SINGAPORE: Singapore has officially opened its first government-built, government-managed dormitory for migrant workers, marking a major change in how worker accommodations in the city-state are designed, constructed, and managed.
The new site, NESST Tukang dormitory in Jurong, is already up and running and almost fully occupied, Singapore Eye (新加坡眼) reported on Jan 20, 2026. It can accommodate up to 2,400 workers in 210 rooms and is likely to reach full capacity by May.
What sets NESST Tukang dormitory apart is its size and design standards. No more than six residents share a bathroom in each cluster, which stands in contrast to older, high-density dormitories, and the entire facility meets tougher post-pandemic standards introduced by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in 2021.
Those standards were informed in part by hard lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, which laid bare overcrowding, hygiene challenges, and the public health risks posed by densely packed worker housing. Under the amended rules, no more than 12 people can be kept in a room, while beds must be at least 1 metre apart, and each worker must have a minimum living space of 4.2 square metres. Isolation rooms must also have attached bathrooms, and more single-occupancy isolation rooms are being added to improve outbreak containment.
NESST Tukang dormitory is the first dormitory to be built and operated directly by the government, reflecting MOM’s decision to step in more directly to improve living conditions at the system level, as stated in its official remarks at the dormitory’s opening. The move represents a dramatic departure from the current practice of drawing almost exclusively on private operators while setting discernible standards.
Building and renovating in the broader dormitory sector is indeed a significant endeavour. Under the plan, existing facilities would have until 2030 to achieve interim standards of at least 3.6 square metres per resident, and until 2040 to be fully compliant with the new requirements. To facilitate this move, MOM has launched a Dormitory Transition Scheme, which includes retrofit grants from 2026 to 2028.
According to Singapore Eye (新加坡眼), new rooms can receive S$4,200 in subsidies, while installing attached bathrooms can qualify for up to S$9,800 in subsidies. Additional grants include S$7,300 for upgrading communal toilets and S$12,300 for building isolation rooms with attached bathrooms. From 2029 to 2030, grant amounts will be reduced to stagger renovations and prevent sudden bed shortages. Around 900 dormitories, covering some 200,000 beds, are expected to qualify.
A second government-built dormitory at Sengkang West has also been tendered out and will be operational by end-2028, adding another 7,200 beds.
More than the construction of concrete, the development reflects a deeper recalibration of social expectations. Worker housing is no longer just a logistical matter. It’s about public health, it’s about dignity, and it’s about our city being resilient, because it is a challenge that affects not just migrant workers but every single one of us in the city.
