A Singapore Pass is a permit for foreign nationals who are non-residents or non-permanent residents to stay in Singapore for an extended period. In this article, we will discuss the process of applying for a Singapore Pass.
I. EntrePass
The EntrePass is a work permit jointly reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Manpower and Enterprise Singapore, targeting foreign professionals in managerial, executive, or specialized roles.
Applicants who plan to establish a company in Singapore are eligible to apply for the EntrePass. This pass facilitates the attainment of permanent residency (PR) in Singapore, thereby achieving the goal of entrepreneurial migration.
01 Basic Requirements for EntrePass
① Must be at least 18 years old;
② No record of bankruptcy or dishonest criminal activities;
③ The applicant must hold at least 30% of the shares in the company;
④ The company must be registered as a private limited company with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) in Singapore;
⑤ The company must have a minimum paid-up capital of SGD 50,000, deposited in a Singapore bank account, with a bank statement provided;
⑥ The company must be registered for no more than 6 months;
⑦ The company must be engaged in legitimate business activities.
Since September 2013, all applicants for the EntrePass must meet at least one of the following four innovation criteria in addition to the basic requirements mentioned above:
①The company has received third-party venture capital funding or angel investment recognized by the Singapore government, with an investment amount of at least SGD 100,000 (shareholder certification or investment proof is required);
②One of the shareholders must be the original holder of a national-level patent or intellectual property, and the patent must be related to the business to be conducted;
③The company has ongoing R&D collaboration with a recognized research institution or university in Singapore;
④The applicant is currently incubated in a Singapore government-recognized incubation center.
Note: Investments not considered by the government include:
① Coffee shops, food centers, food courts;
② Bars, nightclubs, karaoke lounges;
③ Foot massage parlors, massage centers, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine dispensing;
④ Employment agencies;
⑤ Feng Shui consultancy.
02 Application Materials for EntrePass
(1) Personal Information
① Two passport-sized photos;
② Copy of passport (personal information page);
③ Personal resume (including basic information, education, work experience, business experience, awards, personal skills, etc.);
④ Proof of past employment and recommendation letters (mandatory for those without business experience);
⑤ Highest educational certificate (must be translated; Chinese diplomas or higher degrees require certification from the Chinese Ministry of Education's CHSI website);
⑥ Other personal awards or professional qualification certificates (must be translated);
⑦ Proof of personal savings (can be from a bank in China or Singapore);
⑧ Patent certificates or copyright certificates (must be translated);
⑨ Other personal documents (depending on individual circumstances).
(2) Company Information
① Business license, tax registration certificate, and organization code certificate;
② Proof of shareholding;
③ Company's financial statements for the past three years;
④ Other company documents (such as brochures, website, photos, lease agreements, office photos, awards, etc.).
(3) Business Plan
(4) Patent/Intellectual Property Certificates (if any)
03 EntrePass Application Process
Step 1: Register a company in Singapore;
Step 2: Arrange for a lease and hire new employees while preparing the application materials and writing the business plan;
Step 3: Submit the written application for the Employment Pass;
Step 4: Apply for Dependant's Pass (DP) for the spouse and children (children with a DP can directly enroll in government primary and secondary schools);
Step 5: Operate the company normally for 12-24 months and then apply for permanent residency (PR) in Singapore.
04 Processing Period for EntrePass
Company Registration:
① Communicate with a company consultant to understand the applicant's background and the nature of the company to be registered, and conduct preliminary risk assessment;② Submit the required documents to the consultant for the specific application process (a deposit of SGD 1,500 is required for the self-employed pass application, non-refundable);
③ Register the new company (approximately 1 week).
Arranging Lease and Hiring New Employees:
Assist the applicant in selecting an office and employees. Office rent is additional, starting from SGD 1,000/month. Employee salaries are additional, starting from SGD 1,000/month (time varies).
Writing the Business Plan:
Incorporate the participation of new employees (approximately 2 weeks).
Applying for the Employment Pass:
Charges apply upon successful application; no charge if the application is unsuccessful (approximately 3-6 weeks).
Applying for Dependant's Pass:
Approximately 3-5 weeks.
05 Family Accompaniment Requirements
The EntrePass allows for the application of a Dependant's Pass (DP) for the spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old (including legally adopted children) if the following conditions are met:
① The company has been in operation for one year;
② Employs 3 local ordinary employees or 1 PME (Professional, Manager, Executive);
③ Expenditure reaches SGD 100,000.
