What are the requirements for S Pass and Employment Pass in Singapore?

There are two categories of visas allowing a non-resident to act as a director of a Singapore firm, S Pass and Employment Pass. Both are valid work visas and will enable you to stay during their validity period. The S Pass visa is designed to provide an opportunity for business people to enter and remain in Singapore to manage their own business directly. The work visa is intended for foreign workers and foreign directors and aimed at shareholders of Singapore companies planning to relocate to Singapore to participate in the firm’s activities actively.

You can apply for an S Pass visa before registering a Singapore firm, while for a work visa, documents are only submitted after the registration procedures are completed.

What are the requirements for S Pass in Singapore? To obtain a work visa for Singapore, you must first register a Singapore firm (with one local nominee director). If the visa will be opened before the firm’s registration, it is relevant to obtain a visa. Getting an S Pass for a Singapore visa is distinguished by preparing a business plan and transferring the share capital to the firm.

When deciding whether to issue a work visa, the Singapore authorities pay more attention to the educational level of the candidate, while concerning the S Pass for Singapore, the main focus will be on his entrepreneurial experience.

Employment Pass scheme in Singapore

Employment Pass is a work visa for foreign professionals, managers, and owners/directors of companies in Singapore. There is no quota system that limits the number of permits that can be issued to one firm. This guide article details the requirements, procedure, processing time, and other relevant information on the Singapore work permit process. The terms and conditions of the work visa are used interchangeably in this guide.

You can apply for a work visa in Singapore if:

• You are one of the owners/directors of a Singapore firm and would like to relocate to Singapore to manage the firm and conduct an active business. Please note that if the firm is newly incorporated and you own more than 30% of the shares, you can also apply for a Singapore work permit as an Entrepreneur Pass.
• You are hiring foreign staff for your firm in Singapore. In this case, your firm needs to apply for a Singapore Employment Work Permit for each such employee.
• Work visa is usually issued for 1-2 years, and after this period, it is renewable. A work permit visa allows you to work and live in Singapore and travel / enter the country freely without entry visas. Having received the Employment pass, in the future, you can apply for a Permanent Residence.

Types of Work Visa Employment Pass

There are three types of Employment Pass available: P1, P2, and Q Pass.

Category P work visas are for foreign nationals recruited as professionals and executives.

• The P1 Pass is for applicants with a fixed salary of S $7,000 or more per month.
• The P2 Pass is for applicants with a fixed salary ranging from S $3,500 to S $7,000 per month; however, the person has a recognized qualification level.
• The Q Pass is for applicants with a fixed salary of S $2,500 or more per month; however, the person has a recognized qualification level.

Compensating factors, such as specialized knowledge and work experience, can be considered when applying for a work visa type Q Pass.

S Pass for Singapore

The S Pass Singapore visa allows overseas entrepreneurs to set up a business in Singapore and is designed to enter and reside in Singapore. With a strong desire to become a regional business hub, Singapore plans to attract successful business people from all over the world. Moreover, an S Pass work visa holder can apply for a Dependant’s Pass family visa for spouses and children under 21 (including newborns) who are unmarried or adopted by the law. If approved, the S Pass Singapore visa is issued for 1-2 years. The visa can be extended as long as the declared business is valid.

Terms of provision:

• The firm must be registered as a private limited firm.
• The applicant must own at least 30% of the share capital in the firm.
• The registered share capital of the firm must be at least S $50,000.
• The firm must not be registered for no more than six months from the date of the S Pass application.

Documents required for obtaining S Pass Singapore:

• business plan
• detailed summary
• graduation certificates
• letters of recommendation and testimonials from past employers and current employer
• documents related to previous and prospective business
• 2 passport-sized photographs
• signed application form and application for submission of documents for a visa
• copy of the passport
• a certified translation of all documents that are not in English 

Sequencing:

• The documents will be reviewed by the Ministry of Human Resources of Singapore as soon as the required documents are submitted, 4-8 weeks.
• After receiving a positive result by mail, the applicant is given a 30-day period, during which it is necessary to register a Singapore firm, open a bank account, and transfer the share capital to the firm (following the business plan, the share capital depends on the field of activity). As a rule, they must cover the costs of starting a firm business and expected costs within 3-6 months of work, including the director’s salary.
• After the applicant submits confirmation of the registration of the firm and the transfer of the share capital within two weeks, the ministry sends an In-Principle-Approval letter stating that S Pass is ready and available (the applicant is given up to 6 months to enter Singapore and pick up S Pass).

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