In conjunction with the Government Technology Agency, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has introduced the Digital LTA Vocational Licence on the Singpass mobile application. The Digital LTA Vocational Licence will serve as the formal identification for the following vocational licencing holders: Taxi Drivers, Private Hire Car Drivers, Bus Drivers, Bus Attendants and Omnibus Vocational.
Starting on 1 April 2023, the digital vocational licence immediately became available on the Singpass app. It is accessible via the Singpass app’s “My Cards” feature, alongside the digital identification card and driver’s licence.
The digital licence is part of the government’s endeavour to digitise more of its services to give greater convenience to the public. With the launch, it will be provided free of charge to vocational licence holders.
Users won’t have to worry about replacing lost or damaged physical cards because they can simply access them via the Singpass app. The digitalised vocational licences will also be recognised as identification for admission into sites such as Jurong Island and restricted parts of Changi Airport, as well as gas stations that offer loyalty programmes to holders of vocational licences.
To avoid unauthorised access, vocational licence holders should not take screenshots of their Digital LTA Vocational Licence or share their Singpass login information with others. Students should also practice appropriate internet safety measures such as creating strong passwords for their devices and only enrolling their own biometric data for secure device access.
Because of the digitalisation of occupational licences, the LTA will no longer issue physical vocational licences. Drivers who seek to obtain a physical vocational licence may do so with the LTA for a charge of SG$ 21.60.
Current vocational licence holders can continue to use both their physical and digital vocational licences. For those who require more information, materials such as infographics, user guide videos, and FAQs on the Digital LTA Vocational Licence will be available on the OneMotoring website.
In addition, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Singapore Tourist Board (STB) announced the creation of a S$ 10 million Singapore On-screen Fund to encourage visitors to visit Singapore through TV shows and films.
The joint fund will assist international media and entertainment (M&E) partners in producing TV and film projects that will reach global audiences and highlight Singapore as a destination. These projects will also allow local media companies and talent to collaborate with global M&E partners to create content for worldwide consumers.
Multinational media conglomerates, significant streaming platforms, and studios that have regularly produced popular material for the worldwide market will be asked to apply for the fund. Project applications will be evaluated based on their distribution and market reach, content concept and creative merit, the opportunity to highlight Singapore’s offerings and experiences, and the quantity of credited local talent participating.
The fund intends to capitalise on the rise in entertainment content during the epidemic to initiate more projects that promote the destination and assist industry development.
The Singapore On-screen Fund will assist chosen projects by prominent M&E firms that are set in Singapore and will be released before the first quarter of 2027. Winning projects will get up to 30% financing support for qualifying expenditures associated with highlighting Singapore, including production and marketing costs.
Young aspiring artists from Nanyang Technological University, LaSalle College of the Arts, and Ngee Ann Polytechnic also participated in the show, which was funded by the government.
