Work Permits for Singapore


By Dave - Posted on 06 July 2010

Singapore makes it’s fairly straightforward to get a visa – provided your skills, experience, qualifications and personality meet the criteria. There are four main types of visa of interest to expats:
  • The Employment Pass (EP) is granted to professionals, managers, specialists and generally skilled workers earning more than $2,500 per month. There are three categories of EP – P1, P2 and Q Pass which relate the type of job and privileges afforded. The EP also qualifies the holder for dependant privileges, which is handy in the case of schooling and healthcare. 
  • The S Pass is awarded to middle-level skilled applicants earning at least $1,800. S Pass holders making less than $2,500 per month cannot bring in their dependants.
  • A Work Permit (WP) is awarded to unskilled or temporary workers, like domestic servants and labourers.
  • A Miscellaneous Work Pass is issued for 90 days and is mostly used by consultants and temporary workers.
The first step in applying for a work visa is to get an Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC) from the Ministry of Manpower via http://epec.mom.gov.sg/epec.

Applicants need to upload copies of their qualifications and diplomas, and passport details.

Once successful a Social Visit Pass (SVP) of up to 12 months will be granted which will allow expats seeking work plenty of time to conduct applications and interviews.

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