CorpPass to Replace SingPass for Company Transactions Online

Starting December 2017, companies will need a CorpPass account instead of SingPass to transact with the Ministry of Manpower’s online portals. This should make transactions with the Ministry of Manpower more convenient and safer.

New online account required for companies.

A closer look

Starting December 2017, companies will need a Singapore Corporate Access (CorpPass) account instead of SingPass to transact with the Ministry of Manpower’s online portals.

Transition and Eligibility Details

• Only the following types of entities are eligible to register for CorpPass:

• Local entities registered with a Unique Entity Number (UEN) (entities can obtain a UEN from a UEN-issuance agency); and

• Foreign entities without a UEN but who transact with the government (registration for these entities will be available in 2018).

• Companies can still use SingPass to access the Ministry of Manpower's Employment Pass Online (EPOL) and Work Permit Online (WPOL) portals until November 2017.
• Companies without a CorpPass will need to register to be able to continue to access the EPOL and WPOL portals. Registration takes at least one to five business days to complete.
• Registration is free.

Benefits of CorpPass

• More convenient. Businesses currently conduct business transactions through multiple digital identities such as SingPass and EASY. Having a single corporate digital identity will increase convenience for users who transact with multiple government agencies, as they no longer need to handle multiple logins.
• Better control. CorpPass will also allow businesses to have greater control over their electronic transactions. They will be able assign different levels of access to their employees or representatives using CorpPass.
• Enhanced privacy. Current practice requires authorized employees to use their personal SingPass accounts to transact with government agencies on behalf of their employer, which raises privacy concerns. These privacy issues are avoided with CorpPass since the employer will have its own digital corporate identification separate from its employees’ SingPass identifications.

Background

• CorpPass is a corporate digital identity used by businesses and other entities (such as non-profit organisations and associations) to transact with government agencies online.
• Managed by Government Technology Agency (GovTech), CorpPass marks the first time that the government is rolling out a single corporate digital identity.
• Around March, the Ministry of Manpower announced that they would be changing the way companies log in to transact via its EPOL and WPOL portals. However, there was much uncertainty in the process at the time of the announcement was made.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to SGInitiations@fragomen.com.