Singapore Expats

From 1 May onwards

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/m ... AGqWkoOKkA

Excellent jamie9vardy! I'm making a Sticky out of this one. Just in case the link is bad later, I'm copy/pasting the text here directly from the MOM.

https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... /key-facts

https://www.mom.gov.sg/-/media/mom/docu ... 05F69CC3D1
______________________________________________________________________________

FACTSHEET ON WORK ARRANGEMENTS OF DEPENDANT’S PASS HOLDERS
Currently, Dependant’s Pass (DP) holders who are dependants of Employment Pass, EntrePass or
Personalised Employment Pass holders can apply for a Letter of Consent (LOC) to work in Singapore.
For consistency with the updates we have made to our work pass framework, MOM will be aligning
the requirements for DP holders who wish to work in Singapore with the requirements for all other
foreigners working in Singapore. From 1 May 2021, all DP holders who wish to work during their stay
in Singapore will need an applicable work pass (such as an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit)
instead of an LOC, unless they are business owners who meet specified criteria.
Existing DP LOC holders will be allowed to continue working until the expiry of their LOC. Employers
will need to apply for an applicable work pass should they wish to continue employing existing DP LOC
holders after their current LOC expires. For employers and DP LOC holders who wish to do so, MOM
will facilitate the transition to a work pass. The relevant qualifying salary, dependency ratio ceiling,
and/or levies for the respective work passes will apply.
Details on these requirements and the application process for the respective work passes can be found
on the following webpages:
• Employment Pass: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... yment-pass
• S Pass: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/s-pass
• Work Permit: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... ign-worker
DP holders who are business owners
DP holders who are business owners will be eligible to continue running their business on an LOC,
provided that their business creates local employment. They will need to meet the following criteria:
1. The DP holder is a sole proprietor, partner, or company director with at least 30% shareholding
in the business; and
2. The business hires at least one Singaporean/Permanent Resident who earns at least the
prevailing Local Qualifying Salary (currently $1,400) and receives CPF contributions for at least
3 months
DP holders who currently do not meet the above criteria can continue to run their business on their
existing LOC until its expiry, or apply for a one-off extension of their LOC until 30 April 2022 when next
renewing their DP. Thereafter, they will need to meet the criteria stated above in order to renew their
LOC, or obtain an applicable work pass to continue working in Singapore.
DP holders who wish to start a new business can apply for an LOC to do so, provided that they fulfil
the criteria set out above. Further details will be released on 1 May 2021.

MoM has just added a ton of uncertainties in my already uncertain move to Singapore.

We have the EP and DP IPA, which we got recently, though mrs is very skeptical now to accompany me after reading this article. She believes that finding a job is going to be difficult for her now, which I agree.

A few pointers, basis my understanding

11) for DP holders, getting a job on LOC was easier, and getting same job on pass is going to take more effort but ofcourse the talent pool available in country remains the same so all LOC will eventually move to workpass and things will be same after a point of time, so implications may sound bad foe DP holder but aren't as bad

2) Both partners being on employment pass does give a benefit in case one is fired

3) DPs on workpass may earn good wages since they are not anymore the secondary breadwinners

4) doing away with LOC has taken away DPs pleasure to work part-time jobs, and workpass may only be suitable for those with the right qualification and experience to compete with locals and existing workpass holders

Brilliant! I wonder what is the impact going to be on the local economy. I know for a fact that teachers in low end International Schools are all trailing spouses working on LoC earning like 1.5k a month. I am not including the high end International Schools with fees >3k a month.

So what happens to all these teachers? Fees go up?

Also just when Covid was getting over and the economy is opening up, is when there is going to be a shortage of workers. So the timing?

Overall SG is going towards HK way. It is going to attract mostly singles at the mid range salaries. Only at the higher end you are going to see families coming to SG. i.e. atleast 8k salary and above it makes sense for families to relocate to SG.

