Understanding the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)

Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is a unique pass tailored for foreign professionals or holders of current employment passes. What sets the PEP apart is its greater flexibility, allowing professionals to change jobs without having to reapply for a new pass each time. Moreover, it offers less constraint to employees regarding their employers. However, keep in mind that the PEP is a one-time pass and cannot be renewed after the initial three years. One of the benefits of a PEP is that it allows the issuance of a family member pass, either as a dependant’s pass or a long-term visit pass.

What distinguishes the PEP from an Employment Pass is that PEP holders cannot start their own business in Singapore. Plus, there’s a specific salary requirement a PEP holder must meet annually.

 

Who can apply for a Personalised Employment Pass?

To be eligible for a PEP, a foreign professional needs to have a fixed monthly salary of at least $18,000, earned within the six months prior to the application. If the applicant already holds an Employment Pass (EP), they must have a fixed monthly income of at least $12,000.

However, certain individuals aren’t eligible for a PEP, including:

  • Directors or shareholders in a company registered with ACRA, or within partnerships or sole proprietorships.
  • Freelancers or those planning to freelance.
  • Employment Pass holders under a scholarship program.
  • People in the media field, like editors, sub-editors, journalists, producers, etc.

 

What documents do you need to apply for a Personalised Employment Pass?

To apply for a PEP, the following documents are needed:

  • Educational certificates and qualifications.
  • Bank and tax statements from the last three months.
  • Document demonstrating your employment history.
  • Recent payslips.
  • Passport details.

For a PEP application, your employer isn’t required to fill out and submit the application on your behalf. After submission, you can check the application status on EP Online, and you can expect a response within eight weeks.