In the midst of a softer labour market, the Ministry of Manpower
(MOM) has made further changes to the requirements for employers
seeking to obtain a Work Pass for foreign employees in
Singapore.
This follows the
changes implemented earlier this year. With the unemployment
rate for Singaporean citizens rising from 3.5% in March to 4.3% in
July, the MOM is hopeful that businesses will look to the local job
market to strengthen the Singaporean core of their workforce.
Here are some of the changes businesses need to be aware of:
Higher minimum qualifying salary for Employment
Pass
From 1 September 2020, the minimum qualifying salary for new
Employment Pass applications increased from S$3,900 to S$4,500.
Qualifying salaries for older and more experienced candidates (who
the MOM would expect to be more highly paid) will increase
accordingly, to around double the minimum qualifying salary (which
is more typically earned by younger
