PEP question employer eligibility

[Da8thmonth]

Hello,

With a PEP are you allowed to be employed by a foreign employer but based in Singapore?

Currently on an EP but have signed a new employment contract with a foreign company in another country. However, due to COVID we are unable to enter the foreign country to work because the border is closed.

Foreign company would allow me to work remotely from Singapore to start employment contract. Would PEP cover this scenario?

All salary requirements would be met by both the existing and new employment contract.

Many thanks!

[Myasis Dragon]

Hello,

With a PEP are you allowed to be employed by a foreign employer but based in Singapore?

Currently on an EP but have signed a new employment contract with a foreign company in another country. However, due to COVID we are unable to enter the foreign country to work because the border is closed.

Foreign company would allow me to work remotely from Singapore to start employment contract. Would PEP cover this scenario?

All salary requirements would be met by both the existing and new employment contract.

Many thanks!

Only MoM can give you a definitive answer (the only one that matters, as well), so I hope you contact them and let the rest of us know what they said.

In my view, you cannot use your PEP to work remotely for a foreign company. Here is why.

Reason 1: If the foreign company has a local presence, you should be working for the local company, not the foreign one.

Reason 2: If there is no local company employing you, then you are working for yourself, either as a sole proprietor or a free lancer. Both of these are prohibited under the PEP. They want you working for a Singapore company.



Reason 3: If the gahmen allowed people to work for foreign companies while on a PEP, there would be about 500,000 people from the sub-continent moving to Singapore tomorrow morning while keeping their day job in India. Employment passes are for people working for Singapore companies or you are not supposed to be living in Singapore.

The pandemic has confused a lot of things, and I judge the only place you can work remotely is your home country where you have the right of abode.