Executive Summary
Effective January 1, 2018, the minimum monthly salary for work pass holders to sponsor family members will increase as follows:
- to sponsor spouses and children: SGD 6,000; and
- to sponsor parents: SGD 12,000
The situation
Minimum salary to sponsor family to increase.
A closer look
Effective January 1, 2018, the minimum monthly salary for work pass holders to sponsor family members will increase as follows:
- to sponsor spouses and children: SGD 6,000, up from SGD 5,000; and
- to sponsor parents: SGD 12,000; up from SGD 10,000.
Background
The minimum salary threshold to sponsor dependents was last raised in September 2015. Regular increases are made by the Ministry of Manpower to ensure that work pass holders are able to financially support their dependents in Singapore.
Effect on new and renewal applications
- New Dependant Pass applications for spouses and children and Long Term Visit Pass applications for parents received before January 1, 2018 will be assessed under the current lower salary criteria.
- Dependents who renew their passes on or after January 1, 2018 will be assessed under the current lower salary criteria provided the main pass holder remains with the same employer.
What this means for employers and foreign nationals
Employers will need to consider whether salary requirements can be met to support dependent family members when planning or extending their employees’ assignments.
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 [email protected].
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