What is an employment pass? It is a scheme or intention designed for extremely skilled professionals, managers as well as company secretary, so they can the permit to work and live in Singapore.
Employment pass facts
- Companies or employment agents apply on the EP candidate’s behalf
- A first-time candidate can get an employment pass for up to two years
- Renewals are valid up to three years
- Eligible EP candidates are allowed to bring their families into Singapore through a long term visit pass or dependant pass
The relation between Singapore company setup and employment pass
If a newly incorporated company lists you as a shareholder; the authorities of Singapore may not allow you employment pass. Mainly because they consider you as an entrepreneur and expect you to appeal for an entrepreneur pass instead. Try to avoid sales gimmicks that might advertise it in different ways.
If the company is older than 6 months, the shareholding problem will not apply. Once, the company incorporation passes six months, you have the freedom to be a sharer of that company without any complications. If you want to start a company in Singapore, interested in relocating to Singapore for operating the business, you can contact HeySara.
Eligibility and salary criteria
There are tight requirements that an employment pass applicant needs to meet.
- You can apply for an employment pass regardless of your nationality
- You need to have a job offered by an incorporated company in Singapore
- The designation should be for an executive, managerial or specialist role
- You must earn a stable salary, applicable for new graduates as well
Candidates must possess admissible qualifications, commonly a degree from a reputable university, specialized skills, or professional qualifications
How the company affects the chances of the candidate
Besides the qualification of a candidate, the Ministry of Manpower evaluates the company that applies for the employment pass. They consider certain factors to examine the contributions of that company to the economy and workforce of Singapore such as:
- How many Singaporean staff the company has in comparison to the industry average?
- Is the company committed to hire and develop Singaporean talent?
- What is the limit of that company in contributing to the economy and society of Singapore?
Required documents
- Particulars page of the passport of the candidate
- Latest business profile of the company
- Educational certificate of the candidate
- Consent from the candidate in writing, allowing the employment agent or the company to appeal on his or her behalf
- Candidates may require submitting some additional documents like mark sheet or transcript as required
Wondering How to apply for an employment pass in Singapore? Most companies apply online. A foreign company that has no office in Singapore must consider a local sponsor applying through the mail. There is an application fee that a company or employment agent needs to pay for both manual and online applications. If the candidate gets approval, he or she needs to issue the EP within 6 months.