The main work visas in Singapore for an expatriate

Many expats choose to travel to Singapore. Singapore, a city-state in Asia, is one of the safest cities in the world. Security is omnipresent. In addition, Singapore has one of the best health systems in the world with excellent doctors. It is also known for its modernity and economic activity. All the conditions are met to go abroad serenely.

There is a wide range of visa options for those who wish to stay in Singapore for a long time. To work legally in Singapore, you must have a valid work visa. Your work visa will depend on your profile, your experiences as well as your role in the company where you are going to go.

Singapore work visas for an expat

For professionals:

• Employment Pass: For foreign professionals, executives and managers. To apply for the Employment Pass, you must earn at least $3600 per month and present acceptable qualifications. If you already have an Employment Pass and your salary is quite high, you can apply for the Personalised Employment Pass. The latter offers you more flexibility than an Employment Pass.
• EntrePass: It is aimed at people who want to start their own business in Singapore.

For skilled or semi-skilled workers:

• S Pass: The S Pass has the same principle as the Employment Pass but this concerns candidates earning less than 2300SGD$ per month. They must meet the evaluation criteria.
• Work Permit for foreign worker: For semi-skilled foreign workers in construction, manufacturing, marine, processes or services.

If you plan to travel to Singapore for an internship or exchange:

• The Training Employment Pass is for foreign professionals earning at least $3,000 per month.
• The Work Holiday Pass for students and graduates. You must be between 18 and 25 years old, and stay in Singapore for 6 months.
• To apply for a Student’s Pass, you must be accepted into a full-time school program, approved by Singapore. Part-time, evening or weekend courses are not eligible. The duration of your visa will depend on the period requested by the school. It takes about 5 weeks for its treatment.

Visas for the family during an expatriation in Singapore

• To apply for a Dependent Pass for a family member, you must earn a minimum of $600 per month of fixed salary. This pass is intended for spouses and children of Employment Pass or S Pass holders. This pass is renewable and allows you to work if you apply for a Letter of Consent.
• The Long Term Visit Pass is for the spouse, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or disabled child of an eligible Employment Pass or S Pass visa holder. If you earn more than $12,000, you can also bring your parents. This pass is renewable but does not allow you to work in Singapore.

Working conditions in Singapore

In Singapore, the legal weekly working time is 44 hours per week. To look for work, Singapore offers many job sites, the main recruitment and headhunting firms are also present in quantity.
Wages are generally higher and are the same in gross and net because there are no social charges.
As social security contributions are non-existent, expatriates cannot benefit from unemployment or health insurance or pension contributions. These services are at your expense and must be subscribed to by a private organization. There are also bonuses called AWS or “Annual Wage Supplement” which is given at the end of the year to certain positions of high responsibility. They are on average 2 months’ salary per year.
You have the right to 14 days of vacation per year, without maximum working hours. Also note that there are 12 public holidays in the year. If it falls on Sunday, the following Monday is non-working where you benefit from an additional leave.
Generally employers can offer you more leave than the legal minimum depending on your seniority in the company.

How does the health insurance system work in Singapore with a work visa?

As a foreign employee, your company may or may not offer youhealth insurance in Singapore. It is not mandatory to cover Employment Pass holders, but most companies do. Social benefits are a huge plus for the company, especially in Singapore where companies are very competitive. If you have an S Pass, your employer has an obligation to cover you. Nevertheless, very often, the health insurance plans offered by companies exclude certain benefits. For example, with the exclusion of routine care, dental care and maternity, a low ceiling of reimbursement of hospitalization …
The second option is the local health insurance plan. The amount of the contribution is accessible. However, reimbursement limits for routine care and hospitalization are low.
Finally, the most popular option for expats in Singapore is international health coverage. Mondassur offers you GoldExpat expatriate insurance. This international health insurance can be taken out by anyone living outside their country of nationality, expatriating abroad and outside their country of origin, regardless of the duration. Whether you are self-employed, an artist, a company executive, a craftsman… you can benefit from GoldExpat expatriate insurance.