The visa · Singapore
Singapore
Singapore has no remote-work or digital-nomad visa and the Ministry of Manpower's published position is that anyone based in the city-state for an extended period while working for an overseas company must be hired onto a regular work pass by that company. The routes that exist are employer-sponsored: the Employment Pass from S$5,600 a month, the Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass at S$30,000, the Personalised Employment Pass at S$22,500, the EntrePass for venture-backed founders and a six-month Work Holiday Pass for students and graduates aged 18 to 25 from ten countries. Before applying, know that the Employment Pass floor rises to S$6,000 for new applications from 1 January 2027 and that employer-of-record sponsorship is not permitted.
- Nomad visa · September 2026None as suchRoutes6Bases1
- Singapore10 pieces
Remote jobs open to Singapore
Listings whose hiring region includes this country, newest first · apply on the board's own page
- Senior Golang DeveloperEurope, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore
- Senior React Full-stack DeveloperLATAM, Europe, USA, Canada, APAC
- Senior DevOps EngineerLATAM, Europe, USA, Canada, APAC
- Senior Data EngineerLATAM, Europe, USA, Canada, APAC
- Tier III Service Desk EngineerWorldwide
- Non-Linguistic QC (China / US Time Zone)Anywhere
- Devices & IOT Field Engineering ManagerAnywhere
- Senior Backend EngineerRemote job
The routes
Researched 6 September 2026 · rules as of September 2026 · as published, not legal advice
Temporary stay
Short-Term Visit Pass (what most remote visitors actually hold)
Short-Term Visit Pass (e-Pass) issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
Anyone entering as a visitor for social or business purposes; it is the only status most remote workers hold in Singapore and it does not permit work.
- Income floor
- none published; officers may ask for proof of funds and onward travel
- Duration
- 30 or 90 days per entry depending on nationality, set on the electronic visit pass at the checkpoint; extensions are discretionary and applied for online before expiry
- Cost
- Free for visa-exempt nationals; the Multiple Journey Visa for visa-required nationals is S$30 through an authorised agent, which may add its own charge
- Processing
- Granted at the border; visa applications for visa-required nationals are usually decided in about three working days
- Eligibility
- Nationals of Assessment Level countries need a visa in advance; everyone must submit the SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival; the pass is for social visits and permitted business activities only
- Work rights
- None. Employment is not permitted, and the Ministry of Manpower's list of work-pass-exempt activities does not include remote work for an overseas employer. The ministry states that a foreigner who wants to be based in Singapore for an extended period while working for an overseas company needs to be hired by that company on a regular work pass.
- Dependants
- Each family member enters on their own visit pass.
- Leads to
- no
- Apply
- At the checkpoint on arrival; visa-required nationals apply beforehand through a Singapore mission or an authorised visa agent
Documents Passport valid for at least six months · SG Arrival Card submitted online before arrival · Return or onward ticket and proof of funds if asked · Visa where required
Long stay
Employment Pass (EP)
Employment Pass
Professionals, managers and executives with a job offer from a Singapore-registered employer; the standard way a remote worker becomes legal is to be hired here by a Singapore entity of their own company.
- Income floor
- Fixed monthly salary of at least S$5,600 (S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age to S$10,700 (S$11,800) at 45 and above; from 1 January 2027 new applications need S$6,000 (S$6,600), rising to S$11,500 (S$12,700); renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028 must meet the new levels. The figure is benchmarked against the top third of local professional salaries.
- Duration
- Up to 2 years first time, up to 3 years on renewal; 5-year passes for experienced tech professionals in shortage occupations
- Cost
- S$105 application fee, S$225 issuance fee per pass, plus S$30 for a Multiple Journey Visa where needed
- Processing
- Most online applications are processed or updated within 10 business days; applications by an overseas company without a Singapore office take up to about 6 weeks
- Eligibility
- Any nationality. Two stages: the qualifying salary, then a minimum of 40 points under the COMPASS framework across salary, qualifications, nationality diversity, the employer's local employment share and two bonus criteria. Candidates earning at least S$22,500 a month, intra-corporate transferees and roles under one month are exempt from COMPASS. Employers of record may not sponsor foreigners to work for overseas companies.
