Visa & Immigration Update - Singapore Employment Pass

Effective Date: Effective 01 January, 2017
Impacted Country: Singapore 

Policy Change(s): 
As published, from 1 January 2017 the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will be raising the qualifying salary for Employment Pass (EP) applications from $3,300 to $3,600. This change is part of the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) regular updating of the EP qualifying salary to keep pace with rising local wages, maintain the quality of the foreign workforce and enhance their complementarity to the local workforce.

Impact(s):

• New EP applicants must command a minimum monthly salary of $3,600 in addition to meeting other criteria on qualifications and experience. Applicant who have more years of experience are also required to receive higher salaries commensurate with their work experience.

• Existing EP holders whose passes expire:
  • Before 1 January 2017: Will be eligible for renewal of up to three years, based on existing EP criteria.
  • Between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2017 (including both dates): Will be eligible for a one year renewal, based on the existing EP criteria.
  • From 1 July 2017 onwards: New criteria must be met to qualify for renewal of up to three years.

Our Recommendation(s):

We recommend companies to use the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) on the MOM website to assess if their EP candidates will meet the new salary criteria. The SAT will be updated by November 2016.

For any questions, please reach out to your SIRVA Immigration Specialist in Singapore. Kat Noor | T + 65 6506.1930 | E kat.noor@sirva.com