Singapore Immigration Update on Employment Pass Application Criteria 

23 Aug 2016

What’s New? 

With effect from 1 January 2017, applicants applying for an Employment Pass (EP) in Singapore require a new qualifying salary of SGD 3,600. Only new EP applicants who can command a monthly salary of SGD 3,600 or more, subject to meeting other criteria on qualifications and experience, will be considered. 

Who is Affected? 

Existing Employment Pass (EP) holders and new Employment Pass (EP) applicants. 

What’s going to happen? 

1. Existing Employment Pass Holders: 

Before 1 January 2017: Pass holders will be able to renew the pass for a duration of up to three years based on current Employment Pass criteria. 

Between 1 January 2017 – 30 June 2017 (both dates inclusive): Pass holders will be able to renew the pass for a duration of one year, based on the current Employment Pass criteria. 

1 July 2017 onwards: Pass holders will have to meet the new criteria for renewal with a duration of up to three years. 

2. New applicants intending to apply for an Employment Pass: 

Only new applicants who command a monthly salary of SGD3,600 or more, subject to meeting other criteria on qualifications and experience, will be considered. New applicants with more years of experience are required to command higher salaries commensurate with their work experience and skill sets, as per current practice. 

What does this mean for your Company in Singapore? 

• Planning in advance – Employers are highly encouraged to provide sufficient time when hiring a new foreign candidate in consideration of the need to advertise the job opening on Jobs Bank before the employer able to apply for an Employment Pass. 
• Conduct Self-Assessment – Employers are encouraged to use the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) on the Ministry of Manpower website to assess and obtain a preliminary indication if their potential candidates will meet the new salary criteria. The SAT will be updated by Nov 2016 with the new salary criteria. Company employing candidates on shorter term assignments, lesser years of experience, and fresh graduates should conduct a Self-Assessment prior to application and plan in advance. 
• Provide stronger justification – Company acting as a sponsor should review the candidate’s credentials and provide a stronger justification to have the foreign employee to work in Singapore 

Asian Tigers Group Singapore Can Help You 

Effective 1st January 2014, Asian Tigers Group is pleased to obtain our Executive Search Agency License (Number: 13C6751) through our subsidiary company – ATM Advisory Services Pte Ltd. 

With this, all applicants will use our very own EP Online (EPOL) account to file directly with Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and will no longer be required to be an authorised user under your Company’s EPOL account. 

As a commitment to our Clients to establish a sustainable process in the growing market, Asian Tigers Group has provides a seamless solution to enhance your new candidate’s experience by providing end to end support with our Immigration Specialist. 

Each of our Immigration Specialists individually holds an Executive Search (EA) Registration license and possess the

necessary qualifications to support the work you have entrusted to us. 

We will help you to: 

• Gain direct approval from Ministry of Manpower to support all work pass applications 
• Eliminate administrative processes to authorise a slot for third parties to access the company’s EP Online account 
• Solve problem of limited slots available online to access the company’s EP Online account 
• Encourage Personally Identifiable Information (PII) protection 
• Streamline government payments administration