Work pass requirements
The MOM announced changes to Singapore work pass requirements on 3 March 2020. Businesses employing foreigners in Singapore should be aware of the following changes:
Tightening of Work Pass Requirements by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
The minimum qualifying salary will be raised to S$4,500 and S$2,500 for EP and S Pass Holders respectively.
The Ministry of Manpower announced on 27 August 2020 that the minimum qualifying salary for new Employment Pass (EP) candidates will be raised to S$4,500 from 1 September 2020, and the minimum qualifying salary for new S Pass candidates will also be raised to S$2,500 from 1 October 2020. For EP candidates in financial services, the minimum qualifying salary will be raised further to S$5,000 from December 2020.
The qualifying salaries for older and more experienced EP candidates in their 40s will be raised correspondingly and will remain around double the minimum qualifying salary for the youngest candidates. For renewals, the new criteria will come into effect from 1 May 2021.
The Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertising requirement will be extended to S Pass applications submitted from 1 October 2020 while the FCF job advertising duration for both EP and S Pass will be doubled to 28 days effective 1 October 2020.
Cost saving measures
With effect from 12 March 2020, employers must notify the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) if they implement any cost-saving measures that will impact employees’ salaries. This new policy is in place to ensure companies manage excess manpower responsibly.
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