Fresh from exams and equipped with your new qualification, you're ready to take on graduate life – but will you have to go home to do so? After experiencing the charms of Singapore during your studies, it makes perfect sense that you'd want to hang around to kickstart your career. Luckily, there are plenty of ways for international students to stay on and secure employment after their student visa expires. Let our overview of Singapore post-study work visas help you plan your future in the country.
Visit Pass
If you'd like to work in Singapore, you will need a work permit, but to get one, you will need a job offer. Not to worry: if you don't secure work before you graduate, you can apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass. This will allow you to remain in the country for up to two years as you search for a job.
You will need to be a graduate of an accredited Institute of Higher Learning to be eligible, and must apply via the government's online service.
To apply, you'll need:
- Your qualification certificate (e.g. bachelor's degree)
- Your passport biodata page (must be valid for at least six more months)
- Your Disembarkation/Embarkation Number (you will get this when you enter Singapore)
- Your existing Student's Pass (must be valid for at least ten more days)
- A passport-sized photograph from the last three months
You'll also need to pay a non-refundable SGD 30 fee at the time of application, and another SGD 60 within 30 days of approval. Altogether, the application process can take up to six weeks.
While you wait for it to be completed, the advice of the ICA – the government body that oversees the pass – is that you should not contact them directly regarding its progress. All updates are provided by email and through the online application system.
If you are successful, the ICA will inform you of anything more that may be required, which in some cases can include a visit to their office to complete some formalities. Once everything is confirmed, you will receive an email containing instructions on how to access your Visit Pass, which is stored within a secure app and downloadable in PDF format.
It is important to be aware that you cannot work in Singapore unless you have a work permit. The Long-Term Visit Pass simply allows you to seek employment for an extended period of time after you graduate.
Work permit
Once you've been offered a job, your employer will put you forward for a work permit. Singapore has several different types of this, and the one you get may depend on your salary. In most cases, fresh graduates will receive an S Pass, but if you secure a particularly high-paying job, you may be eligible for an Employment Pass.
S Pass
The S Pass enables skilled workers to remain in Singapore for up to two years, providing that they have a fixed monthly salary that is comparable to the top third of salaries for associate professionals in their age group locally. This will be at least SGD 3,150, and as much as SGD 4,650 if you are in your mid-40s or older.
The application for your S Pass will be completed by your employer, with your involvement. Once they have verified that you are eligible – something you can do with the online Self-Assessment Tool – they must obtain your written consent, fill out a candidate's form with your help, and complete the application on the Ministry of Manpower website.
Approval for an S Pass should take 10 working days, unless additional documents are required. Once it is given, you will receive an in-principle approval letter (IPA), from which point you will have 60 days to enter Singapore and get your pass issued.
This will involve the online submission of further documents and information, after which you will receive a notification letter. The letter will enable you to work in and travel in and out of Singapore until you receive your physical S Pass card. This will happen within the next one or two weeks, depending on whether you are required to provide your fingerprints and photo at an in-person appointment.
Additional benefits of the S Pass include medical insurance (which your employer must provide), and the option to extend your stay beyond two years. If you still meet the eligibility criteria once that time has passed, your S Pass can be renewed for up to another three years. This process can be repeated every time your pass expires.
Crucially, employers can only obtain an S Pass for a worker if hiring them would keep them within their legal quota of international workers. This does limit your opportunities somewhat, but should not be a source of concern. Employers should not make you an offer of work if they believe you would not be allowed to accept it.
Employment Pass
The Employment Pass works similarly to the S Pass, but is reserved for workers with a monthly salary of over SGD 5,000 (or a higher figure, depending on their age). Once more, applications are completed by your employer, and the pass has a time limit of two years, with the option to renew for another three upon expiry.
However, Employment Pass applicants must also meet the criteria of Singapore's points-based COMPASS system. This provides you and your employer with a score for various measures, including salary, diversity and in-demand skills. Your overall score needs to be in excess of 40 points for you to be accepted, as explained in greater detail on the Ministry of Manpower website. For workers that pass the threshold, there are no quotas, unlike with the S Pass.
Another difference between the two passes is that employers of Employment Pass holders are not obliged to provide medical insurance. Nonetheless, there is one clear advantage: eligible applicants are more likely to be approved than those who apply for an S Pass.
Now that you know more about Singapore's post-study work visas, you might want to think about the kind of work you'd like to do. Our guide to finding a graduate career in Singapore can help – and when you're keen for some down time, you can explore the top five places to visit in Singapore.
Chat with Couru
