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Coronavirus
To further support employment opportunities of locals in Singapore (i.e. Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents), the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore ("Ministry") announced on 27 August 2020 changes to the Employment Pass ("EP") and S Pass requirements.
A summary of the changes is set out below:
From 1 September 2020, the minimum monthly salary requirement for all new EP applicants will be raised from S$3,900 to S$4,500, with more experienced candidates requiring higher salaries.
For all EP renewal applicants, this new salary requirement will only take effect from 1 May 2021.
Following the abovementioned increase of the minimum monthly salary requirement for all EP applicants, the minimum monthly salary requirement for new EP applicants in the Financial Services Sector will be raised to S$5,000 with effect from 1 December 2020, with more experienced candidates requiring higher salaries.
For EP renewal applicants in the Financial Services Sector, this new salary requirement will only take effect from 1 May 2021.
From 1 October 2020, the minimum monthly salary requirement for all new S Pass applicants will be raised from S$2,400 to S$2,500, with more experienced candidates requiring higher salaries.
For all S Pass renewal applicants, this new salary requirement will only take effect from 1 May 2021.
There will be no changes to S Pass levies and quotas.
The Ministry has emphasised that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage employers to build and retain a core of Singapore employees, it would be strictly taking into account the following when considering EP and S Pass applications:
Currently, under the fair consideration framework, before submitting a new EP application, employers are required to advertise the job vacancy on MyCareersFuture.sg for 14 days and consider local applicants fairly.
With effect from 1 October 2020, the fair consideration framework job advertising requirement will be changed as follows:
Apart from the above-mentioned changes, the Ministry will put employers whose PMET workforce profiles suggest a bias against locals on the fair consideration framework watchlist, with greater scrutiny given to their EP and S Pass applications.
For more information, please refer to the Ministry's press release, which can be accessed here.
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