Singapore will tighten requirements for pass that allows foreigners to live and work there as dependants
- The tilt toward local workers has been a defining element of the government’s plan to heal the labour market
- Last year’s contraction in employment was the sharpest in more than two decades, almost entirely on the side of non-residents
The vast majority of Dependant’s Pass (DP) holders – generally the spouses or children of someone on an Employment Pass – don’t work, while those who do currently need just a letter of consent, or LOC, from the ministry. Starting May 1, the government will “regularise” their work arrangements in line with other foreign-worker requirements, Teo said in a speech to parliament.
“We will provide sufficient time for existing DP holders working on an LOC, as well as their employers, to transit to this new arrangement,” Teo said in comments provided by the ministry. “Most of them meet prevailing work-pass criteria. Those that do not will have to cease working in Singapore.”
The move sparked vigorous discussion on social media forums, with one post drawing more than 100 responses. Some posters said they understood the need to close a loophole, with others expressing shock and dismay.
A few pointed out that the change would disproportionately hit women, who often use LOCs to take on part-time positions, as well as international schools that draw from the pool of trailing spouses to fill substitute positions.