Singapore Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) Application Procedures and Fees

The Singapore’s Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is a work permit issued by Singapore Ministry of Manpower to foreigners who hold a senior position and wish to find employment in Singapore. Holders of PEP can change employment any time and are eligible to apply for dependent or long term visit visas for their family members.

Our fee for handling a PEP application is SGD2,500. Our services include performing a pre-application assessment of the eligibility of the applicant, advising the applicant on the preparation and collection of materials required, preparation of other documentation supporting the application, filing the application, liaising with MoM and keeping track of the application and finally forwarding the In-Principal Approval letter to the applicant.  

The materials required for PEP application would mainly include the academic/educational certificates, professional qualification certificates, employment contracts from previous employments.

In a smooth case, if MoM approves, will issue and send an In-Principal Approval letter (IPA) to the applicant in 4 to 6 weeks. The applicant can then enter into Singapore with the IPA and exchange the IPA for EP card.

The validity period of a PEP is three years. If the holder of a PEP wishes to stay in Singapore after the PEP is expired, an Employment Pass or EntrePass would be needed.
 
The fees stated in the quotation are for general reference only and is subject to change from time to time.

Instead of applying for new passes, PEP holder(s) only need to notify Singapore MOM in the case of changing jobs. PEP holder(s) can stay in Singapore for a continuous period of up to six (6) months without a job to search for new employment.

1. PEP Application Service Fees
   
   Our fees for handling the application for Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)  to enable a foreigner to work in Singapore is SGD2,500. An extra SGD1,800 will be charged for each dependent Pass and long-term visit Pass.
   
   In particular, our fees cover the following services:
   

   (1)	Preliminary assessment of the eligibility of the applicant for Personalised Employment Pass (PEP);
   (2)	Pre-application information and advice on employment pass/work permit
   (3)	Providing assistance for the preparation of documents required for the client;
   (4)	Review application documents prepared by applicant(s) and employing company;
   (5)	Preparation of authorization letter(s) and application form(s);
   (6)	Filing of Personalised Employment Pass application
   (7)	Tracking application status while under processing
   (8)	Liaison with the MOM regarding the application when necessary;
   (9)	Responding to MOM’s request for additional information as necessary
   (10)	Arranging for issuance of Work Pass upon in-principle approval;
   (11)	Filing of maximum of 2 appeals within 3 months from the date of rejection as per MOM’s guideline in case of rejection of Work Pass application. The additional cost for assisting to apply for EP appeal (if required) is requested. For details, please contact Kaizen consultant.
   (12)	Arranging appointment with Employment Pass Services Centre (EPSC);
   (13)	Forwarding of documents and/or approved Pass to Client’s mailing address.

   
   Notes:
   

   (1)	The fee quoted above are excluded out-of-pocket expenses or reimbursement such as translation fee, card issuance fees, MOM fee, delivery fee and notarial fee etc. For your information, as at August 22, 2022, the Singapore government fee for applying PEP are as the following: Submission fee SGD105 / 1 pass Issuance fee SGD225 / 1 pass Multiple Journey Visa Fee (if applicable) SGD30 / 1 application
   (2)	All fees quoted above do not include Goods and Service Tax (business tax) at 7%, if applicable.
   (3)	In the event that the application/appeal/renewal is rejected by MOM, the fees quoted above are not refundable.

   
   
2. Time of Billing and Payment Methods
   
   We currently only accept check, cash or TT and credit card payment through PayPal. If invoice is settled by PayPal, an extra 5% service fee will be charged.
   
   Upon receipt of confirmation of engagement, we will issue an invoice and email it together with detailed wire instructions to you. Because of the nature of services, we require full payment in advance. In addition, once service is commenced, no service fees will be refunded.
   
   If Taiwan uniform invoice is required, a Business Tax at 5% of the invoiced amount will be charged and collected.
   
   
3. Eligibility Criteria
   
   

   Persons who are eligible for PEP (1) An overseas foreign professional and your last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas was at least SGD18,000. Your last drawn salary should have been within 6 months before you apply; OR (2) An Employment Pass holder earning a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD12,000. Ineligible conditions of applying for PEP: (1) An Employment Pass holder under the sponsorship scheme; (2) A freelancer or foreigner who intends to work on a freelance-basis (3) A sole proprietor, partner or where a director is also a shareholder in an ACRA-registered company (4) A journalist, editor, sub-editor or producer Notes: PEP holders are not allowed to start a business or conduct any form of entrepreneurial activity while on a PEP. If PEP holder has been unemployed in Singapore for more than 6 months at any time, the PEP needs to be canceled. The PEP holder must earn a fixed salary of at least $144,000 per calendar year, regardless of the number of months you are in employment. The PEP holder will have to notify Singapore MOM of the following situation: (1) Started or resign employment (2) Change of contact details (e.g. local contact person/address) (3) Declare of current year's salary by 31 January of the following year of earning a fixed salary.

   
   The Employment Pass criteria are revised periodically and may be subject to change from time to time by the Singapore immigration authorities without prior notice. Please consult with Kaizen Consultants for more information.
   
