But do note that the PEP holder is not allowed to start his or her own business, or engage in any entrepreneurial activities in Singapore. If he or she wishes to do that, an application for an Employment Pass or Entrepreneur Pass must be made separately.
Personalised Employment Pass in Singapore
Personalised Employment Pass Benefits
- Once issued, the PEP holder can stay in Singapore for up to six months in between jobs to explore other career opportunities.
- They can take up jobs in any sector, though prior permission may be required for some sectors such as media, health, security and Chinese traditional medicine.
- They don’t need to reapply for a new pass when changing jobs and can just submit the PEP notification form to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
PEP Eligibility
As PEP is meant for top professionals, the eligibility directly depends on the previous monthly salaries drawn.
- last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas (within the last six months) must be at least S$18,000
- existing EP holders who earn at least S$12,000 every month in Singapore
Please note: The list of foreigners who are not eligible for the PEP includes –
- those with their EP under the sponsorship scheme (employer is an overseas company with no Singapore-registered office or business entity)
- those who intend to work on a free-lance basis without any direct employers in Singapore
- those listed as sole proprietors, partners or directors in a company registered with ACRA and are shareholders of that company
- foreigners working as journalists, editors, sub-editors and producers
MOM has recently imposed two extra conditions of validity for the PEP, which details:
- PEP holders must earn an annual fixed salary of at least S$144,000 for each calendar year, regardless of the number of months they are in employment for the calendar year. For those who applied for their PEPs before December 1, 2012, must meet this requirement by December 31, 2014.
- In addition, PEP holders are required to declare their annual fixed salary within 30 days of the end of the calendar year. They also need to inform MOM of any changes in their contact details viz. local contact person and address.
PEP Duration and Cancellation
The PEP is issued only once, is valid for three years, and is non-renewable. But PEP holders can continue to work in Singapore if they can secure an EP, subject to the prevailing assessment criteria.
If the PEP holder remains unemployed for more than six months, the Pass is cancelled and a 30-day short term visit pass is issued instead.
Documents Required for the PEP application
The MOM requires photocopies of the following documents to be submitted along with the duly completed application form when a PEP application is submitted:
- educational certificates
- employment contract of new and/or previous employment (if any)
- employment history
- latest three months’ salary slips and bank account statements
- latest tax statement
- personal particulars page of the applicant’s passport
*Do note that the PEP application form requires the local contact person details including the address. We can provide you the same if you choose to engage our services.
If any of the above documents are not in English, an English translation and a copy of the original document is needed. The translation can be done by your embassy, notary public or a credible translation service.
Procedure and Timeline of PEP Application
A PEP application can be submitted online or manually:
- For current EP holders, the online process takes under two weeks
- For manual submission of first time applicants, the process takes approximately 3 – 4 weeks
PEP Approval and Collection
Once a PEP application is approved, MOM issues an in-principle approval (IPA) letter via email. The IPA letter, valid for six months, must be produced in order to collect the PEP from the MOM after producing the following documents:
- a copy of the IPA letter
- a recent passport sized photograph
- original passport with the entry embarkation cards
- medical exam report* (if the in-principle approval states that you require one)
- any other documents that are requested in the IPA letter
* You can get a medical examination done in your own country through an established clinic/hospital or in Singapore. Most clinics in Singapore can provide medical examination and report within a day.
Appeal on Rejection of a PEP Application
If all the above mentioned is taken care of diligently, there is no reason why your PEP application will be rejected. But if it does, under exceptional circumstances, we liaison with the MOM and investigate the reasons for the rejection. After rectifying the stated reasons, we submit a strong appeal on your behalf, which is an area of our expertise. The ministry takes a minimum of three weeks, or more in some cases, to review the appeal.
Eligibility for Permanent Residency
PEP holders are eligible to apply for permanent residency in Singapore through the Professional, Technical Personnel & Skilled Workers (PTS) scheme.
It is advisable to wait for at least six months before making the application so that you can furnish the required proof of six months’ salary.
Related Reading: More about Singapore Permanent Residence
Passes for family members of PEP holders
Like the EP and S Pass holders, PEP holders can also get their family members to join them in Singapore. The spouses (legally married) and children under 21 years of age are issued the Dependent’s Pass, while their parents can apply for the Long Term Visit Pass.
These passes for the family members are sponsored by the PEP holders themselves.
Documents required for family passes
- duly filled application form
- a photograph of the applicant (passport-sized and taken within last three months)
- personal particulars page of applicant’s passport/travel document
- document(s) establishing the applicant’s relationship with the PEP holder
The list of documents needed to establish the relationship between the PEP holder and the applicant is:
| Common-law spouse |
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| Unmarried handicapped children above 21 years of age |
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| Unmarried stepchildren under 21 years of age |
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| Parents |
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Letter of Consent
Family members of PEP holders, who have secured a Singapore Dependant’s Pass (DP), can apply to work in Singapore. For this, they can either go for an EP themselves or opt for a Letter of Consent (LOC).
For the LOC option, the DP holder, with at least three months pass validity still remaining, must first secure a job offer with a Singapore employer. As in case of the EP, an LOC application has also to be made by the DP holder’s prospective employer.
Since the DP, and in turn the LOC, is tied to the main PEP holder, both (DP and LOC) are automatically cancelled on the cancellation of the PEP.
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