- An Employment Pass can't be transferred; the new employer files a new application
- MOM doesn't require cancelling the old pass before the new employer applies
- MOM ties permission to start work to the notification letter issued with the pass
- Family members' passes are cancelled with your old pass, so new ones are needed
Can you transfer an Employment Pass to a new company in Singapore?
No. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not allow Employment Pass (EP) transfers between employers. Your new employer must submit a new EP application, and your current pass does not need to be cancelled before the new application is filed.
You can start work for the new employer only after the new EP is issued and you receive the notification letter. An in-principle approval (IPA) is not permission to start work.
If you have Dependant’s Passes or other family passes linked to your current EP, these are cancelled when your old pass is cancelled, so new applications will be needed. Different procedures may apply when moving to a related company or during a qualifying company restructuring.
A transfer employment pass new company search usually ends at one answer: an Employment Pass can’t be transferred. The new employer files a new application and your current employer cancels the old pass, and the order matters for when you can start work and what happens to your family’s passes. Here’s how it works, plus where an Employment Pass and work visa service fits.
Can you transfer an Employment Pass to a new company?
No, MOM has no transfer process for an Employment Pass. When you change jobs, MOM’s FAQ says the new employer should apply for a new Employment Pass for you, and MOM assesses that application on its merits under prevailing guidelines. Approval for your last job doesn’t settle the next one.
Searches such as “change employer employment pass Singapore” and “switching jobs on employment pass Singapore” describe the same situation, and the answer’s the same for both. The table sets out what to file in each common case.
| Your situation | What to file | Who files | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moving to an unrelated employer | A new Employment Pass application | The new employer or its appointed agent | MOM FAQ on changing jobs |
| Moving to a related company | A new application, with no MyCareersFuture advertising needed | The related company | MOM, Notify MOM of changes |
| Whole company restructures in the same sector | A Change of Business Entity (COBE) request, with no new applications for transferred holders | The company | MOM business restructuring FAQ |
| Same employer, salary cut | A request to MOM at least 1 month before the cut takes effect | The current employer | MOM, Notify MOM of changes |
| Your own newly incorporated company | Not a job change. See the founder section below | The company or its appointed agent | MOM, apply for an EP |
How does an Employment Pass change of employer work, step by step?
The new employer, or its appointed agent, files a new application with your consent, MOM assesses it and your current employer cancels the old pass once your employment ends. MOM doesn’t require the old pass to be cancelled before the new employer applies, so you can stay on it while the application is processed.
- Confirm the job offer and give the new employer your consent to apply.
- The new employer, or an agent it appoints, completes any job advertising that applies and files a new employer employment pass application. The guide on how to get a Singapore Employment Pass covers the filing and what MOM checks.
- If MOM approves, it issues an in-principle approval, which gives the candidate 6 months to enter Singapore and get the pass issued.
- Your current employer cancels the old pass in EP eService once your notice ends.
- The new employer gets the new pass issued. MOM says the candidate must be in Singapore when the issuance steps are completed.
When can you start work for the new employer?
MOM links permission to start work to the notification letter, which you and the employer receive by email once the new pass is issued. Two documents come up in this process, and they do different jobs:
- Notification letter: valid for 1 month, and it lets you start work and travel in and out of Singapore while you wait for the pass card.
- In-principle approval: a pre-approved single-entry visa for entering Singapore, which MOM doesn’t describe as a work pass.
So don’t start before the pass is issued and you hold the notification letter. MOM doesn’t describe the in-principle approval as permission to work, and its legislation page says employing a foreigner without a valid work pass carries a fine of S$5,000 to S$30,000, up to 12 months’ imprisonment, or both. If your start date falls before the issuance date, ask MOM before you commit to it.
Who cancels the old pass, and when?
Your current employer does, through EP eService, within 1 week after the last day of notice. MOM doesn’t cancel the old pass automatically, and the employer can submit the request up to 14 days in advance.
For a related company employment pass move, MOM’s notify page says cancellation must be done before the related company can get the new pass issued. The guide to cancelling a work pass covers the employer’s filing.
For a move to an unrelated employer, MOM’s job-change FAQ says only that you needn’t cancel before the new employer applies. It doesn’t set the order of cancellation and issuance after that. Agree your last day and the cancellation date with both employers in writing, and check with MOM if the new pass could be issued before your old one is cancelled.
What happens to your family’s Dependant’s Passes?
They are cancelled with your old pass. MOM’s cancellation page says that once the pass is cancelled, all related passes issued to family members are cancelled too, and they can’t be reinstated.
