The Employment Pass

A foreigner with a valid job offer in Singapore would only be allowed to work upon issuance of a work permit or a valid Employment Pass (EP). Singapore employers that deploy non-residents without a valid work permit may face the penalties stated under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

To qualify for one of the EPs below, there are basic requirements to be met:

Dependent Privileges for P and Q1 Employment Pass Holders

Family members of Q1 and P pass holders can go to Singapore using the passes indicated below. The application for family member can be submitted together with the Employment pass application or can be done separately. A separate application for each family member should be submitted.

S-Pass for Professionals

On July 2004, the Singapore government issued a new foreign work pass (S-Pass) that will allow entry and employment of skilled, middle level, managerial, and semi-skilled workers. This is intended for foreign workers that are not qualified for the Full Employment Pass. The Full Employment Pass is only given to skilled workers that earn SGD3,000 or more per month.

Applicant for S-pass are rated using a point system and here are the requirements:

• The monthly salary must be SGD 2,000 or higher.
• Has a diploma or technical qualifications.
• Has related work experience with the position
  
  

Dependent Privileges for S-Pass Holders

An S-Pass holder that earns SGD2,800 per month is entitled to dependent privileges. They can choose to submit the application and requirements for dependents together with their S-pass application. Children of S Pass holders need to pass the Qualifying Test (QT) or the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) to be accepted in mainstream public schools in Singapore.

S-Pass holders whose income is less than SGD2,800 are not allowed to apply for dependent privileges.

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