Employment Information

If you are planning to put up a business in Singapore or just live and work there, it is important to consider some legal factors to make your stay a legit one.There are many choices for what should be the employment pass you need to get for you and your family.

When it comes to employment pass in Singapore the two main consideration is the salary and education.Work experience so do your age and nationality will also be a consideration.

Provided that several people are certain of a minimum of ONE factor of their employment criteria, employment pass options will be presented around key individual criterion to expedite identification of the employment alternatives available to you. Given below are the key variables that may affect the corresponding work pass options.

The Regular Employment Pass

This pass is split into 3 different categories (P1, P2, Q1) and is largely dependent on salary requirements.For P1 the salary should be above S$7, 000, for P2 it should be above S$2, 500 and Q1 is above S$2, 500.A diploma or certificate from a prestigious is required for EP.This will be on case to case basis.If an employer wants to hire an individual, they should take care of the EP for them as well as provide sponsorship for them.Therefore, the EP is only valid for the specific job it states, and if you leave that job, you will require a new EP.EP holder’s family will now be permitted for Dependents Pass that will be valid along with EP.Even if the family will not be given the chance to have the dependent pass, they will still be given the chance to have a Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP).This does not apply for Q1 holder family members.Having a DP or LTVP alone, does not allow the pass holder to work in Singapore, a relevant work pass is required.

Personalized Employment Pass

Personalized EP will be applicable to foreign individuals whose monthly salary is minimum of S$7,000, foreigners who graduate from Singapore universities, as well as current and former P1 holders whose last salary was above S$30,00 annually and current P2 and Q1 holders with at least S$30, 000 annually.Salary and work experience is being considered and that the individual should not be unemployed for six months so that he/she will be allowed to apply. Personalized Employment Pass holders’ families are eligible for Dependent’s Pass as well as Long Term Visit Pass.

EntrePass

For investors and foreign individuals who want to put up a business in Singapore, EntrePass would best fits them.The main requirement to be eligible for an EntrePass is to have a company registered with ACRA, the organization that deals with Company Registration in Singapore.Q1 and P are the two types of EntrePass which largely depends on the salary. The main things needed for an EntrePass are, the company should have a minimum paid up capital of at least S$50, 000 and 30% ownership and that the individual is active in the whole operation of the business.Owners of coffee shops, bars and night clubs are not allowed to apply for an EntrePass.The legit family of EntrePass holders are now permitted to apply for Dependent Pass and Long Term Visit Pass.

Dependent’s Pass

Dependent Pass will be applicable to family members of Singapore EP holders, Personalized EP holders, EntrePass holders and S Pass holders.Requirements should be met first before applying for dependent pass.Spouse of the holder and child of the holder who is below 21 years old is allowed.New born babies, legally adapt children and step children are also accepted. Past the age of 21, some DP holders who are the children of the work pass holder may be eligible to apply for a Long Term Visit Pass.The valid duration of EP, Personalized EP, EntrePass or S pass is the same with DP. DP holders are permitted to work in Singapore but should have a work permit.Working in Singapore is not allowed in DP but living and studying are only the inclusions.

Long Term Visit Pass

Long term visit pass will be applicable to the family of P1 and P2 EP, P1 and P2 Personalized Ep and P EntrePass holders.Common law spouse, unmarried daughters above 21 years of age , handicapped children which age is above 21 years old, step children, parents, parents in law are considered the direct family.Those who are above 21 years old of a work pass holder will be liable in providing for themselves and is not allowed to live in Singapore based on the working situation. However, daughters who are originally DP holders can apply for LTVP when their DP expires.60 months or 5 years will be the validation of LTVP.Much like a DP, a LTVP does not authorize employment of the LTVP holder, and LTVP holders must apply for their own relevant EP before being able to legally work in Singapore.

From the summary of main work pass types it should be possible to identify at least one that is relevant to

you and your family.To get enough knowledge on the pass that will be applicable to your family, take a visit on Singapore Ministry of Manpower website.If a professional service firm will help in incorporation of business in Singapore, then they will also be a big help in this matter.It is fact that the businesses in Singapore is achieving a lot.The qualifications for getting work permits is not that high for foreign investors than any other offshore business.Meanwhile, the whole process for application of work permits will be more organized.

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.

Every year about few thousand foreign owned companies get registered in Singapore. At the same time, the number of foreign professionals working in the country has gone up considerably and now over one-third of the entire working population in Singapore comprises of overseas professionals. Although this year saw a number of amendments introduced on the employment pass scheme to ensure only the best minds were able to live and work in Singapore, overall it is fairly simple for a company to employ foreign nationals in the country.
Firstly companies that need to employ foreigners for whatever reason must ensure they apply for an employment pass for each of the foreign professional they want to employ. The employment pass is actually the main type of work visa meant for foreigners that want to work in Singapore. Obtaining an employment pass takes about a month and authorities would check the background of both the professional who is being employed as well as the company that is employing the foreigner. With the recent changed introduced in the eligibility criteria for an employment pass, authorities in Singapore would look at the relevant work experience of the foreign professional, their educational qualifications as well as their existing and offered salaries in Singapore. The third criterion, that of salary is an important addition to the eligibility for employment pass as Singapore wants to ensure highly skilled professionals who already have a good professional background are able to enter the country.
Foreign companies that are about to incorporate in Singapore and need to bring in staff from their head office can apply for the employment pass immediately after receiving the certificate of incorporation. Again it must be noted that an application has to be submitted for each of the overseas staff members they wish to relocate. Ministry of Manpower (MoM) in Singapore processes employment pass applications and they would ensure that the employment offered is legitimate and whether all rules and regulations are being followed.
If a company in Singapore wants to employ a foreigner who is already working in the country for another company, they must endorse a new application for the foreign professional as each employment pass is connected to one employer. Moment the foreigner stops working for the company that originally employed them, their employment pass expires immediately. Hence for change of companies, foreigners need to apply for the employment pass again endorsed by the new company employing them.