WICA coverage in Singapore: who is eligible and who is excluded

If you were hurt at work in Singapore, the Work Injury Compensation Act is the route that asks least of you. It covers medical leave wages, medical expenses, and lump-sum compensation for permanent incapacity or death, and the Ministry of Manpower runs it as a no-fault scheme: you do not need to prove your employer did anything wrong, only that the injury happened because of your work. Your claim itself does not need to be personally filed within a deadline: for accidents from 1 September 2020, the Ministry of Manpower deems it made once your employer has notice of the accident. Getting that notice to your employer is the step with the hard outer limit: under section 35(5) of the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019, if they still have no notice a year after the accident, the claim is deemed withdrawn.

What WICA covers

MOM describes WICA as letting an employee claim for "work-related injuries or diseases, without having to take legal action." Three things are claimable: medical leave wages for the days you were on MC, hospitalisation leave or light duty; medical expenses for treating the injury; and, where the injury leaves a lasting effect, a lump sum for permanent incapacity, or for your dependents if the accident was fatal. See medical leave wages and permanent incapacity for the actual figures.

Who is eligible

WICA covers "any local or foreign employee who is under a contract of service or contract of apprenticeship, regardless of salary, age or citizenship," per MOM. You remain eligible to claim even if you no longer work for the employer, your work pass has been cancelled, the accident happened on an overseas assignment, or you were on an agreed work-from-home or flexi-work arrangement. Dependents of an employee who died in a workplace accident can also claim.

Three groups are excluded: independent contractors and the self-employed, domestic workers, and uniformed personnel of the Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Police Force, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Central Narcotics Bureau, and Singapore Prison Service. If your situation is unusual, for example you are a foreign worker or your work pass has already been cancelled, read work injury compensation for foreign workers next.

The no-fault distinction from a common-law claim

A common-law personal injury claim carries no statutory limit and can cover heads WICA does not pay, such as damages for pain and suffering, but you have to prove your employer or a third party was negligent before a court, and you pay a lawyer to do it. WICA compensation is calculated by a Ministry of Manpower formula inside published limits and paid without anyone having to establish fault, and the Ministry of Manpower puts most WICA claims at within 8 months. Which route is better is a case-by-case question that nobody can answer in advance, including this site. You cannot take both routes to the end for the same injury, and you have a limited window to choose. The full comparison, including that deadline, is on WICA versus common law.

Every WICA topic on this site

• How to claim under WICA: the MOM process end to end.
• The WICA time limit: your claim is deemed made once your employer has notice, and what the 1-year figure actually governs.
• Compensation calculator: an indicative range for permanent incapacity or death.
• Medical leave wages: the rates and how long they run.
• Permanent incapacity: how the lump sum is calculated.
• Objecting to a Notice of Assessment: the dispute window and process.
• WICA versus common law: which route fits your case.
• Foreign worker injury claims: coverage while on a work pass.
• Light duties and return to work: how pay works while you are on light duty.
• If your employer refuses to report the accident: what to do and MOM's deadlines on them.
• If your WICA claim is disputed or rejected: the objection process, step by step.

Case review

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Last updated 15 September 2026 · How we check this

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Work Rights SG provides general information about employment rights in Singapore. It does not create a lawyer–client relationship. For advice on your situation, speak to a qualified employment lawyer.