Singapore’s advanced employment laws make it a popular destination for foreign workers. While the elaborate guidelines ensure that employers know exactly how to operate, they can be tedious to navigate. The island nation has multiple categories of visas, with distinct conditions, benefits, and limitations based on the industry the employing company functions in. Identifying which fits your business function and meeting its requirements is critical since the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) demand a high level of diligence.
New Legislation
The Singapore government launched a points-based system called the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) in September 2024. The guidelines of this system need to be met in addition to the high-qualifying salaries for work visas.
Only employees who meet the following criteria are exempted from COMPASS:
- Earning a minimum fixed monthly salary of S$20,000 (US$14,667).
- Applying for a short-term role requires the individual to stay for one month or less.
- Those applying as an overseas intra-corporate transferee under the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement or an FTA (Free Trade Agreement).
Types of Visas in Singapore
Employers must note that work permits are issued to jobseekers from certain countries only after the employer fulfils the requirements for medical insurance, security bonds, quotas, and foreign worker levies. Additionally, each sector has distinct work permit requirements. Visa processing usually takes 3-5 business days, excluding the date of application.
Employment Pass
The employment pass is issued to managers, executives and skilled professionals after passing a two-stage eligibility framework:
Minimum salary: The minimum salary is dependent on age. It is S$5,000 (US$3,717) for employees aged 23 and goes up to S$10,500 (US$7,807) for those aged 45 and above. For example, the minimum salary for 23-year-old financial services employees starts at S$5,500 (US$4,064) and goes up to S$11,500 (US$8,550) for those aged 45.
COMPASS: This measures employee eligibility on four criteria: salary, diversity, qualifications, and support for local employment. Employees must score at least 40 points to qualify for an Employment Pass (EP).
S Pass
This is issued to mid-level skilled employees who meet the minimum salary requirement of a monthly fixed salary of at least S$3,300 (US$2,434).
Note that this minimum threshold has been raised yearly from 2022 to 2024, and the minimum salary requirements must be maintained to continue holding the S Pass.
Employers are liable to pay a Foreign Worker Levy (FWL), regularly updated on the MOM’s (Ministry of Manpower) website.
5-year Employment Pass
This has been introduced for experienced professionals applying for occupations on the COMPASS Shortage Occupation List.
To apply for a long-term EP, employers must submit:
- The applicant’s passport with details of experience.
- The employee’s academic certificates.
- The company’s latest business profile, as registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) of Singapore.
The EP’s initial validity is two years, but it can be extended multiple times (as per sector-specific guidelines) by up to three years at a time.
Personalised Employment Pass
PEP is specially designed for high-income EP holders and foreign professionals. To stay compliant with the pass-holding rights, they must receive a minimum salary of S$22,500 (US$15,645) per month. They cannot be unemployed for more than six months and must receive a minimum salary of S$270,000 (US$200,740) every calendar year.
Entrepreneur pass
EntrePass is issued to those who wish to establish a business in the city state. This is issued only for a year initially. Business owners must meet certain conditions, such as funding, registered IP, and being an incubator with the Singapore government accelerator.
EntrePass can be renewed for two years for every subsequent application if the employer meets the minimum amount of business spending, local hiring, and other sector-specific requirements.
Tech. Pass
Singapore offers the Tech.Pass for technology talent. It does not require a locally registered sponsor but demonstrating a high level of expertise in salary and accomplishments is necessary. The pass has been created under the Tech@SG program and is open to a limited number of employees, as considered adequate by the MOM for the technological advancement of the country.
Bringing Dependents to Singapore
Individuals with a minimum monthly salary of S$6,000 (US$4,425) can apply for a dependent pass for spouses and unmarried children under 21. Parents and stepchildren, however, must apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP). The minimum salary criteria for bringing parents to Singapore is S$12,000 (US$8,850).
How Access Financial Simplifies Compliance
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