COVID-19: Singapore to raise minimum salaries, tighten advertisement requirements due to COVID-19

IMPACT – HIGH

Singapore is moving to tighten work authorisation requirements, including making changes to minimum salaries and the duration for which jobs must be advertised. The changes are being undertaken in part because of the continuing economic fallout from the COVID-19 situation.

Key Points:

• The minimum monthly salary for Employment Pass (EP) holders was raised S$600 to S$4,500 on Sept. 1.
• Beginning Oct. 1, the minimum monthly salary for S Pass holders will be raised S$100 to S$2,500.
• Beginning Dec. 1, EP applicants in financial sectors will be subject to a higher minimum monthly salary of S$5,000.
• The new minimum salaries for EP and S Pass holders will initially only apply to new applicants; they will apply to renewal applicants beginning May 1, 2021.
• Beginning Oct. 1, S Pass-level job openings must be advertised on the MyCareersFuture.sg site.
• Beginning Oct. 1, job openings must be posted on the MyCareersFuture.sg site for 28 days before a foreign national can be hired for the position. The current duration is 14 days.

Analysis & Comments: The response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop, and Deloitte will provide additional updates as information becomes available. Please check Deloitte’s COVID-19 Digital Map, available here, for information on travel restrictions and immigration changes in other countries.

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