Your family then needs new passes under the new employer. MOM’s Dependant’s Pass page says the application can be submitted along with the main pass holder’s work pass application or at a later date, with a separate application for each family member. Sleek’s Dependent Pass application guide covers eligibility, documents and timelines.
MOM’s FAQ says you can apply for a Dependant’s Pass before the main pass is approved, but it recommends waiting until after approval. If the main application is rejected, the Dependant’s Pass applications are rejected too and the fee isn’t refunded. MOM’s pages don’t say whether the family’s stay has a gap between the old passes ending and the new ones being approved, so ask MOM how long their current passes stay valid before you fix your last day.
When does a company restructure need new applications?
Not always, because switching jobs on employment pass Singapore rules differ when a whole company moves. When a company changes its entity type, merges or restructures within the same sector, MOM’s Change of Business Entity (COBE) request can transfer existing pass holders without new applications. A transfer to a company in a different sector needs new applications.
MOM’s business restructuring FAQ lists three cases where a COBE request applies:
- A change of entity type, such as a sole proprietorship becoming a private limited company, where at least one director, partner or the sole proprietor carries over.
- A restructure such as a merger, acquisition, amalgamation or corporate spin-off, with proof of the buyer and seller relationship.
- A business registration renewed under a different ACRA number with the same company name.
Submit the online request 1.5 to 2 months before the intended transfer date, because most cases take up to 2 months. The new company must declare a business activity in the same sector as the previous company.
What happens if the new application is rejected?
Because MOM doesn’t require you to cancel the old pass before the new employer applies, you can stay on it while the application is decided. Only the employer or authorised third party that submitted the application can appeal, and the appeal must be submitted within 3 months of the rejection.
If your last day has passed and the old pass is cancelled, your employer can request a Short-Term Visit Pass of up to 90 days from the date of application. You can’t work on it. The guide to Employment Pass rejection and appeals covers the reasons and next steps.
How does the 1 January 2027 salary rise affect a new application?
New Employment Pass applications from 1 January 2027 face a higher qualifying salary: S$6,000 to S$11,500 a month in most sectors, up from S$5,600 to S$10,700. The figure depends on your age, and renewals for passes expiring from 1 January 2028 move to the new bands.
- Most sectors: S$5,600 to S$10,700 until 1 January 2027, then S$6,000 to S$11,500.
- Financial services: S$6,200 to S$11,800 until 1 January 2027, then S$6,600 to S$12,700.
For a 30-year-old outside financial services, the qualifying salary is S$7,223 a month today and S$7,750 from 1 January 2027. Anyone planning a change employer employment pass Singapore move around the year end should check which bands apply. The guide to renewing an Employment Pass covers what’s different for renewals.
MOM says “new applications from January 2027” without saying whether the cut-off is the submission date or the approval date. Don’t assume that filing in December locks in the current bands, and check MOM’s wording on the day you file.
When does a founder moving to their own company need a different route?
If the new company is your own, you aren’t changing jobs, so this process doesn’t apply. A founder usually starts with incorporation, then picks the pass that fits the company’s profile.
- Incorporating as a foreigner can be done from overseas through a corporate service provider.
- A nominee director service covers the resident director requirement while a pass is pending.
- The EP vs EntrePass comparison helps founders choose between the two routes.
How Sleek helps with an Employment Pass change of employer
Sleek can support both sides of a move. MOM makes every decision, and no provider can promise an outcome.
- Filing the new Employment Pass application as an agent for the new employer.
- Incorporation and a nominee director where the new company is the founder’s own.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. Thresholds change, as the January 2027 rise shows, so check MOM’s pages on the day you file. The Sleek resources hub lists related guides.
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FAQs on transfer employment pass new company
Does the new employer have to advertise the job first?
Usually, yes. MOM says employers must still meet the Fair Consideration Framework job advertising requirement before submitting a new employer employment pass application. A related company employment pass transfer is the exception, because MOM’s notify page says the related company doesn’t need to advertise on MyCareersFuture.
Do I need to be in Singapore to apply?
No. MOM states that candidates don’t need to be in Singapore when the application is made. The candidate must be in Singapore when the employer or agent completes the issuance steps.
How much does a new Employment Pass application cost?
MOM charges an application fee of S$105 and an issuance fee of S$225 for each pass. A Multiple Journey Visa costs a further S$30 where it applies. Agent fees aren’t included, so ask for a written quote.
How long does a new Employment Pass take?
MOM says online applications are processed or given an update within 10 business days. Allow extra time for any job advertising before filing, and for the in-principle approval to be turned into an issued pass.
