Mandatory Online Application Process Means Faster Processing for Most Work Passes
May 13, 2015
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Singapore
Starting June 1, 2015, the Ministry of Manpower will no longer accept manual applications for Employment Passes (EP), S Passes, Work Permits, Dependant Passes (DP) and Long Term Visit Passes (LTVP). Employers without an Employment Pass Online (EPOL) account should apply for one online as soon as possible, since registration can take two to three weeks.
Employers should benefit from the week-long online processing time, as opposed to the five-week processing for manual applications.
In the past, certain situations may have benefitted from a manual application due to the steps involved in the process. Such situations may include the following:
Employers should benefit from the week-long online processing time, as opposed to the five-week processing for manual applications.
In the past, certain situations may have benefitted from a manual application due to the steps involved in the process. Such situations may include the following:
- LTVP for parents-in-law of the main applicant converting from a Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) to an EP. With the change in MOM’s process, foreign nationals in such a scenario should raise this issue to the Ministry of Manpower so that it can advise on the appropriate course of action;
- New start-ups in Singapore without a local contact that can be appointed as an EPOL user. Companies in this situation should work with their immigration professional for assistance with EPOL registration; and
- Companies that are unwilling to undertake the online process due to internal company policies.
The Ministry will continue to accept manual applications for the PEP, Sponsorship Employment Pass and EntrePass.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals and employers should generally benefit from faster processing times with the online system.
Companies that anticipate compliance issues should review their internal policies and procedures to accommodate this change.
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].
