Key Takeaways
- MOM changed the submission process to simplify Work Permit issuance and reduce manual handling of medical examination documents.
- From 27 April 2026, medical service providers can submit migrant workers’ issuance medical examination results electronically through the ME Portal.
- From 4 May 2026, employers can view the medical outcome through the new Issuance eService instead of uploading hard-copy reports and chest X-rays.
- The medical examination itself remains required; the main change is how results are submitted to MOM.
Why Did MOM Change the Way Medical Examination Reports Are Submitted?
For employers arranging a medical check up for work permit applicants, the process of submitting medical examination results changed in 2026. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) enhanced its Medical Examination (ME) Portal so medical service providers can submit applicable workers’ medical examination results electronically.
The change is part of MOM’s wider effort to simplify work permit transactions and move more functions into digital services. Instead of requiring employers to collect a completed hard-copy report from a clinic and upload it themselves, the medical service provider now sends the relevant results directly to MOM through the ME Portal.
The main reason MOM changed the process is to make work permit issuance simpler and more seamless by reducing manual steps and improving the flow of information between medical service providers, employers and MOM.
What Changed in April and May 2026?
Before the enhancement, a migrant worker’s issuance medical examination for work permit involved several manual steps. The clinic completed the examination and hard-copy report, arranged for the employer to collect it, and returned the report to the employer. The employer then uploaded the medical examination report through Work Permit Online as part of the issuance process.
From 27 April 2026, the enhanced ME Portal allowed medical service providers to submit migrant workers’ issuance medical examination results directly to MOM. MOM’s briefing states that clinics should submit the results within one week after completing and certifying the hard-copy issuance medical examination report, subject to their contractual obligations with MOM.
From 4 May 2026, employers began using the new Issuance eService. After the clinic submits the results, the employer receives an email notification and can view the worker’s medical examination outcome before completing Work Permit issuance.
| Before the Change | From the 2026 Enhancement |
| Clinic completed the health examination for work permit and hard-copy report. | Clinic still completes and certifies the medical exam for work permit. |
| Employer collected the hard-copy report. | Clinic submits medical results electronically to MOM. |
| Employer uploaded the report through Work Permit Online. | Employer view the outcome through the Issuance eService. |
| More manual document handling was required. | Results move directly from the provider to MOM. |
Does the Medical Examination Itself Change?
No. The digital submission change does not remove the medical examination requirement. Workers still need the appropriate examination before a Work Permit can be issued. MOM states that the examination checks whether the worker is fit for employment and screens for tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis and malaria.
The April 2026 briefing also indicates that clinics continue to complete relevant examination fields, document required referral outcomes and obtain the doctor’s certification of the worker’s fitness for employment. The key change is therefore the submission workflow, not the clinical purpose of the examination.
For anyone arranging a medical check up for work permit purposes, it is important to distinguish between medical requirements and administrative procedures. The health assessment remains essential, while its results now reach MOM through a more direct digital process.
What Happens If an Examination Shows an Abnormality?
An abnormal result still requires appropriate clinical follow-up. MOM’s April 2026 briefing describes procedures involving chest X-ray abnormalities and referral to the National Tuberculosis Care Centre (NTBCC) when appropriate. Where a referral is required, the clinic must document the referral outcome, and the ME Portal submission should include the relevant NTBCC results.
Employers who need more information about an abnormality can arrange with the medical service provider to receive the full medical examination report. The new process therefore changes transmission of results, not the underlying medical assessment or follow-up.
What Does the Change Mean for Employers?
Employers arranging work permit health check up applications should have fewer document-handling responsibilities. They no longer need to collect the hard-copy issuance medical examination report and upload the report or chest X-ray as part of the new Work Permit issuance process.
Instead, the employer receives notification after the medical service provider submits the results to MOM. From 4 May 2026, the employer can view the worker’s medical outcome through the Issuance eService and proceed with Work Permit issuance.
Employers still have responsibilities. They must complete the Work Permit issuance process and ensure required information, including the worker’s address and mobile number, is updated. The new Issuance eService also brings these updates into the same workflow, removing the previous need to update them separately through OFWAS.
What Does the Change Mean for Medical Service Providers?
For clinics, the enhancement creates a new responsibility: submitting applicable issuance medical examination results electronically through the ME Portal.
The clinic must complete the examination, certify the results and submit the required information. MOM advises medical service providers to check results carefully before submission. If an incorrect result is submitted before the Work Permit is issued, the employer should be informed not to proceed so the provider can resubmit the correct information.
For providers conducting a health check up for work permit issuance, accurate data entry is therefore important. Although submission is digital, clinical documentation and professional certification remain essential.
What Should Workers Know?
Workers generally do not manage the electronic submission themselves. The medical service provider handles applicable issuance results, while the employer handles Work Permit issuance.
If a worker is preparing for a medical check up for work permit issuance, they should attend the required examination and provide accurate information to the medical service provider. Additional investigations or referrals may be required depending on the findings.
The transition is also phased. MOM states that migrant workers’ renewal medical examinations and six-monthly examinations are scheduled to move to the portal in the first half of 2027, while the longer-term plan is to expand the system to other work pass holders.
Conclusion
MOM changed the submission process to make Work Permit administration more efficient, reduce manual document handling and create a more direct electronic link between medical service providers and MOM. For employers arranging a medical check up for work permit applicants, the key difference is that the clinic now submits applicable issuance medical examination results directly through the ME Portal.
The medical assessment itself remains important. Workers still need to complete the required examination, and doctors continue to assess fitness for employment and relevant health conditions. The major change is administrative: medical service providers submit relevant results electronically, while employers use the Issuance eService to complete the Work Permit process.
As MOM continues its phased digitalisation, employers and medical service providers should follow the latest requirements to ensure applications are completed accurately and without avoidable delays.
References
Mom.gov.sg. Enhancements to Medical Examination (ME) Portal: 2026 and Beyond. https://www.mom.gov.sg/-/media/mom/documents/work-passes-and-permits/wins-wp/april-2026-msp-briefing-slides-for-me-portal-enhancement.pdf
Mom.gov.sg. Submit and Manage Medical Examinations Reports. https://www.mom.gov.sg/eservices/services/submit-and-manage-medical-examinations-reports