Certified HR Professional Singapore 2028: What Employers With More Than 200 Staff Must Do

Short answer: From 1 July 2028, every organisation in Singapore with more than 200 employees must have at least one suitable HR professional certified at IHRP Certified Professional (IHRP-CP) level or higher, or holding a recognised equivalent plus any bridging requirement. An extra S$100 subsidy cuts the IHRP-CP fee to S$163.50 for Singapore Citizens and PRs until 30 June 2028.

The certified HR professional Singapore 2028 requirement was announced on 24 September 2026, when the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released the report of the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development (TWG-HC) and the Government accepted its recommendations. This guide covers who is caught, what counts, what it costs and what MOM has not yet published.

Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.

What is the new certified HR professional rule?

It is a requirement that larger organisations keep at least one professionally certified HR practitioner on staff from 1 July 2028. The certification is issued by the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), which runs the national HR certification framework supported by MOM, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).

The rule is Recommendation 4, “Professionalise HR practice”, of the five recommendations made by the TWG-HC, which was set up in February 2025 and co-chaired by MOM, NTUC and SNEF. The report describes it as establishing “a trusted baseline” for HR practice, and the Acting Minister for Manpower’s reply in the report states that the Government accepts the recommendations. MOM’s TWG-HC page carries the full report. In his opening address at the IHRP People Behind People Forum on 24 September 2026, Minister of State for Manpower Foo Cexiang confirmed that from 1 July 2028, organisations with more than 200 employees will be required to have at least one suitable HR professional who is IHRP-CP certified or higher.

The rule builds on a 2020 NTUC-SNEF PME Taskforce recommendation. According to the TWG-HC report, 45% of organisations with more than 200 employees already have at least one certified HR professional, and more than 9,000 working professionals hold IHRP certification. MOM expects the requirement, alongside other tripartite efforts, to grow that pool to around 18,000, or 40% of the HR workforce, by 2030.

Who does the certified HR professional Singapore 2028 requirement cover?

MOM says the requirement applies to all organisations in Singapore with more than 200 employees. An organisation with exactly 200 employees, or fewer, is outside the requirement but is still eligible for the subsidy.

Several practical questions are not yet answered in MOM’s published material as at 24 October 2026, including:

• how employees are counted (for example, whether part-time staff or foreign employees on work passes are included, and on what date the headcount is measured);
• whether a group of related companies is assessed as one organisation or entity by entity;
• how compliance will be checked and what happens if a firm falls short.

Until MOM publishes the detail, a business near the threshold should plan as if it is covered and check its headcount from payroll records now. Our Singapore payroll and CPF guide for employers covers the records most firms already keep.

Is the IHRP certification requirement legislated?

Not yet, as far as the published sources show. MOM describes it as a requirement and has fixed the start date, but neither the TWG-HC report nor MOM’s IHRP certification page names an Act, regulation, work pass condition or Tripartite Standard as its legal basis.

The TWG-HC report states that “the detailed requirements and implementation approach will be shared in due course”, and MOM’s page says more implementation details “will be announced when ready”. No penalty, enforcement mechanism or link to work pass applications has been announced. Employers should watch MOM’s newsroom and the MOM IHRP certification page for the implementing instrument.

What MOM has signalled is flexibility. Its page lists two measures for firms unable to fulfil the requirement: alternative pathways to broaden the pool of qualifying HR professionals beyond the assessment route, and recognition of equivalent HR certifications.

Which certifications satisfy the requirement?

An IHRP-CP or IHRP Senior Professional (IHRP-SP) certification satisfies it, as does an equivalent certification cross-recognised by IHRP once any bridging requirement is met. The entry tier, IHRP Certified Associate (IHRP-CA), is below the required level.

For the three foreign bodies, IHRP’s mutual recognition arrangements waive the HR assessment paper, but the candidate must still pass IHRP’s Labour Legislation paper, which tests Singapore employment law.

How much does IHRP certification cost with the S$100 subsidy?

For Singapore Citizens and PRs, the IHRP-CP fee falls from S$272.50 to S$163.50 for applications from 1 October 2026 to 30 June 2028. All figures below include GST and are taken from MOM’s published fee table.

Points to note from IHRP’s FAQ on the enhanced subsidy:

• The subsidy is one-time and covers new, upgrade and bridging applications. It does not cover recertification, reassessment, rescheduling or on-site fees (the on-site assessment fee is S$43.60).
• No separate application is needed. The subsidy is applied automatically to the certification bill.
• Employers cannot apply on behalf of staff, but if an employer sponsors the fee, the subsidy is applied first and the employer is invoiced for the balance.
• Singaporeans can use their SkillsFuture Credit for the balance, excluding the Mid-Career Support top-up.
• The fee paid is valid for 12 months. If the application is postponed beyond that, the subsidy no longer applies.

