Employing Singaporean Seafarers
Although foreigners with relevant qualifications and experience help fill gaps in skills and expertise, owners of Singapore vessels should make reasonable efforts to attract and consider Singaporeans for job positions on merit, and to train and develop their potential and careers. Companies can tap on national training schemes to train and employ Singaporean seafarers. The various schemes available to support Singaporeans’ career in seafaring are summarised below. Further details of the specific schemes available can also be found below in this section.

Available pool of Singaporean Cadets
Available Schemes to Tap on
Singapore recognises the need to train qualified seafaring officers and have put in place a set of schemes to support seafaring careers.
Cadets
To provide monetary support to owners, MPA has in place the Cadet Allowance Reimbursement. Up to S$400/month may be reimbursed to owners for each Singaporean and permanent resident cadet that they place during the cadet sea service.
Cadet Allowance Reimbursement Scheme
Who is eligible | Singapore-based employers who train local cadets from Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) |
How much | 50% of cadet’s training allowance will be reimbursed to the employer by MPA, up to maximum of $400/month Eg: Cadet A is receiving an allowance of $700/month from the employer, $350/month will be reimbursed to the employer Eg: Cadet B is receiving an allowance of $900/month from the employer, $400/month will be reimbursed to the employer |
How to apply | Employers are to submit the claim form after the completion of the cadets’ entire sea service. The claim form and more information can be found in MPA Shipping Circular No. 26 of 2015 (.pdf, 491 KB). |
Tripartite Maritime Scholarship
Click here for more info.
SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme
The SkillsFuture ELP for Seafaring provides local junior officers, who graduated from their institutes, with a well-structured and quality on-the-job training sea service programme. This better prepares the junior officers for their CoC 2 and CoC 1 qualifications, as well as taking up senior shipboard positions.
Who is Eligible | Trainees Local graduates from
Employers
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How much | Trainees Up to $5,000 for the successful completion of the programme Employers Grants of up to $15,000 per junior officer |
How to apply | Please refer to MPA Shipping Circular No. 10 of 2016 (.pdf, 35 KB) for more information. |
Upskill Allowance
This scheme encourages employers to provide an allowance to local junior seafaring officers pursuing the full-time CoC 2/1 preparatory course.
Who is eligible | Local seafaring officers pursuing the CoC 1&2 Deck Officer/Marine Engineer Course in Singapore Maritime Academy |
How much | During the course duration of 6 months Candidates to receive a $1,000/month allowance from the employer Employer to be reimbursed $500/month (50%) |
How to apply | Employers are to submit the application form before the start of the course. Please refer to MPA Shipping Circular No. 26 of 2015 (.pdf, 491 KB) for more information. |
Achievement Award
This scheme encourages local seafaring officers to continue sailing and progressing in their seafaring careers by providing a monetary incentive for achieving their CoCs.
Local seafaring officers/cadets from Singapore Maritime Academy or Wavelink Maritime Institute who successfully passes their foreign-going CoC examsWho is eligible | |
How much | For the attainment of CoC 3 or 5
For the attainment of CoC 2 or 1
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How to apply | Employers are to submit the application form before the start of the course. Please refer to MPA Shipping Circular No. 26 of 2015 (.pdf, 491 KB) for more information. |