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Eligibility and requirements for Personalised Employment Pass

Eligible high-earning foreign professionals can apply for a Personalised Employment Pass. Pass holders have greater job flexibility than with other work passes. However, they need to meet certain requirements to hold the pass.

Who is eligible

You can apply for a Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) if you are:

  • An overseas foreign professional and your last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas was at least $18,000. Your last drawn salary should have been within 6 months before you apply.
  • An existing Employment Pass holder earning a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000.

From 1 September 2023, the fixed monthly salary criteria for both existing EP holders and overseas foreign professionals will be raised to $22,500. This is benchmarked to the top 10% of EP holders.

Who is not eligible

You are not eligible for the PEP if you are:

  • An Employment Pass holder under the sponsorship scheme.
  • A freelancer or foreigner who intends to work on a freelance-basis.
  • A sole proprietor, partner or where a director is also a shareholder in an ACRA-registered company.
  • A journalist, editor, sub-editor or producer.

Note: You are not allowed to start a business or conduct any form of entrepreneurial activity while on a PEP. If you intend to do so, you should apply for an EntrePass or Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass.

Requirements of the pass

To keep holding a PEP, you must:

  • Not be unemployed in Singapore for more than 6 months at any time. Otherwise, you will need to cancel the pass.
  • Earn a fixed salary of at least $144,000 per calendar year, regardless of the number of months you are in employment.
    If your PEP is approved after 1 September 2023, you must earn a fixed salary of at least $270,000 per calendar year.
  • Notify us of the following:
    • When you start or leave a job.
    • If you change your contact details, such as local contact person or address.
    • Your annual fixed salary. You need to declare your current year's salary to us by 31 January of the following year.

Benefits of the PEP

The PEP gives you greater job flexibility than other work passes:

  • You can generally hold a job in any sector. However, the PEP does not exempt you from complying with registration requirements to practise in Singapore for professions such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture, law, etc.
  • You do not need to re-apply for a new pass if you change jobs; you only need to notify us.
  • You can stay in Singapore for a continuous period of up to 6 months without a job to search for new employment.

Passes for family members

If you hold a PEP, you can bring in your family members on these passes:

Dependant's Pass for your:

  • Spouse (legally married).
  • Children under 21 years old

Long-Term Visit Pass for your:

  • Common-law spouse
  • Unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above
  • Unmarried stepchildren under 21 years old
  • Parents
You need to submit a separate application for each family member even if they currently hold a Dependant’s Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass. You can submit their applications along with the PEP application.
What's next

Apply for a pass