service that helps maintain public hygiene and protect Singapore’s living environment.

He added that NTUC will continue working with its tripartite partners to uplift wages, strengthen career progression and raise productivity, while ensuring that pest management workers receive greater recognition for their contributions.

Tripartite cluster to develop pest management wage and career pathways

A Tripartite Cluster for Pest Management (TCPM) is being set up to develop and oversee the implementation of the new PWM.

The cluster will develop wage levels and wage ladders for the resident pest management workforce, along with the corresponding training requirements and career progression pathways.

It will also recommend ways to help workers move up the career ladder through better skills, higher productivity and increased job responsibilities.

The TCPM will be chaired by NTUC’s e2i Stakeholder Engagement Director Wan Rizal.

SNEF representative Kung Teong Wah will serve as co-chair.

The cluster will bring together representatives from the Labour Movement, service providers, service buyers, industry associations and government agencies.

Labour Movement representatives will consist of the Built Environment and Urban Trades Employees’ Union (BATU), The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers’ Union (SMMWU), NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), and NTUC.

The Singapore Pest Management Association will represent the industry, while service buyers from the facilities management, strata management, property management and food manufacturing sectors will also participate.

Apart from developing wages and training requirements, the cluster will look at ways to improve working conditions, enhance the image of the pest management industry and monitor the PWM’s impact on workers and businesses.

Raising professional standards for pest management workers

Pest management work requires specialised knowledge and the safe application of technical skills.

Workers may be required to detect signs of pest activity, identify appropriate control measures, and handle chemicals safely while reducing risks to public health.

Mr Wan Rizal said the work is especially important and demanding in Singapore’s densely populated built environment, which includes housing estates, food establishments and other shared spaces.

“Pest management work requires specialised skills, from detecting pest activities and applying pest control measures to handling chemicals safely to reduce public health risks,” he said.

Through the PWM, he said the cluster hopes to professionalise the sector by establishing clearer career pathways and training requirements that correspond with each wage level.

It will also explore innovative solutions to improve productivity and provide more consistent service standards.

Mr Wan Rizal said these measures would give workers stronger recognition for their expertise while enabling them to progress through better skills and higher productivity.

One pest management worker who stands to benefit is 44-year-old Wong Kim Sing.

The operations manager has worked at Servcare Services for the past seven years and has more than 20 years of industry experience.

Despite his vast experience, he said he looks forward to the implementation of the PWM, especially regarding upskilling, career progression, and wage increases.

One of the skills he wishes to acquire is drone operations.

Throughout his career, he has seen the industry change with technology.

Servcare Services uses technology like drones and thermal imaging to detect pests such as rodents and termites.

Industry consultations to shape a sustainable pest management PWM

The TCPM will consult workers, employers and other industry stakeholders in the coming months as it develops its recommendations.

These consultations will help ensure that the pest management PWM reflects the sector’s operational requirements and remains sustainable for businesses.

The eventual framework will seek to balance business competitiveness with better wages, stronger career prospects and improved working conditions for pest management workers.

Mr Dinesh said: “We don’t expect this to be done immediately. It would take us a minimum of two years to start the conversations, understand the sector, build the pathways, skill sets, requirements, and so forth, and secure the buy-in we need from employees. And that’s the approach the Government takes.”

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