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Work pass exemption for foreign students

If you are holding a Student's Pass in Singapore, you are only allowed to work if you meet specific requirements. Find out if you are eligible.

Not allowed to work

You are not allowed to work if:

  • You are not studying in any of the institutions listed below.
  • You are an exchange student doing study modules in Singapore.

If you are a foreign student or trainee coming to Singapore under a training attachment programme, you should be holding a Training Work Permit, a Training Employment Pass, or be in the Work Holiday Programme. It is an offence for a foreign student to work in Singapore without a valid work pass.

Working during vacationShow

You can work during your vacation without a work pass if you meet all of the following criteria:

  • You are a full-time matriculated or registered student in one of the following institutions.
  • You hold a Student's Pass issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
  • You are aged 14 years and above.

You need not notify us before you start work.

List of institutions

The list of institutions is as follows:

  • Anglo-Chinese School (International) Singapore
  • Australian International School
  • Canadian International School
  • Chatsworth International School
  • Digipen
  • Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
  • Dulwich College (Singapore)
  • EHL Campus (Singapore)
  • ESSEC Business School (Singapore)
  • German European School Singapore
  • German Institute of Science and Technology – TUM Asia
  • Government Junior Colleges
  • Government secondary schools
  • Government-aided Junior Colleges
  • Government-aided secondary schools
  • Hwa Chong International School
  • Hollandse School
  • Independent schools
  • INSEAD, Singapore
  • Institute of Technical Education, Singapore
  • International Community School
  • ISS International School
  • The Japanese School Singapore
  • LaSalle College of the Arts
  • Lycee Francais De Singapour
  • Millenia Institute
  • Mountbatten Vocational School
  • Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
  • Nanyang Polytechnic
  • Nanyang Technological University
  • National University of Singapore
  • Nexus International School (Singapore)
  • Ngee Ann Polytechnic
  • Overseas Family School
  • Republic Polytechnic
  • S P Jain School of Global Management Singapore
  • Saint Joseph’s Institution International School
  • Sekolah Indonesia
  • Special Education schools
  • Specialised Independent schools
  • Specialised schools
  • Singapore American School
  • Singapore Institute of Technology
  • Singapore Korean International School
  • Singapore Management University
  • Singapore Polytechnic
  • Singapore University of Social Sciences
  • Singapore University of Technology and Design
  • Sorbonne-Assas International Law School – Asia
  • Stamford American International School
  • Swiss School in Singapore
  • Tanglin Trust School
  • Temasek Polytechnic
  • University of the Arts Singapore
  • United World College of South East Asia
  • Waseda Shibuya Senior High School in Singapore
  • XCL World Academy
  • Yale-NUS College of the National University of Singapore

If you are waiting for your results

If you are from one of the institutions listed above and are waiting for your final examination results or convocation, you can also work without a work pass if the waiting period falls within your vacation.

Once you have completed your studies and your Student's Pass expires, you will need to get a work pass to work in Singapore. Your employer will need to apply for your work pass.

Working during school termShow

You can work during the school term without a work pass if you meet all of the following criteria:

  • You are a full-time matriculated or registered student in one of the institutions listed below.
  • You hold a Student's Pass issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

Additionally, your work needs to meet one of these requirements:

  • It is for a maximum of 16 hours a week.
  • It is under an industrial attachment programme conducted by your university or educational institution. The industrial attachment can be either compulsory or elective but it must contribute towards your graduation requirements.

You need not notify us before you start work.

List of institutions

The list of institutions is as follows:

  • Digipen
  • Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
  • EHL Campus (Singapore)
  • ESSEC Business School (Singapore)
  • German Institute of Science and Technology – TUM Asia
  • INSEAD, Singapore
  • Institute of Technical Education, Singapore
  • LaSalle College of the Arts
  • Mountbatten Vocational School
  • Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
  • Nanyang Polytechnic
  • Nanyang Technological University
  • National University of Singapore
  • Ngee Ann Polytechnic
  • Republic Polytechnic
  • S P Jain School of Global Management Singapore
  • Special Education schools
  • Specialised schools
  • Singapore Institute of Technology
  • Singapore Management University
  • Singapore Polytechnic
  • Singapore University of Social Sciences
  • Singapore University of Technology and Design
  • Sorbonne-Assas International Law School – Asia
  • Temasek Polytechnic
  • University of the Arts Singapore
  • Yale-NUS College of the National University of Singapore

You must apply for a work pass if you want to take a leave of absence during your school term to do additional industrial attachments that do not contribute towards your graduation.