Pass Requirements For Australian Expats in Singapore

 

Living and working in the lion city of Singapore can be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience for us as Australian expats, both financially and in opening our eyes to new experiences. To ensure that this experience is not shorter than planned, there are a few key items that we should be aware of as Australian expats in Singapore on either an Employment Pass (EP) or an S Pass.

 

To clarify, an EP is granted for those professionals and executives that typically hold related degrees or qualifications in their field of employment earning over a minimum threshold. This threshold is approximately S$3,600 per month at the current level according to the MAS statistics, which you can read more about here. An S Pass is typically for those that may not be degree-qualified or hold qualifications that are not necessarily related to their field of employment. The required income for an S Pass is typically lower than that of an EP holder, although there are still conditions to be met for the pass to be granted.

 

Now that we’re clear on the definitions of each, what do we need to be aware of as EP and SP holders..?

 

• Keep Your Residential Address Current

 

As the saying goes, a change can be as good as a holiday, and many Australian expats in Singapore will take the opportunity to move into a new condo when the lease expires. This behaviour is becoming increasingly common lately given declining rental prices. It’s important that if you do change your residential address in Singapore that you notify the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) within 14 days of the change, otherwise you could face penalties. If you’re unsure of how to do so, we would recommend consulting your HR department who can assist you in updating the MOM, or at the very least point you in the right direction.

 

• Keep Your Passport Updated

 

Given that travel is a popular pastime both for recreational and professional purposes amongst many Aussie expats in Singapore, it is not uncommon to renew passports on a semi-regular basis. If your passport number and/or expiry date of your passport change, it’s important that you keep the MOM updated. Likewise, if your name or marital status change, you are also required to notify them of the change.

 

• Lost Your Employment Pass

 

While this one is hopefully not a common occurrence, if you do happen to lose your EP or SP, be sure to notify your HR department immediately as they will have to file the relevant documentation to cancel your previous pass. You will then be able to have your new pass registered and arrange for collection.

 

Being the efficient and technology hub that it is, Singapore has kindly made these processes much simpler for us with the Employment Pass Online Portal, which you can check out here. This will allow you to ensure that your details are kept up to date and make any necessary changes.

 

We hope you enjoy the Aussie Expat experience in Singapore as much as we do.