Passers-by hold their mobile phones as people take a selfie photo using a smartphone, with Singapore’s central business district skyline, in Singapore, May 10, 2019. Photo by Reuters
Some 3,000 workers were granted Singapore’s Overseas Networks and Expertise Passes, a work pass designed to attract top talent, in 2024.
Of these, about one in six were new recipients, The Straits Times reported, quoting Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on Wednesday. Most other One Pass holders transitioned from other types of work passes.
Launched in January 2023, the specialized pass scheme allows foreign talent from any industry to start, run and work for multiple companies in the city-state, according to The Business Times. Nearly 4,200 applications for the scheme were approved that same year.
In 2024, financial and insurance services, information and communications, and professional services were the three sectors with the highest number of One Pass holders.
Tan noted that last September, the Ministry of Manpower began an annual notification exercise to gather data from existing One Pass holders and assess their contributions to Singapore.
He added that the ministry is collaborating with other agencies to expand outreach and increase global awareness of the scheme.
“We also encourage One Pass holders to participate in local programmes to mentor, network and exchange insights with current and future generations of local leaders,” he noted.
One Pass applicants are eligible if they have earned a monthly salary of at least S$30,000 (US$22,200) in the past year or with a prospective employer in Singapore, according to the ministry’s official website.
Alternatively, they may qualify if they have outstanding achievements in sports, arts and culture, or academia and research.
The pass is valid for five years and allows holders to sponsor their dependents and have their spouses work in Singapore on a Letter of Consent.
