Snapshot of Singapore Work Passes, Permits and Visas
This guide provides an insight into the different types of Singapore Work Pass and Visas, including the Employment Pass, EntrePass, Personalised Employment Pass, S Pass, ONE Pass, Tech.Pass and Work Permit. In addition, you will also learn about the Dependant’s Pass and Long Term Visit Pass for eligible dependants, as well as short-term work passes such as the Work Holiday Programme permit, Training Employment Pass, and Training Work Permit.
| Pass, Permit or Programme | Type of Applicants | Examples of Eligibility Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass also known as EP or E-Pass | Professionals, Managers, Managing Directors, Executives or Specialists |
|
| Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass) | Foreign entrepreneurs setting up new businesses in Singapore |
|
| Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) | Professionals, Managers, Executives or Specialists | Overseas foreign professional whose last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas was at least $18,000
Current Employment Pass holders
THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE for PEP:
|
| S Pass | Mid-level skilled workers (e.g. Technicians) |
|
| Work Permit for foreign Worker | Semi-skilled or unskilled foreign workers in the construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process or services sector. |
|
| Work Permit for foreign domestic worker | Semi-skilled or unskilled foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to work in Singapore. |
|
Work Holiday Programme Foreign undergraduates or graduates between 17 and 30 years of age from universities in these countries:
- Australia
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- United States
| Pass, Permit or Programme | Type of Applicants |
|---|---|
| Training Employment Pass | Foreigners undergoing practical training attachments for professional, managerial, executive or specialist jobs |
| Training Work Permit | Semi-skilled or unskilled foreign trainees (e.g. foreign students studying in Singapore) who wish to undergo training in Singapore |
| Dependant’s Pass (DP) and Letter of Consent (LOC) |
|
| Long Term Visit Pass | EP holders who earn S$6,000 may bring:
EP holders who earn S$12,000 or more may bring:
|
FAQs
- Work passes such as EP, S Pass and Work Permit holders in Singapore are usually valid to stay for 1-2 years and can be renewed after. If foreign workers are laid off without any notice period before the last date of employment, they will be issued a 30-day Short Term Visit Pass (STVP), which will allow them to temporarily stay in Singapore.
- You need to meet the Work Permit requirements, including medical insurance, security bond, quota and levy. Foreign worker under Work Permit is meant for unskilled or semi-skilled workers in the construction, manufacturing, marine, process, or services sector. The foreign worker must come from one of the MOM’s specified source countries, which vary by sector.
- Yes, although there is no quota for Employment Pass, it still has strict restrictions as the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will review each application based on several factors such as the applicant’s qualifications, salary, academic qualification, years of experience in that industry, the level of skills required and company’s merit. Employers are strongly encouraged to advertise all job vacancies on the Jobs Bank to reach out to as many eligible job applicants as possible.
- The foreign worker quota for a company is determined based on the CPF account of the company. Employers can use the MOM calculator to plan the number of Work Permit and S Pass holders the company can hire based on their sector and workforce.
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