Employment Information

Singapores advancing economic structure attracts a great number of individuals who wish to experience its business potential. Any foreigner who wishes to do business in Singapore, either by seeking employment or putting up his own company, must first obtain a Singapore Employment Pass before he can legally transact his business in the country. A Singapore Employment Pass is a work visa issued by the Ministry of Manpower to foreign business people who are already employed in Singapore or to any business person still seeking for employment or who either owns a Singapore company or is a shareholder or director of such company.

The Singapore Employment Pass has three types, depending on the purpose:

P1 Pass for a minimum monthly income of S$7,000 and holds a managerial, executive or specialist position
P2 Pass for a minimum monthly income of S$3,500
Q1 Pass for a minimum monthly income of S$2,500

Applications for a Singapore Employment Pass are submitted to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The MOM is the sole authority that reviews, evaluates and approves EP Applications. To be eligible for a Singapore EP, the applicant must possess specialist skills and professional qualifications. In this case, an applicants educational attainment and background are added considerations, so it is important that a hard copy of the Original Transcript of Records and other relevant certificates pertaining to education is attached to the application. Although, educational attainment is vital, its absence could still be compensated by presenting the following documents: resume or curriculum vitae indicating in details the educational and employment history, testimonials or certificates of employment from previous employers, and a copy of passport. An applicant who has not earned a college degree is not immediately denied by the Ministry of Manpower as long as his application is sufficient in form and substance and his supporting credentials are excellent.

There are three steps in applying for a Singapore EP with the Ministry of Manpower:

First Step: For newly incorporated companies, an authorization code must first be obtained from the MOM before submitting the application. The authorization code is issued within 1-2 weeks.

Second Step: Submit your EP application. An application may be submitted personally to the MOM or online. The approval of the application takes at least 2 weeks.

Third Step: Once an application is approved, the MOM sends through email, an In-Principle Approval (IPA). The IPA must then be presented personally to the Work Pass Division of the MOM upon claiming the EP. The IPA is valid for 6 months from the time of notification of approval. Aside from the IPA, the applicant must also bring a medical exam report (which may be issued by the applicants country of origin or by in Singapore), original passport with entry embarkation cards, recent passport-size photos, and other documents specified in the IPA. Documents which are not in the English language must be translated into English by any Singaporean accredited official translation service.

An EP issued for the first time is valid for 2 years and can be renewed thereafter. The renewed EP is valid for 3 years. Once an Employment Pass (EP) has been issued, the foreign holder may now apply for a Dependent Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass for his/her family members.

More and more foreigners are coming over to Singapore either to get employed or start their own companies. This is highly due to the healthy financial environment in Singapore which attracts foreigners and entrepreneurs from all parts of the world.

However, before engaging to work or be employed in Singapore, there is a need to obtain a permit or visa so that your employment or business will be considered legitimate. This employment visa is more popularly called a Singapore Employment Pass (EP).

EMPLOYMENT PASS (EP) DEFINED. A Singapore Employment Pass is a work visa issued to foreign entrepreneurs, shareholders, and managing directors so that they can legally setup and personally manage their business in Singapore. However, an EP can also be issued as a work visa for supervisors and managers, key employees, professionals, and workers with a specialized skill who are employed in a Singapore incorporated company.

EP ELIGIBILITY. In order to be qualified to obtain an EP, the foreigner must have a minimum fixed monthly salary of S$2,500 and must possess any or all of the following qualifications: acceptable diploma/degrees, professional qualifications, specialist skills, and relevant work experience. Aside from the foregoing qualifications, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) also takes into consideration the foreigners age, current citizenship, and his roles and responsibilities in a company. Possessing the requisite educational attainment does not necessarily guarantee issuance of an EP. Sometimes the MOM also makes exceptions especially for applicants who have outstanding professional skills and highly relevant qualifications for the job they are performing even if they fall short of the educational requirement.

EP CATEGORIES: The EP is divided into three categories and are based primarily on an applicants monthly salary. These categories are: P1 Pass, P2 Pass, and Q1 Pass.

P1 Pass. This pass is given to foreign applicants with a fixed monthly salary of more than S$7,000.

P2 Pass. This pass is given to foreign applicants with a fixed monthly salary of more than S$3,500 to S$7,000.

Q1 Pass. This pass is given to foreign applicants with a fixed monthly salary of S$2,500 to S$3,500.

EP APPLICATION. All applications for Employment Pass must be submitted to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The application must be accompanied by all relevant documents showing competency and qualifications especially as to education, skills, and relevant work experience. It also has the discretion to deny applications especially if there is a lack of supporting documents. In case of denial of EP application, an appeal may be made to the MOM providing the agency with relevant documents which were lacking during the first application. Review of the appeal takes more than three weeks.

EP VALIDITY. An Employment Pass is valid for two or three years, depending on the type of pass and the individual holder. Two months before the EP expires, the holder will receive a notification from the MOM informing him that the pass is about to expire and there is a need to renew the same at least four weeks before expiration.

Processing Employment Pass can be a bit exhausting most especially if you are compelled to secure it at once. Fortunately, it is possible to get them at once with Rikvin Immigration Services an independent immigration advisory agency serving professionals and businesses from around the world to relocate in Singapore. Rikvin always think out of the box. They provide a very valuable service by just letting you submit your employment pass (EP) application online and possibly get the EP Visa approved within just 24 hours. Although this service can be served for those who are applying for a Employment Pass (EP) work pass category that can be manageable under the fast track premium service, any option to expedite EP processing would surely create a big difference.