The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is a distinctive work pass tailored for high-calibre foreign professionals who wish to work in Singapore. Unlike other employment passes, the PEP is not tied to a specific employer, offering its holders the freedom to switch jobs without the need to reapply for a new pass. This flexibility is a significant advantage, especially in today’s dynamic and competitive job market.
Who is eligible?
If you earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500, you are eligible to apply for a Personalised Employment Pass (PEP). This salary benchmark is aligned with the top 10% of Employment Pass (EP) holders. For overseas foreign professionals, your last drawn salary must fall within six (6) months prior to your application.
Additionally, successful candidates must meet vaccination requirements to facilitate the issuance of their pass.
Who is not eligible?
You are not eligible for the PEP if you are:
- An Employment Pass holder under the sponsorship scheme.
- A freelancer or foreigner who intends to work on a freelance basis.
- A business owner in an ACRA-registered company, such as a sole proprietor, partner, shareholder or where a director is also a shareholder.
- A journalist, editor, sub-editor or producer.
Note: You are not allowed to start a business or conduct any form of entrepreneurial activity while on a PEP. If you intend to do so, you should apply for an EntrePass or Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass.
Requirements of the pass
To keep holding a PEP, you must:
- Not be unemployed in Singapore for more than 6 months at any time. Otherwise, you will need to cancel the pass.
- Earn a fixed salary of at least $270,000 per calendar year, regardless of the number of months you are in employment.
Note: If you applied for your PEP before 1 September 2023, you must earn a fixed salary of $144,000 per calendar year, regardless of the number of months you are in employment.
You will have to notify MOM of the following:
- When you start or leave a job.
- If you change your contact details, such as local contact person or address.
- Your annual fixed salary. You need to declare your current year’s salary to us by 31 January of the following year.
Benefits of the PEP
The PEP gives you greater job flexibility than other work passes:
- You can generally hold a job in any sector. However, the PEP does not exempt you from complying with registration requirements to practise in Singapore for professions such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture, law, etc.
- You do not need to re-apply for a new pass if you change jobs; you only need to notify MOM.
- You can stay in Singapore for a continuous period of up to 6 months without a job to search for new employment.
Passes for family members
If you hold a PEP, you can bring in your family members on these passes:
Dependant’s Pass for your:
- Legally married spouse
- Children under 21 years old, including legally adopted children
Long-Term Visit Pass for your:
- Common-law spouse
- Unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above
- Unmarried stepchildren under 21 years old
- Parents
You need to submit a separate application for each family member even if they currently hold a Dependant’s Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass. You can submit their applications along with the PEP application.
**It is recommended to apply for family passes after the main pass is issued. Although you can apply for family passes at the same time as the PEP, you will lose the application fees for each family pass if the PEP application gets rejected.
Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) Application Process
- Online Application: Employers or authorised third parties can submit applications online through the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website. The online system expedites the process and reduces paperwork.
- Document Submission: Applicants need to provide necessary documents, such as passport details, educational certificates, employment contract, latest tax statement, employment history (if applicant is not a current Employment Pass holder in Singapore) and payslips & bank account statements for the past 3 months.
- Government charges:
Application Fee: $105 for each pass
Work Pass Approval Issuance Fee: $225 for each pass
$30 for each Multiple Journey Visa (if applicable) - Processing Time: The processing time for Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) application typically takes around up to 8 weeks. It is advisable to apply in advance to ensure a smooth transition.
- Approval and Issuance: Upon approval, MOM will deliver the card to the given address within 5 working days after you register at EPSC and get your documents verified. If you don’t need to register, MOM will deliver the card within 5 working days after checking your documents. The authorised recipients will get an SMS or email with the delivery details at least 1 working day before the delivery.
Notifying MOM of updates: Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)
Learn more about the obligatory annual notification and the procedure for informing the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) about specific changes.
Declaring annual salary
As a PEP holder, you need to declare to MOM your annual salary by 31 January each year.
If your pass was issued on 31 December 2022 or before, you will need to submit your annual notification in 2024. New PEP holders whose passes were issued from 1 January 2023 will be required to submit their notification in 2025.
For example, if your PEP was issued on:
- 1 May 2022, you need to declare your annual salary for 2023 by 31 January 2024.
- 1 September 2023, you need to declare your annual salary for 2024 by 31 January 2025.
You will receive MOM email notification to declare your annual salary, which must be done between 1 January and 31 January of the coming year. Please ensure that you submit your annual notification promptly, otherwise your PEP status may be affected.
Changes to employment or personal information
You will need to notify MOM in these situations:
Change in employment status or employer
You will need to notify MOM within 1 week if you have:
- Started employment.
- Left employment.
- Changed employers.
Change in local contact person’s details
You need to inform MOM within 7 days of any change in your local contact person’s details.
Change in residential address or mobile number
You need to update MOM within 2 weeks of changing your residential address or mobile number. Otherwise, you may be penalised.
How to update:
- (For address updates) Ensure that the new address meets the relevant housing requirements.
- Log in to EP eService to update the address or mobile number. The update is immediate.
- Print the acknowledgment page and keep it with your pass card.
Change in personal information
a. Changes to passport number and expiry date
You can update your passport number and expiry date instantly using EP eService. Written requests to update these two details will no longer be accepted.
If you wish to clear immigration using the automated gates at local checkpoints, you can do so 4 working days after making the update.
b. Changes to other particulars
Submit your request online, together with the required supporting documents. Your request will be processed within 7 working days and MOM will email you the outcome.
Change in application details after pass is approved
Use this online form to inform MOM if there is a change in the pass holder’s following information (after the work pass has been approved):
- Educational Qualification
- Work location
Preparing yourself for a successful PEP application is the key to achieving your goal. Singapore Trace Immigration (SGTI) serves as a reliable immigration consultant, simplifying the PEP application process for you. SGTI is here to assist and provide professional advice for the best possible outcome of your application. Moreover, having a PEP opens doors for a smoother transition in your professional journey in Singapore, paving the way for future routes such as applying for Permanent Residency (PR). Contact us today to discover how we can assist you on this journey!
