Professional visas are issued to foreign professionals who hold acceptable degree, professional qualifications or specialist skills, who are seeking employment in Singapore. If you are not a Singapore citizen, you must first secure a job offer in Singapore and then apply to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for an Employment Pass (EPEC). Depending on the type of occupation, the employer has to pay a levy between S$200-S$400 (data collected July 2007). All applications have to be made online. No administrative fee is charged for EPEC applications and processing time is normally seven days. The Training Visit Pass is required for those undergoing training in Singapore. The internship must be of a professional, managerial, executive or specialist nature. There is no charge if less than three months, S$40 for longer than three months (data collected July 2007). Details and application procedures can be found on the Contact Singapore website. A Social Visit Pass is required for short stays in Singapore to attend job interviews and business negotiations. You are not allowed to work in the country during that time. They are valid for between two to four weeks and can be renewed for up to three months. Details can be found on the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website. There are no visa requirements for EU or UK nationals. Medical examinations are often required before starting work. There are 750,000 expats in Singapore and the government tries to encourage Permanent Residence (PR) for those who are there long term. Permanent residents can get a five-year renewable pass that doesn’t depend on a sponsor employer. Details of permanent residency and citizenship can be found on the Contact Singapore website. Certain professions require professional registration before working in Singapore (not related to residency or citizenship status). They include accountancy, architecture, dentistry, engineering, land surveying, law, medicine, pharmacy and nursing. If you are from a non-EU country, please check with your embassy about regulations for working in this country.
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Singapore: Visa and immigration
