Key Highlights
The PEP will be issued only once. It is valid for five years, and is non-renewable.
The PEP holder is not allowed to start his/her own business or engage in any entrepreneurial activities. The holder must apply for an EntrePass if he/she intends to do so.
Eligibility Criteria
- Foreigners who wish to work in Singapore may be eligible for the Personalised Employment Pass if they are:
- Overseas foreign professional whose last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas was at least $8,000
- The last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas should be no more than six months from the time of the application.
- Former P1 Pass holders who are residing overseas
- Former P1 Pass holders should not be unemployed for longer than a continuous period of six months at the point of application.
- P1 Pass holders
- P2 Pass holders
- P2 Pass holders that have worked on a P2 pass in Singapore for at least two years. They should have earned a fixed salary of at least $34,000 in the preceding year.
- Q1 Pass holders
- Q1 Pass holders that have worked on a Q1 pass in Singapore for at least five years. They should have earned a fixed salary of at least $34,000 in the preceding year.
- Foreign graduates from institutions of higher learning in Singapore
- Foreign graduates from institutions of higher learning in Singapore with at least two years’ working experience on a P or Q1 Pass. They should earn a fixed salary of at least $34,000 in the preceding year.
* The following groups of foreigners are not eligible for the PEP:
- foreigners who are issued with an Employment Pass under the Sponsorship scheme. Under this scheme, their direct employers are overseas companies which do not have a Singapore-registered office/business entity;
- foreigners who are working or intending to work on a free-lance basis without any direct employers in Singapore;
- foreigners who are listed as Sole Proprietors, Partners or Directors in a business/company registered with ACRA and are shareholders of that business/company.
- foreigners working as journalists, editors, sub-editors and producers.
Validity
- Maximum Unemployment Period:
- This cannot exceed six continuous months at any point. This applies to PEP holders working in Singapore as well as PEP holders working on overseas stints assigned by their employers in Singapore. PEP holders who intend to leave Singapore and work for employers overseas should cancel their PEPs.
- Minimum Annual Salary:
- PEP holders must earn an annual fixed salary of at least $34,000 for each calendar year of the PEP.
- Requisite Notifications to MOM:
- PEP holders and their employers will need to keep MOM informed of each change in the PEP holders’ employment status (e.g. commencement or cessation of employment) and agree to make available to MOM information on their annual fixed salary. PEP holders will also need to notify MOM of any changes in their contact details viz. local contact person and address.
Dependants’ Privileges
- PEP holders will continue to enjoy the dependants’ privileges of their original passes or current eligibility at the point of PEP application, whichever is higher. Those who switch to higher-paying jobs may apply for the corresponding dependants’ privileges.
- P1, P2 and Q1 Pass holders are eligible to bring his/her spouse and children under 21 years of age on Dependant’s Passes. A P1 Pass holder can also bring his/her parents on Long Term Visit Passes.
Recent Changes
From 1 December 2012, the qualifying criteria for the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) will be raised and some of its features will be refined. This ensures that the PEP remains a premium pass for top-tier foreign talent and is in line with recent moves to raise the quality of Employment Pass holders. The changes are:
- Availability of PEP to P1 Pass holders who earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000 and overseas-based foreign professionals whose last drawn fixed monthly salary was at least $18,000.
- Increase of minimum annual fixed salary requirement from $34,000 to $144,000.
- Change in validity of PEP from 5 years to 3 years.
- New PEP holders can bring in their parents, spouses and children.
