Contents
S Pass
Looking to hire skilled workers who don’t meet the EP criteria? The S Pass may be your secret to success.
Who needs an S Pass?
Generally, you should take note of the S Pass if you’re looking to hire foreign skilled workers – they are who the S Pass is for. Foreign skilled workers refer to Associate Professionals and Technicians (APTs).
The applicant must have a job offer in Singapore, and must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD$3,150. (SGD$3,650 for financial services). You cannot employ foreign workers to work at food stalls in hawker centres, coffee shops, or food courts. The S Pass also makes passes for eligible family members available to holders.
Who can apply for the S Pass?
Here’s where it gets tricky. Only an employer or an appointed employment agent can apply for an S Pass on behalf of the applicant. Should the pass holder change jobs, the new employer must apply for a new pass. This means that if you’re planning on hiring many S Pass holders, you’ll have to go through the tedious process of applying for their S Pass multiple times. Alternatively, contact us and we’ll handle it all for you.
What is the duration of the S Pass?
For first-time applicants, the S Pass will last them up to 2 years. Renewing the pass will grant the pass holder a renewal of up to 3 years.
Is there a quota or levy that I, as an employer, have to follow?
Surprise, there is both a quota and a levy! The quota limiting the number of S Pass holders your can hire differs for each sector. Here’s a table summary of the dependency ratio ceiling (DRC), which is the quota, for each sector.
Quota requirement
| Sector | DRC |
|---|---|
|
Construction
|
83.3% |
| Process | 83.3% |
| Marine Shipyard | 77.8% |
| Manufacturing | 60% |
| Services | 35% |
Levy requirement — who pays for it?
The foreign worker levy is a pricing mechanism which serves to regulate the number of foreign workers here in Singapore.
How does this affect you as an employer? Well, employers must bear the cost of the levy for all S Pass holders you hire. The levy liability lasts for the entire duration of the S Pass. The levy for each month must be paid by the 17th of the following month.
There’s both a monthly levy rate and a daily levy rate. The daily levy rate applies for S Pass holders who do not work for a full month.
For services sector:
| Tier | Quota (%) | Monthly levy rate | Daily levy rate |
| Basic/ Tier 1 | Up to 10% of the total workforce | $550 | $18.09 |
For all other sectors:
| Tier | Quota (%) | Monthly levy rate | Daily levy rate |
| Basic/ Tier 1 | Up to 10% of the total workforce | $550 | $18.09 |
| Tier 2 | Above 10% to 15% of the total workforce | $650 | $21.37 |
If you’d like more details regarding the quota and levy requirements, do visit this site by the Ministry of Manpower.
How do I apply for S Pass?
Step 1: Submit an application
You must submit a written consent to apply for S Pass from the candidate and the candidate’s form.
Step 2: Prepare for applicant’s arrival in Singapore
Before the applicant arrives, you must buy their medical insurance and work injury compensation insurance (if applicable), and the Primary Care Plan for workers who stay in dormitories which accommodate 7 or more people, or for those working in the CMP sectors.
Step 3: Get the pass issued upon applicant’s arrival in Singapore
Once the applicant arrives in Singapore, you must submit the required information and documents onto the online portal, and pay a fee of SGD 100 for the pass.
For more information regarding application for the S Pass, please follow this link.
The process is long and tedious, so why not leave it to our experts here at ScAilable and go on that holiday instead? We’ve helped countless workers apply for S Passes successfully, so you can trust us to do the job well and efficiently.
Work Permit
Work Permit for Migrant Domestic Workers — An Overview
If you’re planning on employing skilled and semi-skilled migrant domestic workers (MDWs), then you should familiarise yourself with this work permit. These MDWs must be working in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process or services sectors. For every sector, there is a different set of requirements.
Who applies for the work permit?
An employer or an employment agency must apply for the permit on behalf of the worker.
What must I, the employer, do?
Medical insurance must be provided by you, the employer. You also must purchase the Primary Care Plan (PCP) for workers staying in dormitories that can house 7 or more workers, and for workers who work in CMP sectors.
How do I apply for a Work Permit?
Step 1: Submit an application
You must submit a written consent to apply for a Work Permit from the candidate. Each application costs SGD$35. The application will take roughly a week to be processed. If approved, you’ll need to log in to the WP online portal and print out the In-principle approval (IPA) letter and the Work Permit application form.
Step 2: Prepare for the worker’s arrival
There are multiple administrative matters you’ll have to settle before the applicant arrives in Singapore such as what you have to submit and buy for your applicant. Remember to get the applicant’s IPA ready to be shown to the immigration officer.
Step 3: Get the permit issued
New applicants will get their Work Permit issued to them after entering Singapore, and will be issued either before the due date on the IPA letter (for Malaysians) or within 14 days from arrival in Singapore (for non-Malaysians). If the Work Permit is unable to be issued on time, you’ll have to log in to the WP online portal and either extend the IPA expiry date (for Malaysians) or request for a Special Pass (for non-Malaysians). For applicants who are changing to a new employer, the new Work Permit will be issued to them before their current one expires, before the due date on the IPA letter. Should the Work Permit be unable to be issued on time, you’ll have to extend the IPA due date on the same portal.
We’ve helped hundreds of workers apply for Work Permits, and we’ll do the same for you too.
Preparing documents is boring, so why not take this load off your shoulders, and leave it to our experienced team here at ScAilable to handle it instead? Give us the work, and give yourself the time to spend on that game of golf at 4pm.