You run a construction or renovation firm, the projects are there, and you need foreign workers to do them. Following BCA’s expansion of the Contractors Registration System, since 1 June 2025 a firm must be CRS-registered before it can apply for a construction Work Permit or S Pass. Registration comes with criteria — capital, track record, a qualified person — and that’s exactly where it pays to get it right the first time.
Not sure where your firm stands? Talk to us first — let’s work it out together.
BCA assesses your firm against set criteria — paid-up capital, track record, and having the right qualified personnel — and the exact numbers depend on the workhead and grade you’re registering for. Meet them and you’re cleared to hire. Fall short on one and the hiring plan waits. That’s where we come in.
Since 1 June 2025, any firm hiring foreign construction workers on a Work Permit or S Pass must be CRS-registered before the application even goes to MOM. No registration means no workers on site — full stop. We assess where your firm stands and get the registration sorted so hiring isn’t blocked.
CRS sets minimum paid-up capital and track-record requirements, and they differ by workhead and grade. It isn’t always obvious which category a firm falls under, or what the bar looks like for the work you do. We figure out the right registration group for you and what it actually takes to qualify — in plain language.
Most workheads require your firm to have suitable technical or management personnel tied to the registration. Knowing who counts and whether your team qualifies isn’t always straightforward. We help you understand the personnel requirement for your workhead before you apply, not after a rejection.
There are dozens of workheads across several registration groups, each with its own requirements and tendering implications. Picking wrong wastes time and money. Come talk to us first — we’ll match your work to the right workhead and grade before anything is submitted.
There are two ways to approach hiring foreign construction workers. One clears the path before you commit to a client; the other hits a wall halfway through. Here’s the difference.
We assess your firm against the CRS criteria, identify the right workhead and grade, sort out what’s needed to qualify, and get you registered. Only then do you go to MOM for the Work Permits — cleared, and confident the jobs are covered.
Take on the project, then go to apply for Work Permits — and discover your firm isn’t CRS-registered, or doesn’t meet the criteria for the workhead you need. Now the hiring is blocked and the client is waiting.
In other words: skipping the registration step is what leaves you stuck with jobs you can’t staff.
From the first honest assessment of your firm to a completed CRS registration that lets you hire.
An honest look at your firm’s capital, track record and personnel against the CRS criteria — so you know where you stand before you commit to anything.
We match the work you actually do to the right workhead and registration grade, so you register for what fits — not too little, not too much.
A clear checklist, then we help you compile and organise what BCA needs — financials, track-record evidence, personnel details — and check it’s complete.
We help you understand the qualified-person requirement for your workhead, and whether your existing team meets it before you apply.
Your CRS application prepared and submitted to BCA, put together clearly and consistently so it can move without avoidable hold-ups.
CRS isn’t one-and-done. When it’s time to renew or you’re ready to move up a grade for bigger jobs, we can talk you through that too.
Yes, if they’re construction workers. Since 1 June 2025, any firm that wants to hire foreign construction workers on a Work Permit or S Pass must be registered with BCA’s Contractors Registration System (CRS) first — the registration has to be in place before the application goes to MOM. Without it, you simply can’t bring the workers on.
Broadly, BCA looks at your firm’s paid-up capital, track record, and whether you have the right qualified personnel — but the exact figures and requirements depend on the workhead and grade you’re registering for, and they’re set by BCA and can change. Rather than quote numbers that might be out of date, we’ll look at your specific situation and tell you what applies to you.
Often, yes. There are different registration groups and grades, and smaller firms typically start at an entry grade suited to their size. The honest answer is that it depends on your capital, your track record and your team — which is exactly what we assess at the start, so you know where you stand before spending time or money.
That depends on the kind of work your firm actually does — there are dozens of workheads across several groups, each with its own requirements. Picking the right one matters, because it shapes what you need to qualify and what you’re allowed to take on. We match your work to the right workhead and grade as part of the assessment.
It varies depending on your workhead, the completeness of your documents, and BCA’s processing. The biggest delays usually come from missing or unclear paperwork, or applying for a workhead you don’t yet qualify for. Getting the assessment and documents right up front is the best way to avoid avoidable hold-ups — which is the part we focus on.
This page is about CRS registration — the gateway for hiring foreign construction workers. The Builder’s Licence is a separate BCA requirement for certain building works. If your project needs both, talk to us and we’ll point you in the right direction; the best starting point is a conversation about what your firm is actually trying to do.
No — and be wary of anyone who promises that. Registration depends on your firm genuinely meeting BCA’s criteria, and that’s BCA’s call. What we can do is assess you honestly, tell you straight whether you qualify and what it would take, and prepare a clean, complete application. That’s the part within your control, and it’s where we add value.