Migrant Workers' Engagement Grant

The Migrant Workers' Engagement (MWE) Grant is a Ministry of Manpower funding initiative for Singapore-registered organisations to set up and operate temporary pop-up spaces for migrant workers. The spaces are intended to provide additional recreation and social opportunities at locations workers visit on their rest days. The announced pilot runs for six months from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, with operations on Sundays or public holidays (MOM, 1 July 2026).

Who can apply and what operators must do

An applicant must be a Singapore-registered organisation, have organised at least one similar-scale event for at least 100 migrant workers within the preceding three years, and propose and secure a site for the pop-up space. MOM says locations popular with migrant workers on rest days—such as Little India, Kallang, Geylang and Chinatown—are preferred, but the applicant is responsible for sourcing the venue and naming it in the application (MOM, 1 July 2026). MOM assesses applications individually and may appoint one or multiple operators.

During the pilot, an appointed operator must run the space at least twice a month, on Sundays or public holidays, for a minimum of three hours per operating day. The pop-up should be a welcoming place for migrant workers to relax, socialise and participate in activities during rest days. These are operator obligations, not a rule that every migrant worker must attend or that the grant pays individuals directly (MOM, 1 July 2026).

Funding caps and visitorship tiers

Successful applicants can receive up to S$250,000 for the six-month operating period. MOM links the cap to a six-month total-visitorship target: Tier 1 is 3,300 visitors with funding up to S$100,000; Tier 2 is 5,000 visitors with up to S$150,000; Tier 3 is 6,700 visitors with up to S$200,000; and Tier 4 is 8,300 visitors with up to S$250,000 (MOM, 1 July 2026). These are approved-project targets and funding caps, not guaranteed visitor numbers or an entitlement to the maximum amount.

Supported costs include necessary infrastructure setup such as furniture and equipment, staffing, utilities and maintenance, programming and events, marketing, production materials and logistics, licensing and professional fees, insurance, volunteer meals and transport. Venue rental and cash prizes are excluded, and the grant is intended to cover actual costs incurred under the funding agreement (MOM, 1 July 2026).

Disbursement and application status

MOM describes three disbursement stages: up to 50% of the approved requested amount upfront before operations; up to 40% after proposed activities and operational requirements are completed and documentation is submitted; and up to 10% after the visitorship target is achieved. The requested amount remains subject to MOM approval (MOM, 1 July 2026).

The application deadline was extended to 13 August 2026 at 11:59pm; late submissions were not accepted. That deadline matters for current answers: the page describes the 2026 call and pilot conditions, not a permanently open grant or an automatic benefit for migrant workers, employers or community groups (MOM, 1 July 2026).