The Different Types of Singapore Visas for Employment

Singapore is a popular destination for national of both top tier and underdeveloped countries. Everyone, from well-educated and good earners to those who are looking for a simple and decently paid job will find something to do in the country. The multiethnic society, advanced employment legislation, security and high quality of Singapore are some factors that attract foreigners in pursuing employment here. The Singapore visas for employment can fit employees of every category, based on their different level of salaries and skills. Each type of visa is well-balanced in terms of constraints and benefits to ensure that better privileges are offered to valuable workers.

The Ministry of Manpower in the authority in Singapore that governs the employment of foreign nationals. The different kinds of Singapore visas it issues for purposes of work are:

• Employment Pass

Developed for the most educated and skilled foreign manpower, the Employment Pass is perfect for professionals, managers and executives. It is commonly used by directors as a tactic of relocation after setting up a firm in Singapore. As compared to other work visas, the E Pass provides the best perks and there is no quota limiting the number of hires that can be made on the Employment Pass. Three subclasses of this category have been created in light of relevant skills and salary. P1 is for those with outstanding work experience and talent who are paid a salary of 8k SGD or higher. P2 is for people with extensive education and experience with salaries worth 4.5k SGD and P3 is for young and recently graduated with minimal work experience and salary of 3.3k SGD.

• Personalized Employment Pass

This visa is designed for executives and professionals or any other top earners who value their freedom and flexibility. It has similar characteristics as the classic Employment Pass, but its primary benefit is that it is not restricted to a specific employer. Personalized EP is restricted to the employee and is ideal for talented individuals and directors who want to add to their expertise by working in Singapore, but still want to maintain their flexibility. However, this visa requires a higher salary than the classic version. It needs to be about 18k SGD.

• S Pass

Overseas technicians who are looking for work in Singapore in successful industries like electronics, chemicals, construction, engineering or marine can go for the S Pass. It has been especially designed for medium-skilled workers, but it is subject to some restrictions like quota.

• Work Permit

Foreign unskilled labor from Asian countries is also welcomed in Singapore, particularly for industries like services, construction, marine, process and manufacturing amongst others. The employment benefits associated with work permit are balanced well with restrictions as well as high demands for employers like appropriate health coverage, quotas, bonds and levies. Nevertheless, this kind of visa is only intended for work purposes and doesn’t have a residence option associated with it. It is the job of the government to ensure that all those working on this kind of visa stick to their purpose of arrival.