Employment Pass Holders Face New Requirements to Start Work

Starting March 16, 2015, foreign nationals approved for Employment Passes (EP) must await the online issuance of their EP and Notification Letter before they can commence work, according an announcement by the Ministry of Manpower. Currently, foreign nationals can start to work while the EP and Notification Letter are pending. 

EPs and Notification Letters are usually issued shortly after the employee’s arrival in Singapore if all requisite documents are timely submitted. 

Since the Notification Letter is only valid for one month, the foreign national should register for a Long Term Pass card immediately upon receipt of the Notification Letter. 

S Pass holders are already required to receive a Notification Letter before they can start working, and they will not see any changes with this new policy. 

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals 

Employers are encouraged to plan the travel of their EP applicants well in advance of their arrival to avoid onboarding delays. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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