What Is An Employment Pass?

By Author: Diane Paz
Total Articles: 172
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The Singapore Employment Pass (EP) is a visa issued to foreign entrepreneurs, shareholders, and managing directors in order to allow them to setup and personally manage their business in the country. Also, supervisors and managers, "key employees," professionals, and workers with a specialized skill can also apply for EP as their work visa.
For professionals and "key employees," these are the basic requirements for Singapore Employment Pass application:

- A fixed monthly salary rate of at least S$2,500
- A recognized college degree from a reputable school
- Professional qualifications
- Specialized skills and talents
- Several years of work-related experience

Other than the above-mentioned four factors, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) also decides according to the applicant's age, current citizenship, and his roles and responsibilities in a company.
Contrary to a popular belief, passing in the educational criteria does not automatically make a person eligible for EP. What is true is that MOM also grants gives this work visa to those applicants who have outstanding professional ...
... skills and qualifications even if they fall short in the educational criteria.

This work visa consists of three categories which are primarily based on the applicants' fixed monthly salary rate:

- P1 Pass – this is issued to individuals who are earning a monthly salary rate of more than S$7,000.
- P2 Pass – for individuals earning between S$3,500 and S$7,000 as fixed monthly salary
- Q1 Pass – for individuals earning not less than S$2,500 as fixed monthly salary

There are cases in which MOM will reject applications that lack supporting documents. Fortunately, applicants can file for an appeal and provide the agency with additional records showing their eligibility for EP.

Reviewing the appeal generally takes more than three weeks.
It is important to note that whenever there is a change in employer, EP holders should immediately notify MOM which will then review their professional qualifications, employer credentials, and work-related. However, there is no need for EP holders to cancel their existing work pass since the agency will do this for them as soon as they have been approved with their new visa.

The EP needs to be renewed two or three years, depending on its validity to a certain individual. MOM will send a notification two months before the visa expires and shall require the holder to renew his pass four weeks before its expiration.

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