Singapore

I was injured at work. Can I claim under WICA?

All employees
Covered workers
No fault needed
Claim basis
3 days
Medical leave threshold
2 years
Claim deadline
The Short Answer

Yes, if you were injured while working in Singapore, you may be entitled to compensation under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 (WICA), regardless of fault.

What the Law Says

The Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 (WICA) provides a no-fault compensation scheme for employees injured at work or who contract occupational diseases. It replaces the previous Workmen’s Compensation Act and applies broadly to most workers in Singapore.

WICA covers all employees — including part-time, temporary, and foreign workers — engaged under a contract of service. It does not cover independent contractors or self-employed persons.

You can claim compensation if you suffer personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of your employment — or if you develop an occupational disease listed in the First Schedule of the Act.

Compensation includes medical leave wages (for absences of 3 or more consecutive days), medical expenses, lump-sum disability compensation (if permanently impaired), and dependants’ benefits (in case of death).

You must make your claim within 2 years from the date of the accident or diagnosis of the occupational disease.

Statutory Text

3.—(1) This Act applies to every employee who sustains a personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of his employment, or contracts an occupational disease specified in the First Schedule.

— Work Injury Compensation Act 2019, s. 3 — Application of Act

What to Do

1

Notify your employer of the injury within 24 hours (or as soon as reasonably possible).

2

Seek medical treatment and obtain a medical certificate (MC) — keep all receipts and reports.

3

Your employer must report the injury to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) within 10 days if you’re off work for 3+ days or require hospitalisation.

4

If your employer doesn’t file the claim, you may submit it directly to MOM via the WICA Online Portal within 2 years.

5

Keep records of all communications, medical documents, and wage slips for verification.

Sources

statuteWork Injury Compensation Act 2019, s. 3 — Application of Act

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Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.