Working in Singapore
For India passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15
Indian citizens have real, heavily-used routes into Singapore — the employer-applied Employment Pass and S Pass, plus Work Permits in construction, marine-shipyard and process sectors where India is an approved source — but every route carries a salary floor, a points test, or quota-and-levy limits.
What the employer must have
- The Singapore employer (or its appointed employment agent) must apply for every pass — the worker cannot self-apply.
- Employment Pass: at least S$5,600/month at age 23 (to S$10,700 at 45+; higher in financial services) plus 40 points under COMPASS unless an MOM-listed exemption applies; S Pass: at least S$3,300/month (age-scaled) within quota and levy limits.
- Work Permit: only available in sectors where India is an approved non-traditional source (construction, marine shipyard, process); employer must hold quota, pay the foreign-worker levy and post a security bond.
What you must do before you leave
- Singapore is NOT on India's ECR country list — no emigration clearance is needed even with an ECR-stamped passport.
- If you go through an agent, use only a Ministry of External Affairs-registered recruitment agent.
- Never pay an employer or agent for the job itself — collecting kickbacks from workers is a criminal offence in Singapore; report demands to MOM.
Things to watch
- Services-sector Work Permits exclude India as a general source (only a restricted NTS occupation list applies) — most shop/restaurant/cleaning job offers to Indian citizens on 'Work Permit' terms are therefore suspect.
- COMPASS scoring partly depends on the employer's own workforce profile (diversity, local-hiring), so the same candidate can pass at one company and fail at another.
- EP minimum salaries rise on 1 Jan 2027 (to S$6,000 general / S$6,600 financial services at age 23); S Pass minimums also step up by application date.
- Work Permit quota, levy and security-bond amounts were not individually verified this session — they sit on MOM sub-pages behind the overview.
What you may lawfully be charged
THE MOST A REGISTERED RECRUITING AGENT MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU is ₹30,000 plus 18% GST — ₹35,400 in total, once. Not per year, not per document.
Rule 25(1), Emigration Rules under the Emigration Act 1983.
⚠️ Never pay anyone for a job offer or a visa on this route. Legitimate employers and licensed agents do not charge workers for jobs.
Official sources
This describes the immigration system, not your personal case, and not this specific vacancy.