   
4. Passes for family member of PEP holders
   
   The family members of PEP holders may be applicable to apply for different passes:
   

   Family member	Pass type
   Legally married spouse	Dependant’s Pass
   Unmarried children under 21 (including legally adopted)
   Common-law spouse	Long Term Visit Pass
   Unmarried handicapped children above 21
   Unmarried step-children under 21
   Parents

   
   A separate application for each family member will be required even if they currently hold a Dependant’s Pass or Long Term Visit Pass. The family passes can be submitted along with the PEP application. Once the principal pass is cancelled, all the related Dependant’s Passes, Long Term Visit Passes, Letters of Consent and Work Permits for the family will also be cancelled.
   
   
5. Application Procedures and Timeline
   
   The whole application government process will take up to eight (8) weeks for most cases. It may take longer when additional documents are required by the government authorities.
   
   Each appeal process will normally take at least eight (8) weeks. The table below shows the estimated time frame for each of the steps for the registration process.
   
   

   Step Procedure Working Days (estimated) 1 Kaizen arranges with the PEP applicant for an interview with our immigration expert. Client’s Schedule 2 Kaizen prepares retainer agreement and/or service agreement and delivers it to client for review; clients signs and returns the retainer agreement along with our retainer fees. Client’s Schedule 3 Complete the questionnaire and prepare the documents specified in the checklist. Client’s Schedule 4 Upon receipt of the aforesaid documents, our firm will prepare the immigration filing package. 14 Days 5 The applicant signs back immigration forms and letters and delivers them to Kaizen. Client’s Schedule 6 Kaizen submits the application materials to Singapore MOM 3 Days 7 Receive a response from MOM Within 8 Weeks 8 If the case is approved, an in-principal approval (IPA) will be issued. Kaizen will assist to arrange the appointment with Employment Pass Services Centre (EPSC) for the applicant’s fingerprint and photo registration. If MOM requests further evidence, we will prepare for the response. RFE Response: Upon MOM’s request 10 The applicant must enter Singapore by holding the IPA and/or Singapore Short Term Visit Pass for the upcoming procedures. Within 6 months of IPA 11 Obtain a notification letter card from MOM after approval 12 Make an appointment to visit EPSC for registering fingerprints and photo (if applicable). Within 2 weeks 13 MOM issues the physical card and deliver to Kaizen SG office 4 weeks 14 Forward the PEP card to the Client’s mailing address Client’s Schedule Total working days: 10 weeks up

   
   Note:
   (1) The estimated time is based on high cooperation between Kaizen and the client.
   (2) The estimated time does not include delays caused by relevant government agencies.
   
   
6. Materials Required for PEP Application
   
   

   (1)	Personal particulars page of candidate’s passport;
   (2)	Singapore local contact (Overseas applicant(s) who do not have a local contact person during application can provide when report for card registration)
   (3)	Applicant(s)’ current Short-Term Visit Pass or immigration pass details
   (4)	Singapore residential address that met the housing requirements
   (5)	Medical declaration form
   (6)	Educational certifications and related details
   (7)	Employment history stating the company name, occupation, fixed monthly salary, country and period of employment (applicable to the applicant who is not a current EP holder)
   (8)	Latest tax statement
   (9)	Payslips and bank account statement for the past 3 months

   
   Further Documents
   

   (10)	Foreign identification document (e.g. ID card)
   (11)	Singapore mobile number & email
   (12)	Personal resume
   (13)	Salary details
   (14)	Unique Entity Number
   (15)	Employment contract (If applicable)
   (16)	Details of most recent employment (Including occupation, salary, employer’s details, period of employment, etc.)
   (17)	Any further document required by the Singapore departments

   
   
7. Validity Period
   
   Once the application is approved, the PEP is valid for up to three (3) years.
   
   Applicant(s) do not have to cancel the existing PEP for the employer to apply for the new pass unless the PEP is expired. In these circumstances, an Employment Pass (EP) or S Pass is required to continue working in Singapore.
   
   Please be noted that PEP can only be issued once and is not renewable.
   
   PEP holders are eligible to apply for permanent residency in Singapore through the Professional, Technical Personnel & Skilled Workers (PTS) scheme. But it is advisable to wait for at least six months before making the application so that you can furnish the required proof of six (6) months’ salary.
   
   
8. Rejection of PEP Application
   
   Please note that NOT all PEP applications are approved. MOM takes into account the applicant’s qualifications, work experience, and employer credentials when approving or rejecting applications.
   
   If the initial application is rejected, Kaizen may assist in the filing of appeals from the date of rejection as per MOM’s guidelines. Upon request, an additional fee will be charged for assisting with the PEP appeal.
   
   If the additional details submitted are satisfactory to MOM, your application will likely be approved. The processing of an appeal application can take at least eight (8) weeks. You may wish to note that the approval of an PEP application is granted at the sole discretion of MOM.
   
   In the event that your application is rejected by MOM, our service fee for PEP application and appeal is not refundable.