Work visa for Foreigners – Source Mom
Employment / Work Visa for Foreigner
Employment / Work Visa for Foreigner
Non-residents to work in Singapore require a work visa is required before they can legally begin employment. Companies that hire non-residents without a valid visa will be prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act
Work visas in Singapore range from work permits for domestic workers and labourers, to P-category Employment Passes for experienced professionals with good credentials in both education and industry knowledge.
Kindly read the following to get a better understanding of the various work visas available in Singapore and which is most suitable for you.
Employment Pass
PEP holders can generally take on employment in any sector. There may be some jobs where prior permission is required. For more information on occupations that require prior approval
PEP holders do not need to re-apply for a new pass when changing jobs which required notifying the MOM.
PEP holders are also given the flexibility of a continuous period of up to six months without a job to evaluate employment or work opportunities. They are not being required to leave Singapore during this time.
Eligibility
Foreigners who wish to work in Singapore can apply for the Personalised Employment Pass if they are:
Overseas foreign professional whose last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas was at least $18,000
- The last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas should be no more than six months from the time of the application.
- Employment Pass holders who earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000
The following groups of foreigners are not eligible for the PEP:
- (i) foreigners who are issued with an Employment Pass under the Sponsorship scheme. Under this scheme, their direct employers are overseas companies which do not have a Singapore-registered office/business entity
- (ii) foreigners who are working or intending to work on a free-lance basis without any direct employers in Singapore
- (iii) foreigners who are listed as Sole Proprietors, Partners or Directors in a business/company registered with ACRA and are shareholders of that business/company
- (iv) foreigners working as journalists, editors, sub-editors and producers.
Note: The PEP holder is not allowed to start his/her own business or engage in any entrepreneurial activities. The holder must apply for an EntrePass if he/she intends to do so.
Dependant privileges
PEP holders can bring their spouses (legally married) and children less than 21 years of age on Dependant's Passes. They can also bring their parents on Long Term Visit Passes. The dependants' applications must be sponsored by the PEP holders and submitted at any SingPost post offices
Conditions of validity
Maximum Unemployment Period: This cannot exceed six continuous months at any point. PEP holders who are unable to find employment after a continuous period of six months must cancel their pass. This includes PEP holders who are leaving Singapore to work for their overseas employer.
Minimum Annual Fixed Salary: PEP holders must earn an annual fixed salary of at least $144,000 for each calendar year, regardless of the number of months they are in employment for the calendar year.
For those who applied for their PEPs before 1 December 2012, they will have to meet this requirement by 31 December 2014. For more information, please refer to the
Requisite Notifications to MOM: PEP holders and their employers will need to keep MOM informed of each change in the PEP holders' employment status (e.g. commencement or cessation of employment). In addition, PEP holders are required to declare their annual fixed salary within 30 days of the end of the calendar year. They also need to inform MOM of any changes in their contact details viz. local contact person and address.
Duration
The PEP will be issued only once. It is valid for three years, and is non-renewable.
PEP holders whose passes are expiring can continue to work and live in Singapore on an Employment Pass (EP) or S Pass, subject to the prevailing EP and S Pass assessment criteria. To transit to EP or S Pass, the employer must submit a new application. This can be done without cancelling the existing PEP.
Documents required before you apply
- The Personalised Employment Pass application form.
- Download Additional documents required for overseas foreign professional; one CLEAR COPY of following:
1. Educational certificates
2. Employment contract of new and/or previous employment (if any)
3. Employment history
4. Latest three months’ salary slips and bank account statements
5. Latest tax statement
6. A copy of the personal particulars page of the applicant’s passport/travel document
(Non-English documents must be accompanied by an official English translation done by translation service providers, High Commission / Embassy or notary public.)
Employment Pass
About the Pass
The Employment Pass is a work pass for foreign professionals working in managerial, executive or specialised jobs.
Who is eligible
Advertising requirements for employers
As part of the Fair Consideration Framework, firms submitting new Employment Pass applications may be required to advertise these job vacancies on the Jobs Bank administered by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) prior to application.
Requirements for foreigners
Foreigners who are interested to work and has a job offer in Singapore may apply for an Employment Pass. The applicants will need to earn at least $3,300 and possess acceptable qualifications.
Passes for Family Members
Successful applicants can bring in their families under one of these passes:
Requirements for foreigners
Foreigners who are interested to work and has a job offer in Singapore may apply for an Employment Pass. The applicants will need to earn at least $3,300 and possess acceptable qualifications.
Passes for Family Members
Successful applicants can bring in their families under one of these passes:
| Qualifying criteria | Passes for family members |
|---|---|
| Fixed monthly salary = $8,000 and above |
|
| Fixed monthly salary = between $4,000 and $8,000 |
|
A separate application for each family member should be submitted. The application can be submitted together with the Employment Pass application or separately.
Acceptable qualifications
Acceptable qualifications can include good degrees, professional qualifications or specialist skills. MOM evaluates each application and qualification on its own merit, based on a wide range of criteria including:
- Global and country institution rankings by independent accreditation boards such as the QS World University Rankings, Academic Rankings of World Universities, etc.
- Employment outcome of the institution's graduates.
- The institution's enrolment standards.
Note:
1.MOM does not have a list of approved institutions. Possessing an acceptable qualification does not automatically guarantee a successful Employment Pass application, as the applicant may need to satisfy other criteria, such as qualifying salary or professional skills.
2.Similarly, applicants who do not possess an acceptable qualification may not necessarily be rejected for Employment Pass. MOM will consider, on a case-by-case basis, applicants with proven track records and exceptional skills-set, but who may not have the qualifications required by the enhanced Employment Pass framework.
Multiple Journey Business Visa – Entrepreneur
A Multiple Business Visa is to smoothen the travel experience of business executives from obtaining visa into Singapore. This will benefit the investors or business people who visit Singapore frequently to attend to business or investment needs.
