Many foreign workers are caught up in this issue of Work Passes Singapore and residence status for family members. There has been much debate about the role of the Singapore Government and what powers it has to revoke or deny work passes, particularly from those who support the Government’s decision, as well as those who oppose it. The foreign workers who are most affected by this are mainly non-marital/legally single parents who were allowed to bring their children into Singapore on work passes under a parent pass scheme or dependent passes. There have been different factors that have led to this current situation. Most of the foreign workers on work passes are already working in their target jobs, and many of them have for a long time. However, they may still be facing difficulties because they haven’t earned enough income to meet their needs and/or can’t meet the stringent eligibility criteria for Marriage Act -related applications. They are also concerned about the physical safety of their children because some unscrupulous employers will not permit children onto work premises. So, naturally, they want to obtain a permanent resident status or employment pass for their children as soon as possible.
Many foreign workers who have been in Singapore for some times are also keen to invest in their children’s education by paying school fees and other compulsory fees. These are not considered work-related bills and are therefore not included in the calculation of income that is required to apply for a work pass.
Passes for Singapore
In order to avoid such a situation, the Government has introduced two other passes: the Singapore Pass (SP) and the Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP). These two passes are meant for non-work-related visits and to apply for work. The SP allows children to attend our schools and will probably be issued for a duration of 2 years. The LTVP is meant to be used by those who have been offered jobs in Singapore as they are looking for a suitable place to stay during this period of time. The LTVP is not meant to be granted to those who wish to work in Singapore during the time they are here. However, there is a provision allowing for the extension of stay for these two types of passes, by up to two years.
Due to this rather peculiar situation, many non-marital children do not want their parents’ SP or LTVP. They don’t want permanent Work Passes Singapore, because these may restrict their schooling options in the future. This has led to some people applying for dependent passes.
Passes for work in Singapore
Some foreign workers have been able to obtain dependent passes even if they are not married. There has been debate about whether or not these children should be allowed to apply for a dependent pass as well as SP, but this does not seem to be relevant from a Singapore perspective as these applications will only affect the parents’ ability to apply for work passes in the future. However, some people may be applying for dependent passes and SP at the same time. So, this is something that we want to highlight.
It is difficult to say what the Government’s stance is on whether or not foreign workers should be allowed to apply for a dependent pass and SP at the same time because each case will depend on its own merits. For those who were given permission to do so, we can say for a fact that they will not be allowed to apply for an extension of stay, neither.
Family members’ passes for work and residence
The only way that foreign workers can apply for dependent passes is through the work passes application. Usually, these are given to those who have a job in Singapore and who wish to apply in order to bring their spouses or children into Singapore on an employment pass. They will also be granted a dependent pass as well. Inevitably, these foreign Work Passes Singapore will play a big role in the family of the person who applies for the dependent pass. So, there is an obligation on the Government to be fair and apply the same criteria and restrictions equally on all applicants.
In order for foreign workers to obtain a dependent pass, they must satisfy certain eligibility conditions. This includes having an employment pass for a minimum of two years before applying for a dependent pass. The only exception to this rule is for those who are applying for the extension of stay on their current work pass. This situation is usually due to a job change or company transfer and the extension of stay is usually granted for two years as well.
Applications related to the Marriage Act
Those who want to obtain a dependent pass based on the Marriage Act must be married before they can apply for a dependent pass. In order to apply for a dependent pass based on the Marriage Act, they must be a single parent who is bringing up their minor child as their spouse. The parents must not have children of their own, and the marriage must be legally recognized and registered in Work Passes Singapore under our Marriage Act. Should you be a foreign worker who wishes to do this, you need to get married first before you can apply for a dependent pass based on the Marriage Act.
Based on my personal experience, I have met some people who had married their foreign spouses without a marriage certificate. The marriages were not registered in Singapore and they even failed to register them in the local area where they were living. Without any legal recognition of their marriage, they cannot apply for a dependent pass based on the Marriage Act as there is no provision for it at all.
Although having a marriage certificate is not a major requirement, it does play an important role in the process of obtaining a dependent pass.