E-pass deluge to subside, S-pass extended family to return home

[mojito]

Changes to the Personalised Employment Pass

From 1 December 2012, the qualifying criteria for the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) will be raised and some of its features will be refined. This ensures that the PEP remains a premium pass for top-tier foreign talent and is in line with recent moves to raise the quality of Employment Pass holders. The changes are:

- Availability of PEP to P1 Pass holders who earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000 and overseas-based foreign professionals whose last drawn fixed monthly salary was at least $18,000.
- Increase of minimum annual fixed salary requirement from $34,000 to $144,000.
- Change in validity of PEP from 5 years to 3 years.
- New PEP holders can bring in their parents, spouses and children.

Eligibility

Foreigners who wish to work in Singapore may be eligible for the Personalised Employment Pass if they are:

- Overseas foreign professional whose last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas was at least $8,000
The last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas should be no more than six months from the time of the application.

- Former P1 Pass holders who are residing overseas
Former P1 Pass holders should not be unemployed for longer than a continuous period of six months at the point of application.

- P1 Pass holders

- P2 Pass holders
P2 Pass holders that have worked on a P2 pass in Singapore for at least two years. They should have earned a fixed salary of at least $34,000 in the preceding year.

- Q1 Pass holders
Q1 Pass holders that have worked on a Q1 pass in Singapore for at least five years. They should have earned a fixed salary of at least $34,000 in the preceding year.

- Foreign graduates from institutions of higher learning in Singapore
Foreign graduates from institutions of higher learning in Singapore with at least two years' working experience on a P or Q1 Pass. They should earn a fixed salary of at least $34,000 in the preceding year.

* The following groups of foreigners are not eligible for the PEP:

(i) foreigners who are issued with an Employment Pass under the Sponsorship scheme. Under this scheme, their direct employers are overseas companies which do not have a Singapore-registered office/business entity;

(ii) foreigners who are working or intending to work on a free-lance basis without any direct employers in Singapore;

(iii) foreigners who are listed as Sole Proprietors, Partners or Directors in a business/company registered with ACRA and are shareholders of that business/company.

(iv) foreigners working as journalists, editors, sub-editors and producers.

 

[mojito]

Changes to Dependant Privileges for Work Pass Holders

The Government is tightening the criteria for work pass holders to sponsor dependants as part of the overall direction to moderate the growth of Singapore’s non-resident population. This will help ease the pressure on our social infrastructure. Nonetheless, Singapore remains a global talent capital. We continue to welcome highly skilled foreign professionals who wish to bring their dependants to stay with them.

The changes, from 1 September 2012 are as follows:

- S Pass and Employment Pass (EP) holders need to earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $4,000 to sponsor the stay of their spouses and children here.
- P1 Pass holders will no longer be able to bring in their parents-in-law. They may still bring in their parents, spouses and children.
- P2 Pass holders will no longer be able to bring in their parents or parents-in-law. They may still bring in their spouses and children.
- Dependants of EP and S Pass holders who are in Singapore by 1 September 2012 will be allowed to stay in Singapore if these work pass holders have valid passes with their existing employers.

The Employment Pass is a work pass for foreign professionals working in managerial, executive or specialised jobs.

Who is eligible

Foreigners who are interested to work and has a job offer in Singapore may apply for an Employment Pass (EP). To qualify for one of these EP, the applicants must meet these basic requirements:

Pass type

P1 Employment Pass
- Fixed monthly salary = $8,000
- Possesses acceptable qualifications

P2 Employment Pass
- Fixed monthly salary = $4,500
- Possesses acceptable qualifications

Q1 Employment Pass
- Young graduates from good institutions could qualify if they earn at least $3,000
- Older applicants would have to command higher salaries to qualify, commensurate with the work experience and quality they are expected to bring

 

[winnipegjets]

We should be entertaining only individuals who earn at least $500k a year. We don't need any so call 'talents' that get paid pittance.

 

[mojito]

Changes to Dependant Privileges for Work Pass Holders

The Government is tightening the criteria for work pass holders to sponsor dependants as part of the overall direction to moderate the growth of Singapore’s non-resident population. This will help ease the pressure on our social infrastructure. Nonetheless, Singapore remains a global talent capital. We continue to welcome highly skilled foreign professionals who wish to bring their dependants to stay with them.

The changes, from 1 September 2012 are as follows:

- S Pass and Employment Pass (EP) holders need to earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $4,000 to sponsor the stay of their spouses and children here.
- P1 Pass holders will no longer be able to bring in their parents-in-law. They may still bring in their parents, spouses and children.
- P2 Pass holders will no longer be able to bring in their parents or parents-in-law. They may still bring in their spouses and children.
- Dependants of EP and S Pass holders who are in Singapore by 1 September 2012 will be allowed to stay in Singapore if these work pass holders have valid passes with their existing employers. For more information, please refer to our FAQs.


Further measures to moderate demand for Foreign Manpower

From 1 July 2012, the Dependency Ratio Ceilings (DRCs) in the Manufacturing and Services sectors, as well as the S Pass sub-DRC in all sectors will be reduced. The changes are:

- Reduction of S Pass sub-DRC for all sectors from 25% to 20%;
- Reduction of Services DRC from 50% to 45%; and
- Reduction of Manufacturing DRC from 65% to 60%.
- More measures levied on constructions sector includes a further reduction of Man-Year Entitlements (MYE) by 5% as well as a higher Foreign Worker Levy (FWL) of $650 for basic skilled Work Permit holders in the MYE-waiver category from 1 January 2013.

Eligibility

Mid-level skilled foreigners (e.g. technicians) who wish to work in Singapore may apply for an S Pass. Applicants will be assessed on a points system, taking into account multiple criteria. S Pass applicants accumulate points based on how far they meet the criteria. As a general guide, these criteria can be broadly described as (for illustrative purposes only):

- A minimum fixed monthly salary of $2,000

Educational qualifications
- A degree, diploma
- Technical certificates can be considered. These are, very broadly, courses that train the applicant to be a qualified technician or specialist in their chosen field. The certification should comprise of at least one year of full-time study.

- Type of job (e.g. professional, specialist or technician)

- Number of years of relevant work experience

Work Permit holders who wish to apply for the S Pass must ensure that they meet the above requirements. You should refer to the Strategic Skills List to see what types of jobs are expected to be in high demand in Singapore over the next few years.

 

[watchman8]

Key question is whether these changes will affect those already here? Will their parents be asked to leave the next time they renew their permits?

 

[tyudm]

What fucking difference does it makes when all of them are already here?

 

[mojito]

Key question is whether these changes will affect those already here?

Probably not. But they should prepare to send their spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law home if their pass do not meet the requirement, or PR application is rejected.

Will their parents be asked to leave the next time they renew their permits?

Likely they will leave before the pass is due for extension if their pass and salary does not allow them to bring their parents over.

Who knows, maybe in 2013 the PAP will announce that the number of foreigners on all employment pass has been reduced while secretly increasing PR application success rates.

 

[elephanto]

Whatever fucking sins the PAP garment is guilty of, the bottom line is still:
Singaporeans had better wise up, be positive to embrace the new realities of the 21st century and stop the bitching sniping cynical same-old same-old kpkb culture, either that or fucking have the guts to throw this govt out and take uncertainty in their stride.

Otherwise the likes of chaopappy and papsmearer will go on recycling the usual bile, however valid, the wheels of life and times roll on....