You can request for MOM to help transfer your work pass holders if your company is undergoing business restructuring. Make sure you meet the criteria before submitting the Change of Business Entity (COBE) request.
Business restructuring scenarios and criteria
| Type of business restructuring |
Requirements |
MOM can help you to |
Changing to another type of business entity
(from sole proprietorship to private limited company or partnership, or vice versa)
|
At least one of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) registered directors, partners or the sole proprietor from the previous company must move to your new company.
Documents required: Latest ACRA business profiles of both companies.
|
Transfer all your work pass holders to your new business entity. |
|
Undergoing business restructuring
This includes:
- Merger and/or acquisition
- Amalgamation
- Corporate spin-off (e.g. separation of a business unit from a parent entity to form a new independent company)
- Centralisation or decentralisation of corporate functions within the company (e.g. closure of outlets or subsidiaries)
- Consolidation of CPF accounts under the same UEN in the same sector
|
Must provide proof of (buyer and seller) relationship, including legal documents.
Documents required:
- Latest ACRA business profiles of both companies
- Business restructuring documents (e.g. Sales and Purchase Agreement, ACRA amalgamation certificate, or press release)
|
Transfer all your work pass holders to your new company
OR
Transfer only Employment Pass holders, their dependants and Letter of Consent (LOC) holders to the new company.
Note: If S Pass or Work Permit (WP) holders are also affected by the partial transfer, the new company must apply for their passes accordingly.
|
Renewing a business registration with a different ACRA number but keeping the company name
(i.e. sole proprietorship expired)
|
Sole proprietor from the previous company must either be a director or partner in the new company.
Documents required: Latest ACRA business profiles of both companies.
|
Transfer all your work pass holders to your new company.
|
When not to submit a transfer request
You do not need to submit a transfer request in the following situations:
| If you are |
You will need to |
| Transferring work pass holders to a company in a different sector |
Apply for new work passes for them:
|
| Transferring only some work pass holders to a related company in the same sector (e.g. transferring some Work Permit or S Pass holders to a subsidiary or parent company) |
Apply for new work passes for them and meet the following requirements:
|
|
Transferring the following pass holders:
- Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)
- Pre-approved Letter of Consent (PLOC)
- Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass
- Training Employment Pass
|
Notify MOM of the change of employer:
For Training Employment Pass holders, you must submit a fresh application under the new company.
|
Before you submit a request
| What you need to pay for |
During the process, you must:
- Buy new security bonds if transfer includes non-Malaysian Work Permit holders.
After transfer is complete, you must:
- Buy new medical insurance for all Work Permit and S Pass holders.
|
| How long it takes |
Within 2 months, for most cases.
|
| Eligibility |
Companies involved must not have an adverse record with MOM at the point of transfer.
|
| Levy payment |
All outstanding levy for both the previous and new company must be paid. The normal levy and quota requirements will apply to both companies during the transfer of migrant workers.
|
How to submit a request
| Step |
What to do |
Who does it |
| Declare business activity |
Declare your business activity. It must be in same sector as the previous company.
|
New company
|
Renew work passes
|
Renew work passes for those expiring in less than 2 months.
|
Previous company |
| Check pending applications |
Ensure there are no pending work pass applications or renewals for the pass holders who will be transferred. |
Previous company |
| Print IPA |
Print the IPA letters of all approved work passes applications or renewals.
|
Previous company |
| Prepare documents |
|
Previous or new company |
| Submit the transfer request |
Submit the online form 1.5 to 2 months before the intended date of transfer.
|
Previous or new company |
During the transfer process
The previous company should continue to make CPF contributions for their local employees to avoid paying higher levy due to a drop in local workforce.
We will not be able to make any levy adjustments if a higher levy bill is incurred due to a drop in local workforce.
After the transfer is completed
The requester will receive an email to confirm that the transfer was successful. The new company's name will be updated in our records and will be reflected when the pass holder's work pass card is scanned using SGWorkPass.
The new company must then complete the following:
- Start contributing CPF for the transferred local employees.
- Help pass holders set up their digital work pass to view the updated information.
- For Work Permit or S Pass holders:
- Arrange to pay migrant worker levy through GIRO.
- Update medical insurance policy.