Types of work passes issued by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower

The Ministry of Manpower is the regulatory body in Singapore that is responsible for monitoring the employment of foreigners in the country. They make sure that all foreign workers are abiding by the conditions of the work visa that they are holding. Whether it is an S Pass Singapore visa or personalized employment pass Singapore visa, all foreigners must follow what their work pass entails. If they don’t, the Ministry of Manpower will revoke their work visa and have them deported back to their country of origin.

Getting an employment visa in Singapore can be done online through the designated portals created by the Ministry of Manpower. On their official website, you can get information about every work visa that they give. You can see the S Pass Singapore eligibility criteria and the personalized employment pass Singapore application process. To give you an overview of the work passes issued by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower, here are the said work visas.

S Pass
The S Pass Singapore scheme is meant for foreign workers that have jobs that can be categorized as middle-skilled. This means that a bachelor's degree is not needed to be able to do this job. A year of formal tertiary education is enough to be eligible for this work pass. Furthermore, work experience is important to get approved for the S Pass Singapore application.

Unlike the personalized employment pass Singapore visa, the S Pass Singapore visa is strictly tied to a single employer and job scope. This means that if the S Pass Singapore holder chooses to change jobs or employer, they need to re-apply for that particular work visa. Also, this employment visa is subjected to levies and quotas that the employing company must meet to get approved for the S Pass.

E Pass
The next work passes in Singapore and is one of the most common is the Employment Pass or E Pass. This is eligible for foreign professionals and is even open to fresh graduates if they have completed their education from a reputable university acknowledged by the Ministry of Manpower. If the foreigner doesn’t have an impressive educational background, this can be covered up by his or her work experience. Moreover, personalized employment passes by Singapore candidates that didn’t get approved can apply for this instead. S Pass Singapore workers that need to upgrade can apply for the E Pass.

To be eligible for the E Pass, a foreigner must have a qualifying salary of SG$4,500 or higher. If the applicant is older in age or has an extensive work history, the qualifying salary is higher. It can be double the minimum limit if the applicant is already in their 40’s. Furthermore, if the E Pass applicant is going to work in the financial sector, their qualifying salary will be SG$5,000.

Personalized employment pass
The personalized employment pass Singapore scheme is similar to the employment pass in many ways especially in terms of perks. The difference is that a personalized employment pass Singapore holder is not tied to one employer and is free to switch jobs. However, unlike the S Pass Singapore scheme, the PEP holder has a high salary qualification of SG$18,000 and SG$12,000 only if they are an existing E Pass holder. Also, the personalised employment pass Singapore visa is non-renewable. For them to stay in Singapore, they need to apply for the E Pass or Singapore permanent residency.

EntrePass
The last work visa that you can get through the Ministry of Manpower is the Entrepreneur Pass. This pass, as the name suggests, is for entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors. This is the pass used by foreigners who aim to start a company in Singapore. To be eligible, the foreigner must pass the innovation rubrics of the role they will take in launching the business in Singapore. Furthermore, the business must be registered or in the process of registration to get approved by the Ministry of Manpower. Also, the foreign entrepreneurs should make sure that the company they will register is not found on the ineligibility list of businesses mandated by ACRA.

Get a work pass
These work visas in Singapore may be different in many ways but, all of them allow foreigners to live and work in Singapore. They make the foreigners eligible for permanent residency Singapore status. However, it isn’t easy to get an employment visa in Singapore. In fact, it can take a lot of work and time to get approved for one. That is why it is recommended to get a work visa through the help of work visa companies like Ren Ai Group. Get to know their services by going to their website.