The authorities have divided foreign workers who are not Singapore Permanent Residents into two classes--those whose basic monthly salary is S$2,500 or less and those whose basic salary is more than S$2,500. The Work Permit is for those with the lower basic salary and the Employment Pass is for those with the higher. As in life, it is better to make more than $2,500.

The government assumes that the Employment Pass holder is a more highly educated, higher-calibre individual. As a result, there are advantages to having such a Pass. It is easier to obtain Dependant's Passes. Other clearances that may be required, say for a change of job, are also easier to obtain.

If you are just coming to Singapore for a specific short-term assignment (e.g. consultants or performers), you will need to get a Professional Visit Pass

Employment Passes (Basic salary above S$2,500)

There are now two classifications of employment pass - 'P' and 'Q'. The first of these, the 'P' pass is for foreigners holding acceptable tertiary/professional qualifications seeking professional, administrative, executive or managerial jobs or who are entrepreneurs or investors. A P1 pass is for those with incomes of above $7000 and a P2 pass is for those with incomes of between $3500 and $7000.

If your income is above $2500 and you have basic educational qualifications (at least 5 GCE 'O' levels OR a full NTC-2 certificate), you can qualify for a Q1 pass. Finally, if you do not meet either the basic montly income OR educational requirements just noted, you may be granted a Q2 pass in exceptional circumstances.

More likely, if your basic monthly salary is below $2,500 but you have an acceptable university degree or diploma from a recognised educational institution in Singapore, you may also apply for the Employment Pass. An Employment Pass holder may apply for Dependant's Passes for a spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old. You can apply for Dependant's Passes together with the Employment Pass.

The fee for the Employment or Dependant Pass is $30 a year or part thereof. If you need a visa, you have to pay $20 per issue. If all of the above seems most complicated, relax...it is usually just a question of a once-yearly wait in line at the Immigration building after filling in the forms and nothing more.

Work Permits (Basic salary S$2,500 and below)

If you intend to work in Singapore and are earning a basic monthly salary of $2,500 or less, you must apply for a Work Permit. Prospective employers must also furnish a $5,000 security deposit for all foreign workers except those from Malaysia. When the worker is repatriated, the security bond is returned to the employer; otherwise, it is forfeited.

You should know the outcome of your application in 7 working days. Do not begin working until you receive the Permit. You could be fined an amount equivalent to several months of your salary.
Depending on the type of occupation, your employer has to pay the Ministry of Manpower a levy that varies from $200 to $400.
Application forms are available free-of-charge at Counter 1, Level 2 of the Work Permit Department, Tel: (65) 6538-3033, Fax: (65) 6539-5344.
Before collecting the Permit, get a registered Singapore doctor to certify that you are medically fit.
The whole process can be quite laborious, so there are agents who are ready to step in and iron out the technicalities for a fee.

Conditions for Application

You will need a local sponsor in the form of a Singapore registered corporation (usually your employer) when applying for the Employment Pass.

Where and How to Apply

You can get application forms for both the Employment Pass and the Work Permit from:

Singapore Immigration & Registration
10 Kallang Road
Singapore 208718
Tel: (65) 6391-6100 (24-hour hotline)

Applications must be made at the above address and normally take about 6 weeks to process. Be sure to have certified copies of documents, otherwise you could end up playing document tennis. You will need to produce the originals later. The documents required are:

1. FOUR copies of completed Form 8 per applicant. The forms must be signed by both you and an authorised officer from your sponsor company, and should also be endorsed with the company's stamp or seal.
2. ONE copy each of all your qualification papers and past employment testimonials.
3. TWO passport-sized photographs of you taken within the last 3 months.
4. For those setting up professional practices here, ONE copy of the sponsorship letter from a well-established local corporation stating its responsibility for the maintenance and repatriation of each applicant is needed. Otherwise a security deposit of S$3,000 per applicant will be required.
5. For those who are regional representatives, ONE copy of the letter from the Trade Development Board approving the setting up of the Representative Office and a letter from the Representative Office's headquarters stating the purpose of the application, the duration of the applicant's assignment, the duties and responsibilities of the applicant in the Office, and the maintenance and repatriation of the applicant.

Those who are married must submit ONE copy each of the official marriage certificate and the spouse's educational certificates if the spouse is a Singapore citizen, permanent resident or an employment pass holder.

Dependant's Passes

If you want to apply for Dependant's Passes for your spouse and unmarried children below 21 years, complete and submit Form 12 together with your employment pass application. The documents required are:

1. TWO copies of completed and signed Form 12 (one may be a photocopy). Children travelling on their own passports must submit a separate Form 12, while parents may sign on behalf of children below 12 years.
2. ONE copy of the official marriage certificate.
3. ONE copy each of the official birth certificates of children showing both the parents' names and the child's name OR Court papers on the custody of the children.
4. TWO passport-sized photographs of the applicant taken within the last 3 months. No photograph is required for children below 12 years.

If Your Application is Rejected

If your application is rejected, try to find out why. There may be several reasons. The most common is that...
Sometimes, there is a lapse between official announcement of a policy and the execution of that policy. For example, foreigners with creative expertise in the media who were wooed by one government body had their applications rejected by Immigration. It was later found that a number of them did not have the necessary paper qualifications; since then, an exception has been created for them.
Note that agents who apply for the Pass or Permit on your behalf do not guarantee results. Because such applications cost money, be as sure as you can that you are likely to succeed in your application before sending it in.

Stopping Work

When you stop work, your Employment Pass is deemed to be cancelled. You have 7 days to surrender your pass for cancellation. It is an offence not to surrender your pass as you will be deemed to have remained unlawfully, unless you are entitled to remain in Singapore under the Immigration Act.
If you change your job, you need to apply for a new Employment Pass.

Renewal

To renew your Employment Pass, submit TWO application forms (the form is the same as that for a new application). You should submit a renewal application about 2 months before your existing Employment Pass expires.