Your Guide in Working in Singapore

Posted by John Rikvin on October 10th, 2019

Step No. 1: Identify what type of worker you are and which Singapore work pass is appropriate for you

Depending on your profile, there are different types of Singapore work visas:

Employment Pass (EP)

The EP is meant for foreign workers who are looking for managerial, executive or specialised positions in Singapore. The assessment of applicants for EP depend on their remuneration, qualifications, work experience among other factors. The EP has to be applied for the candidate either manually or via EP online by the prospective employer.

The EP also requires applicants to earn a minimum of S,600 (effective 1 January 2017) and hold acceptable qualifications. However, older applicants may be expected to command higher wages commensurate to their work experience to qualify for an EP.

Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)

This pass is meant to encourage international talent to relocate to Singapore. The Personalised Employment Pass is approved based on the individual merits of the applicant, and not associated to any employer. It allows foreign professionals to spend up to six months in Singapore to look for new jobs, without having to re-apply for the PEP when they change jobs.

However, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) needs to be informed on any changes to the employment status. The PEP also requires foreign professionals to earn a monthly salary of S,000 if they are currently holding an EP, or ,000 if they are based overseas.

S Pass

The S Pass is meant for mid-skilled foreign workers who wish to work in Singapore. This pass requires them to draw a minimum monthly income of S,200 in order to be approved. Ordinarily, a diploma or degree qualification is also expected of the applicant for the approval of the S Pass. Like the EP, it is applied for the candidate either manually or via EP online by the prospective employer.

There are some conditions that apply to employers who hire S Pass holders. They are required to pay a Foreign Worker (FW) levy for every S Pass holder they employ. They are also expected to use the General Interbank Recurring Order (GIRO) when paying the salaries of the S Pass holders they employ in the first three months following the issue of the S Pass.

Read the full version of this article that talks about the steps in working in Singapore at Rikvin.com.