The EntrePass also allows for the application of a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) for parents if the following conditions are met:
① The company has been in operation for one year;
② Employs 6 local ordinary employees or 2 PMEs (Professional, Manager, Executive);
③ Expenditure reaches SGD 200,000.
II. Employment Pass (EP)
The Employment Pass (EP) is the highest tier work permit issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in Singapore. According to the latest MOM requirements: from September 1, 2020, the minimum monthly salary requirement for EP applications is SGD 4,500. Furthermore, from December 1, 2020, the salary requirement for applicants in the financial sector has been increased to SGD 5,000.
01 Requirements for Applying for an EP
Applicants must meet the following conditions:
① Have received a job offer from a Singapore company;
② Must be specialized in a certain field or hold a managerial position;
③ Have a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD 4,500 (SGD 5,000 for the financial sector);
④ If working for many years, the salary requirement will be correspondingly higher;
⑤ Hold a bachelor's degree or higher, with relevant professional qualifications preferred.
The applicant's company must meet the following conditions:
① The company must have a formal commercial lease contract;
② The company must employ 2-3 local employees and provide proof of CPF (Central Provident Fund) contributions;
③ The company must have sales invoices or sales contracts.
Notes:
① Local experience in Singapore is a plus, whether it's a bachelor's or master's degree from Singapore. Even with a salary of SGD 2,500, the SAT results may indicate EP approval;
② For non-Singaporean bachelor's backgrounds (graduates from universities in the UK, US, Australia, etc.), the monthly salary needs to reach SGD 4,500 for a higher chance of successful EP application;
③ Pure domestic backgrounds require a higher monthly salary (e.g., SGD 4,600) to possibly be approved for EP;
④ In assessing qualifications, MOM is most concerned about the highest educational qualification.
02 Seven Unique Advantages of the Singapore EP
① Simple Requirements - No age, language, or source of funds explanation required;
② Fast Processing - Employment Pass can be obtained in about 3 months;
③ Green Self-Service Channel - With EP status, entering and leaving Singapore is more convenient and faster;
④ Simple Renewal Conditions - No requirements on the company's revenue and profit, as long as the company operates normally;
⑤ Three-Generation Immigration - Spouses and children can apply for Dependant’s Pass, parents can apply for Long-Term Visit Pass, and both passes allow for employment in Singapore;
⑥ Linked to Singapore Permanent Residency - EP holders can apply for permanent residency after two years, and those with PR status for two years can apply for citizenship, with assessment on the closeness of ties to Singapore;
⑦ Enjoy Singapore's Tax Benefits - Both corporate and personal income enjoy more favorable tax policies compared to China.
03 Who Should Apply for an EP
① Business Expansion Needs - Singapore’s excellent geographical location offers access to Southeast Asia, Europe, and the world. With Asia’s largest free trade network, Singapore is ideal for business and trade. For business people looking to expand overseas, Singapore is the perfect springboard.
② Children's Education - Those who wish to quickly obtain Singapore status to provide the best education for their children. EP holders can apply for a Dependant’s Pass (DP) for their children, giving them greater priority over international students when applying to government public schools.
③ Those Seeking Quick Overseas Residency - The overall application process for an EP takes only 30 days. EP holders can simultaneously apply for long-term stay visas for their spouses, children, and parents, quickly achieving three-generation family settlement in Singapore.
04 Family Accompaniment Requirements:
A salary of SGD 5,000 or more allows the EP holder to apply for a Dependant’s Pass for their spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old; a salary of SGD 10,000 or more allows the EP holder to apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) for their parents and unmarried children over 21 years old.
05 Basic Materials Required for Applying for EP:
① EP application form: This form must be endorsed by the employing company in Singapore.
② A resume: Detailing the applicant's work experience and expertise.
③ Copies of educational certificates and past employment recommendation letters.
④ A passport photo taken within the last three months.
⑤ A copy of the applicant's passport personal information page.
⑥ A copy of the business information of the Singapore company.
⑦ A detailed description of the applicant's job responsibilities.
⑧ A detailed description of the company’s business scope and/or products.
⑨ Other supporting documents as required by the government.
Any non-English documents must be translated into English by an official translation service.
