EMPLOYMENT PASS IN SINGAPORE
To work in Singapore, employers need to ensure that their foreign employees are issued with a valid employment pass from the Ministry of Manpower. A local sponsor, the employer in most cases, is required to apply for the employment pass for professionals, administrators, executives, and managerial staff. There are four categories of employment passes, as detailed below:
Employment Pass P1 and P2
For a P1 Pass, applicants need to have acceptable professional qualifications or specialist skills in a professional, administrative, executive or managerial capacity.
Entrepreneurs and investors also fall into this category.
Applicants must have a basic monthly salary of more than S$7,000.
For a P2 Pass, applicants need to be earning more than S$3,500 and up to S$7,000.
With a P Pass, the pass holder’s spouse, adopted children and dependent children below 21 years of age may accompany them on Dependant's Passes. Aged parents and parents-in-law can also visit a P Pass holder on long-term social visit passes.
Employment Pass Q1
For a Q1 Pass, applicants need to possess acceptable degree, professional qualifications or specialist skills and earn a basic monthly salary of more than S$2,500.
Applicants may also obtain Dependant's Passes for their spouse and children.
S Pass
Applicants for S Pass will be assessed on a points system. The points system comprises four categories, namely, salary, educational qualifications, number of years of work experience and job type to enable a broader assessment of the applicant.
Applicants chalk up points based on how far they meet the criteria. The points allocated for each category of criteria will vary over time depending on market conditions.
To qualify for the S Pass, applicants must be paid a minimum monthly basic salary of S$1,800.
S Pass holders who earn a minimum basic monthly salary of more than $2,500 will enjoy dependant privileges and can bring their immediate families to Singapore. The minimum salary is set at $2,500 to ensure that S Pass holders are able to support their families here. Spouses of S Pass holders are allowed to work in Singapore provided that they qualify for work passes on their own merits.
A 5% quota for S Pass holders will be imposed at the company level. The quota of 5% per company means that employers need to employ a certain number of locals before they can employ foreign workers on S Passes.
A monthly levy of $50 is applicable for each S Pass holder.
For more information on the above employment passes, please visit the Ministry of Manpower website.
Applications can be made at the Ministry of Manpower's Employment Pass Department. Completed forms, together with supporting documents, may be mailed to:
Work Pass Division
Ministry of Manpower
18 Havelock Road
Singapore 059764
Application forms may also be dropped into the Deposit Box located at level 1 of the same building.
Source: Contactsingapore.com








