Employment Opportunity in Singapore
Working during study in Singapore
If you are a full-time international student pursuing a degree at a Singaporean university, you are permitted to work part-time for not more than 16 hours a week during the school year and full time during vacation. You don’t need to apply for additional permission from the Ministry of Manpower if your work hours are within the permitted limit. However, you are eligible to these work rights only if you are enrolled in any of the institutions approved by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The student’s pass you obtain before you enter Singapore for studies holds good until you finish your course there.
Post - study work rights in Singapore
Most of the institutions in Singapore offer internships as part of their curriculum. Many of them have tie-ups with reputed corporate to train their students and provide them valuable hands-on experience. At the end of your course, you are likely to get absorbed by these companies. To work full time after graduation, you need to apply for either an employment pass (E Pass), work permit or a Service Pass (S Pass) based on various factors such as your level of skills, education qualifications and work experience.
Apart from the above, there is also the Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC) which allows you to stay in Singapore for up to one year to facilitate your job search. Successful EPEC applicants are required to apply for a one-year Visit Pass from the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) to allow them to stay in Singapore. Once you find a job, you need to acquire an Employment Pass to start working. To be eligible for an EPEC, you need to possess selected university qualifications or a skilled migrant visa.