Singapore's higher-end work passes: a short history

MINIMUM salaries for Singapore's various work passes have been in the news lately after Monetary Authority of Singapore chief Ravi Menon suggested in a lecture that the minimum monthly salary for S Passes be raised gradually from the current S$2,500 to S$4,500 - the same level as the current baseline for Employment Passes.

Here's a quick look at the existing requirements and criteria for three higher-end work passes available in Singapore, and how they've evolved:

S PASS

Minimum salary:

• For mid-skilled foreign employees: S$2,500
• Older, more experienced applicants need higher salaries to qualify.

What it was before: - In 2011, it was raised from S$1,800 to S$2,000. - In 2013, it was upped to S$2,200. - In 2019, this went up to S$2,300. - On Jan 1, 2020, it was raised to S$2,400. - On Sep 1, 2020, rose further to S$2,500.

Other criteria:

- A degree, diploma or other technical certificate with at least one year of study - Relevant work experience. - Must earn at least S$6,000 monthly to be allowed to bring family along as dependants.

EMPLOYMENT PASS (EP)

Minimum salary:

• For new applicants, S$4,500.
• For applicants in the financial services sector, S$5,000.
• For more experienced applicants in their 40s and up, S$9,000.

What it was before:

- Older documentation of qualifying criteria for EPs appears to show minimum monthly salaries going up over time from S$2,000 to S$2,500 in 2011. In July that year, this was raised to S$2,800. At that time there were two other tiers of EPs, with minimum salaries hiked to S$4,000 and S$8,000 respectively as part of the same adjustment. - 2012 saw another increase for the lower two of these three tiers of minimum salaries to S$3,000 and S$4,500 respectively. - In 2014, the tiers of EPs were consolidated into one, with a minimum salary upped by another S$300 to S$3,300. - Three years later, the next S$300 hike occurred, and then in May 2020, EP minimum salaries were up to S$3,900. - This was very quickly followed by an unprecedented S$600 increase to S$4,500, which kicked in on Sep 1, 2020.

Other criteria:

- Must have a job offer for a managerial, executive or specialised job in Singapore. - Must have "acceptable qualifications" such as a good university degree, professional qualifications or specialised skills. - Must earn at least S$6,000 monthly to be allowed to bring family in as dependants.

PERSONALISED EMPLOYMENT PASS

Minimum salary:

• For new applicants, S$18,000
• For existing EP holders, S$12,000

Other criteria:

- Cannot be a freelancer, journalist, editor, sub-editor or producer. - Cannot be a sole proprietor. - Cannot be unemployed for more than six months at any one time. - Must earn at least S$144,000 annually, regardless of the number of months of the year worked. - Can bring in family on dependants' passes.

Source: Compiled by BT from MOM data.

READ MORE:

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