04 Mar 2021 | 05:00 AM UTC
Singapore: Authorities to require dependent’s pass holders to obtain work passes to work from May 1
Dependent’s pass holders required to obtain work passes to work in Singapore from May 1. Tightening of rules for expatriate workers ongoing.
Event
Authorities will require dependent's pass holders to obtain work passes if they wish to seek employment in Singapore from May 1. Dependent's pass holders currently require only a letter of consent from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to work in Singapore. Companies with workers on dependent's passes must obtain the relevant work passes for the affected staff upon expiry of their letter of consent to continue hiring them. Business owners working with a letter of consent can continue to do so provided they own 30 percent of the company and employ locals. Authorities said around 11,000 dependent's pass holders are working with a MOM letter of consent as of March.
Context
Officials said the rule change for dependent's pass holders was in line with recent policy tweaks that have tightened rules for expatriate workers. Other stricter measures include increased minimum salary requirements for applications for employment passes and S Passes, which cater to mid-level skilled workers, since September 2020. The policies came as Singapore continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions, especially for citizens. Officials said Singapore’s economy contracted by a record high of 5.8 percent in 2020, while the citizen unemployment rate increased from 3.3 percent in 2019 to a preliminary figure of 4.5 percent in 2020.
