The Employment Pass is only to foreign nationals who are already employed with any company in Singapore, or to those who are in possession of a job offer. The employment pass is meant only for professionals in the management cadre and high level executives. People who possess special qualifications for performing specialized tasks are also eligible to apply for employment pass in spite of not having the requisite educational qualifications. Details of eligibility can be obtained from a registered Manpower Agency operating in Singapore.

Eligibility criteria for obtaining EP

In order to be eligible to apply for EP a job applicant needs to:

• Have a basic degree, have professional qualifications, or have specially acquired skills.
• Be employed and drawing a minimum salary of $3,300 per month, or at least have a job offer for this minimum salary.
• In case the applicants are older, their earnings need to be commensurate with their age and experience.

The EPs are issued only on merit basis. While taking the decision to grant an EP the Ministry of Manpower takes into consideration the following:

• The institution from where the job seeker obtained his or her education, the ranking of the institution. The rankings can be of national level, global QS University rankings, and Academic rankings of Global Universities.
• Apart from assessing the educational qualifications of the job seekers, the officials also consider the professional competencies of the job seekers, the current salary and benefits, and the expected salary as mentioned in the job opening in Singapore. The chances of being approved depends on the offer, it is higher the chances are brighter.
• One important point to note is that qualifications alone cannot be a deciding factor for rejecting a candidate. The candidate's aptitude, skill sets, and an impressive track record are the things that are always in his or her favour.

To sum it all up, the educational institution from which the candidate passed out is never the deciding factor that decides who gets the WP. The Candidates applying for openings appearing under the "Strategic and Skill-in-Demand" list of the Government stand a better chance of succeeding.

Benefits of obtaining EP

Applicants who are awarded the EP are entitled to bring their families to Singapore under either the Dependent Pass or the Long Term Visit Pass

A Dependent Pass permits the holder to bring along a legally married spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 as well as those aged above 21, dependent parents, unmarried step-children who are below 21 years of age. In order to be eligible to bring their families into Singapore, the EP holders need to be earning no less than $8,000.

The Process of Applying for EP

After an irrevocable contract is drawn up, the job seekers can apply for an EP through the Manpower Agency or MOM service provider in Singapore. Any other company registered as an approved employment agency in Singapore can act as the sponsor. EP job seekers who are eligible for Dependent Pass or Long Term Visit Pass need to submit their job applications along with the application for EP. Each member of the family needs to apply in a separate form along with the necessary documents.

Note: In case the applicant's employer has their office located overseas and does not have a registered office in Singapore, a Singapore based Manpower Agency registered in Singapore can act as the sponsor and is allowed to submit the application on their behalf.