Employment of foreign students

Students of foreign nationality are not allowed to work in Singapore during term time or vacation time unless they are granted Work Pass exemption under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Pass Exemptions) Notification.

• Foreign Students on Vacation
• Part-Time Employment of Foreign Students

Foreign students and trainees coming to Singapore under training attachment programmes can consider the Training Work Permit, the Training Employment Pass or the Work Holiday Programme. Foreign students will be prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) if they are found working in Singapore without a valid work pass.

Foreign students on vacation

A work pass is not required for a foreign student who is a full-time matriculated or registered student in one of the following institutions if he/she is:

• 14 years of age or above; and
• On vacation.

1. Australian International School
2. Canadian International School
3. Chatsworth International School
4. Digipen
5. EDHEC Risk Institute-Asia
6. ESSEC Business School (Singapore)
7. German European School Singapore
8. GIST-TUM Asia
9. Government Junior Colleges
10. Government Secondary Schools
11. Government-aided Junior Colleges
12. Government-aided Secondary Schools
13. Hollandse School
14. INSEAD, Singapore
15. Institute of Technical Education, Singapore
16. International Community School
17. ISS International School
18. Japanese School (Secondary School)
19. LaSalle College of the Arts
20. Lycee Francais De Singapour
21. Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
22. Nanyang Polytechnic
23. Nanyang Technological University
24. National University of Singapore
25. New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Asia
26. Nexus International School
27. Ngee Ann Polytechnic
28. Overseas Family School
29. Republic Polytechnic
30. S P Jain School of Global Management Singapore
31. Sekolah Indonesia
32. SIM University
33. Singapore American School
34. Singapore Institute of Technology
35. Singapore Management University
36. Singapore Polytechnic
37. Singapore University of Technology and Design
38. Swiss School
39. Tanglin Trust School
40. Temasek Polytechnic
41. The American College
42. United World College of South East Asia
43. University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in Singapore
44. University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Singapore)
45. Waseda Shibuya Senior High School

Note: Foreign students from the above-listed schools/institutions who are waiting for their final examinations results or convocation are also granted work pass exemption if the period of waiting falls within the vacation period as stipulated by their academic calendar. However, once they have completed their studies, and their student pass expires, they will no longer be exempted from work pass requirements.

Employers who wish to hire foreigners who have completed their studies with their respective schools/institutions, should apply for appropriate work passes on their behalf. Each application will be accessed on its merits, subject to the prevailing work pass criteria and approval by the Controller of Work Passes.

Student Pass holders studying in institutions other than those listed above are not allowed to work during vacation while holding Student Passes in Singapore.

Part-time employment of foreign students

A work pass is not required for a foreign student who is a full-time matriculated or registered student in one of the following institutions if he/she:

• Works a maximum of 16 hours a week; or
• Is under an industrial attachment programme conducted by his university or educational institution. The industrial attachment must either be a compulsory or elective programme which should contribute towards the students’ graduation from the course.

1. Digipen
2. EDHEC Risk Institute-Asia
3. ESSEC Business School (Singapore)
4. GIST-TUM Asia
5. INSEAD, Singapore
6. LaSalle College of the Arts
7. Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
8. Nanyang Polytechnic
9. Nanyang Technological University
10. National University of Singapore
11. New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Asia
12. Ngee Ann Polytechnic
13. Republic Polytechnic
14. S P Jain School of Global Management Singapore
15. SIM University
16. Singapore Institute of Technology
17. Singapore Management University
18. Singapore Polytechnic
19. Singapore University of Technology and Design
20. Temasek Polytechnic
21. University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in Singapore
22. University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Singapore)

Note: Foreign students who wish to apply for Leave of Absence (LOA) during non-vacation period to do additional industrial attachments that do not contribute towards their graduation, will have to apply for a suitable work pass.

Student Pass holders studying in institutions other than those listed above are not allowed to work part-time while holding Student Passes in Singapore.