MOM has also said organisations will be allowed to use their SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) under the redesigned Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package to offset remaining fees, with details to be announced. If you are tracking your SFEC balance, see our note on the SFEC reset in December 2026.

How does an HR professional become IHRP-CP certified?

The HR professional applies personally through IHRP, sits two assessment papers, and is certified for three years. A typical path looks like this:

1. Confirm eligibility: at least 3 years of relevant HR experience at IHRP-CP level and at least 150 HR-related training hours or an HR education qualification.
2. Submit the application on IHRP’s portal. Graduates of certain listed courses are exempted from the IHRP-CP experience assessment.
3. Book an assessment slot, either on-site or remote. Popular on-site dates fill quickly, so book early.
4. Sit the Labour Legislation Paper (90 minutes, 30 multiple-choice questions, open book) covering the Employment Act, foreign manpower rules, CPF, retirement and re-employment, work injury compensation and the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices.
5. Sit the HR Paper Level 2 (120 minutes, 30 multiple-choice questions across six scenarios, closed book).
6. Record the certification and diarise recertification before the three-year validity ends.

How does the rule fit with the Workplace Fairness Act?

MOM says the certification requirement will take effect alongside the roll-out of the Workplace Fairness Act and changes to the Employment Act, so that firms have stronger HR capability when the new obligations land. The two are separate measures.

Parliament passed the Workplace Fairness Bill on 8 January 2025 and the Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill on 4 November 2025. The Act is not yet in force on 24 October 2026. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) says on its Workplace Fairness resource page that the Act is slated to take effect in end-2027, and MOM has said it will monitor readiness and adjust that timeline if necessary. On current plans, the anti-discrimination framework would be in place roughly six months before the 1 July 2028 certification deadline. For a summary of employer duties under the new law, read our Workplace Fairness Act employer guide.

What should employers do between now and 1 July 2028?

Larger employers should identify their candidate now and certify within the subsidy window, which closes on 30 June 2028, the day before the requirement starts.

1. Audit your HR team for existing IHRP, AHRI, CIPD or SHRM certifications. A bridged foreign certification may be the fastest route.
2. Choose at least one candidate who meets the IHRP-CP criteria, plus a back-up in case of resignation.
3. Budget the fee and study time. For a Singapore Citizen or PR the IHRP-CP fee is S$163.50 during the subsidy window.
4. Keep evidence: certificates, expiry dates and any bridging outcome.
5. Monitor MOM announcements for the headcount rules and the legal mechanism.

What should companies with 200 or fewer employees do?

Nothing is mandatory for them, but the S$100 subsidy is open to organisations of every size to encourage early adoption. An SME that expects to grow past 200 staff gains from certifying an HR lead while the fee is lower and before the deadline rush.

Smaller firms without a dedicated HR team have other options. The Minister of State’s 24 September 2026 address mentions an ongoing pilot by co:grow and IHRP that gives SMEs without strategic HR expertise in-house access to experienced HR advisers. Many small employers also outsource routine HR administration such as payroll and CPF; see what a monthly payroll service should include. For hiring foreign staff and work passes, see our sister site singaporeemploymentagency.com. Our free compliance tools work out your ACRA and IRAS filing deadlines in under a minute.

Frequently asked questions

Does the certified HR professional have to be the head of HR?

No. MOM states that organisations may decide which HR professional should be certified and will not prescribe the person’s seniority, job title or responsibilities. The person must hold IHRP-CP or higher, or a recognised equivalent.

Can a foreign HR manager on an Employment Pass meet the requirement?

MOM’s published material does not restrict the requirement to Singapore Citizens or PRs. However, the extra S$100 subsidy is only for Citizens and PRs, and the IHRP-CP fee for others is S$654.00 including GST.

Is IHRP-CA enough?

No. The requirement is IHRP-CP level or higher. IHRP-CA holders can upgrade to IHRP-CP once they meet the experience and training criteria, and upgrade applications qualify for the subsidy.

What is the penalty for not having a certified HR professional?

None has been announced. As at 24 October 2026, MOM has not published the enforcement mechanism or any penalty, and says detailed requirements will be shared in due course.

Can our company pay the fee for the employee?

Yes. The employee must submit the application personally, but an employer can sponsor it. The S$100 subsidy is applied first and the employer is invoiced for the balance.

Last reviewed: 24 October 2026. The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services.