SingaporeEP wrote: ↑

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 4:18 pm

11) ... but ofcourse the talent pool available in country remains the same so all LOC will eventually move to workpass and things will be same after a point of time, so implications may sound bad foe DP holder but aren't as bad

This is not entirely true. On LoC, people could work for as low as $1500. I know the International School my daughter goes to, teachers are paid that low. Almost all are trailing spouses. SPass minimum salary is higher and you need locals for the quota. So, will those schools/businesses be viable to be able to pay those increased salaries? Many will just close down and fewer will survive. So, the number of dependent pass holders who convert to work pass will be much lower.

If such a news came out 5-6 years back, this forum would be buzzing with posters commenting. Now, hardly any buzz. It just shows, the decline of expats in Singapore and this forum as well.

I am guessing a huge category of expats has disappeared from Singapore. These were the mid range expats with salaries around 3.5k-7.5k who had families here, expats lifes here. Now a few of them have moved on to get PR, so no longer interested in expat matters and a majority have just left Singapore, due to difficulty in having their passes renewed for themselves or their dependents. So a big vaccum in the mid range.

I seem to be the really odd one out still in Singapore, with salary that has gone slightly higher than the mid range, but not high enough to have a great expat life nor did I get PR. Is there anyone else here like me? Salary in 100k range, spouse and daughter in Singapore. Renting a full HDB and daughter going to a low end International School. Stayed for more than a decade in Singapore. Yet, cannot call it home, and still live here like a long term tourist. Anybody?

Wd40 wrote: ↑

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 9:34 am

Brilliant! I wonder what is the impact going to be on the local economy. I know for a fact that teachers in low end International Schools are all trailing spouses working on LoC earning like 1.5k a month. I am not including the high end International Schools with fees >3k a month.

So what happens to all these teachers? Fees go up?

Also just when Covid was getting over and the economy is opening up, is when there is going to be a shortage of workers. So the timing?

Overall SG is going towards HK way. It is going to attract mostly singles at the mid range salaries. Only at the higher end you are going to see families coming to SG. i.e. atleast 8k salary and above it makes sense for families to relocate to SG.

Those schools are under pressure to shut down. The gahmen doesn't have a place for them in their long term strategy.

I would add that this doesn't surprise me - the LOC was in effect a form of subsidizing EP's by allowing their spouse to work underneath the quotas. I wonder what is next? An income level for LOC of LTVP+?

Maybe more layoffs are in the pipeline.

Just preparing for the inevitable.

Greasing the path for the coming batch of unemployed locals to move to other industries.

And also for the school leavers/fresh grads. Local unis graduate around mid year.

the observer wrote: ↑

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:26 am

Maybe more layoffs are in the pipeline.

Just preparing for the inevitable.

Greasing the path for the coming batch of unemployed locals to move to other industries.

And also for the school leavers/fresh grads. Local unis graduate around mid year.

Yes, this is what I also think so. The timing clearly says, the opening up is not going to mean all rosy for everyone.

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:08 am

An income level for LOC of LTVP+?

Gosh I hope not. LTVP holders only account for 0.5% of the workforce. Less then 18,000 people. It’s already a minuscule slice of the pie.

Well according to the ST article there are around 11,000 DP holders on a LOC, so I think PNGMK is right LTVP+ will be next in some form.

Mike

MOCHS wrote: ↑

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 2:00 pm

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:08 am

An income level for LOC of LTVP+?

Gosh I hope not. LTVP holders only account for 0.5% of the workforce. Less then 18,000 people. It’s already a minuscule slice of the pie.

It's a pie with no voice tho.

So this means if my wife wants to work she has to give up her DP for an S pass or work permit? (if she doesn't qualify for an EP)

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 3:01 pm

It's a pie with no voice tho.

They are married to Singaporeans/PRs. If that ever happens, they are risking losing the Singaporeans who are committed to stay here for the rest of their lives. We didn’t deliberately choose to fall in love with a foreigner to make our lives difficult.