New Criteria for DPs for Work Pass holders w.e.f. 1/09/2012

[sundaymorningstaple]

Changes to Dependant Privileges for Work Pass Holders

The Government is tightening the criteria for work pass holders to sponsor dependants as part of the overall direction to moderate the growth of Singapore’s non-resident population. This will help ease the pressure on our social infrastructure. Nonetheless, Singapore remains a global talent capital. We continue to welcome highly skilled foreign professionals who wish to bring their dependants to stay with them.

The changes, from 1 September 2012 are as follows:

S Pass and Employment Pass (EP) holders need to earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $4,000 to sponsor the stay of their spouses and children here.

P1 Pass holders will no longer be able to bring in their parents-in-law. They may still bring in their parents, spouses and children.

P2 Pass holders will no longer be able to bring in their parents or parents-in-law. They may still bring in their spouses and children.

Dependants of EP and S Pass holders who are in Singapore by 1 September 2012 will be allowed to stay in Singapore if these work pass holders have valid passes with their existing employers.

For more information, please refer to our FAQs.

[zzm9980]

So is this just for DPs, or LTVPs also? If it's DPs, then i didn't realize in-laws qualified previously. If it's LTVPs also, well, thats... harsh. Especially for those making less than $4k a year. And in which case I think the gahmen just solved their "too many foreigners" problem.

[sundaymorningstaple]

It has always been about the collateral baggage. This is one of the reasons why the Subcontinent diaspora has been hit so hard as they are notorious for creating pipelines for extended families. Problem is, as per normal, the gahmen using nuclear tactics instead of finesse so everybody gets hurt.

LTVP's are bunched with PRs & citizens so it's a different kettle of fish entirely but I'm sure that will be tightened up as well. By coming down hard on the workpass holders (which are, by far, the largest single demographic of foreigners) it will serve to reinforce the fact that EP holders are here temporarily, not permanently. If they want permanently, they are going to have to obtain PR (going to be more difficult as we have seen) before they can open up the floodgates, letting in more collateral baggage.

[zzm9980]

EP holders are facing much stricter restrictions, check. Do the new restrictions apply just to EP holders applying for DPs, or also to EP holders applying for LTVPs?

I'm not quite clear on your answer, because on one hand you mention LTVPs being lumped with PRs and SCs, but then on the other closing the floodgates from the damage caused by a certain class of WP/EP holders...

[JR8]

Do the new restrictions apply just to EP holders applying for DPs, or also to EP holders applying for LTVPs?

Well the official text was titled re: DPs.

Crikey I find this confusing. A dependent can get an LTVP geared off an EP? ... Someone should do a flowchart (in technical speak the 'yes/no kind' ) and post a link to it...

[sundaymorningstaple]

LTVPs cannot bring anybody in. Peidu mamas (陪读妈妈), or study mamas cannot bring anybody in either. They are different in as much as after they have been here one year they can get permission to work in certain industries. Unmarried gay partners or defacto spouses come in on an LTVP but cannot work on the ltvp nor can they bring in any of their families. LTVP+ is a different story as there is a legal marriage and it's correcting a glitch in the dp/ltvp setup.

[JR8]

LTVPs cannot bring anybody in. Peidu mamas (陪读妈妈), or study mamas cannot bring anybody in either.

The exception being that Pinoy a couple of weeks ago, who is spending 3.5-4 weeks every month in SG on SVPs - i.e. virtual residency- , on the back of his study mama wife, and you thought the situation entirely cool?

[zzm9980]

Ok, I guess I just didn't realize parents and in-laws could even get DPs. I thought they were always limited to LTVPs.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Parents & In-Laws cannot get DPs. But EP/DP holders cannot bring in their Parents/In-Laws on LTVPs unless the EP holder is at least at a P1 BUT the DP holder cannot bring in their Parents (EP holder's in Laws).

[revhappy]

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[revhappy]

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[kevindinh]

According to this change, even the S-Pass must get $4K a month to sponsor for his/her spouse?

I wonder how a person with $4K/month can be an S-Pass holder?

The policy becomes more and more strictly.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I've known S pass holders working in the Shipyards making upwards of 6K/month. These are coded welders but only have diplomas so cannot qualify for EP's or P1s. S pass minimums are just that. Minimums.

[MrBear]

Hi all,

its so typical, me and Mrs are expecting our first child and thought we would go down the path of importing my Mother in law for the first 3 month to help us out.

So I log on the print out the LTVP to see its all been changed

Confused and unsure what to do i call up the ICA to be told i need to call MOM, as I'm explaining the situation to the nice lady she ask's me to go on hold for a few min's. she then returned to inform me that the new restrictions are only applicable to S pass and EP holders not to PEP holder.

Looking over the forms they have on their site this dose nto seem to be the case but we will be submitting a form later next month to see if that information is correct or not.

If it dose not pan out to be the case I'm really confused as to what to do next as she will only get a 30 day pass and to do the E-Xtend I believe you have to be a PR or SC

Wish me luck.

[revhappy]

We delivered our baby in our home country, India. Wife went there when she was 6 months pregnant and she came back with the baby after the baby was 6 months old. She had great time in India with all the support from our relatives and for 9 months, I moved to common room and saved a fortune on rent and the delivery costs and flew home every other month. I am glad we did this arrangement, since it would have been a nerve wrecking experience if we were to deliver here, even if we managed to get my mother in law here.

Not sure if your circumstances allow you to do that, but I would say this is the best option.