- Work rights
- Employment for the sponsoring employer only; a new pass is needed to change employer. Not a self-employment route.
- Dependants
- Holders earning at least S$6,000 a month may sponsor a legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 on a Dependant's Pass; the threshold is based on the holder's own salary, not household income.
- Leads to
- Holders may apply for permanent residence with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority; there is no fixed qualifying period and approval is discretionary.
- Apply
- The employer or its appointed employment agent applies online through the ministry's EP eService; the candidate collects the pass in Singapore
Documents Passport personal-particulars page · Educational certificates, with verification proof for many institutions · Candidate's written consent to the application · Medical examination or declaration form at issuance · Singapore residential address at issuance · Passport page showing the date of arrival
Long stay
Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass)
Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass
Very high earners and people with outstanding achievements in sport, arts and culture, or academia and research who want the freedom to work for several employers or run a company.
- Income floor
- Fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 from one employer, either earned over the preceding 12 months or to be earned under a prospective Singapore employer; overseas applicants must show the paying company has a market capitalisation of at least US$500 million or annual revenue of at least US$200 million. Achievement-based applicants are assessed without the salary test.
- Duration
- 5 years, renewable for 5 years each time if the holder averaged S$30,000 a month over the period or runs a local company employing at least five locals at Employment Pass salary levels
- Cost
- Not stated on the eligibility page opened for this report; the ministry lists fees on its apply page
- Processing
- Not verified for this report
- Eligibility
- Any nationality; salary or achievement track; the ministry and partner agencies review achievement cases holistically
- Work rights
- May work for several Singapore-based employers concurrently and start and run companies without a separate pass; remote work for overseas clients is not addressed in the published eligibility text.
- Dependants
- Family passes are available; the ministry publishes the terms on a separate family page.
- Leads to
- Eligible to apply for permanent residence; discretionary, no fixed period.
- Apply
- Online through the ministry's portal, by the applicant or a Singapore employer
Documents Passport · Proof of salary over the past 12 months or an employment offer · Evidence of the employer's size where applicable · Evidence of achievements for the talent track
Long stay
Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)
Personalised Employment Pass
High-earning employees who want a pass tied to themselves rather than an employer, so they can change jobs without reapplying.
- Income floor
- Fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 to apply; passes issued from 1 September 2023 must earn a fixed salary of at least S$270,000 a calendar year to keep the pass (S$144,000 for earlier holders)
- Duration
- 3 years, not renewable
- Cost
- Not stated on the eligibility page opened for this report
- Processing
- Not verified for this report
- Eligibility
- Any nationality; not open to freelancers, sole proprietors, partners, director-shareholders or sponsored pass holders; restricted occupations such as media and religion are excluded; the pass must be cancelled after six months of unemployment
- Work rights
- Employment with any Singapore employer without reapplying; no self-employment or entrepreneurial activity of any kind.
- Dependants
- Dependant's Pass available for spouse and children on the same terms as the Employment Pass.
- Leads to
- May apply for permanent residence; discretionary.
- Apply
- Online with the Ministry of Manpower, by the applicant
Documents Passport · Proof of current fixed salary or Employment Pass · Employer details and job offer once employed
Other route
EntrePass
EntrePass
Founders of a venture-backed or technology-based private limited company who want to build it from Singapore; not a general self-employment or freelance permit.
- Income floor
- none as a salary; the company must be venture-backed or own innovative technology, for example at least S$100,000 raised in a single round from investors, support from a recognised incubator or accelerator, registered intellectual property, or research collaboration
- Duration
- Initial pass with renewals subject to spending and local-hiring conditions the ministry publishes on its renewal page
- Cost
- Not stated on the eligibility page opened for this report
- Processing
- Not verified for this report
- Eligibility
- Any nationality; a private limited company registered or to be registered with ACRA in which the applicant holds at least 30 per cent; excluded businesses include coffee shops, hawker stalls, bars, massage parlours, employment agencies and geomancy
- Work rights
- Running the sponsored company; not a licence to freelance for overseas clients.
- Dependants
- Family passes depend on the company's spending and local headcount at renewal.
- Leads to
- May apply for permanent residence; discretionary.
- Apply
- Online with the Ministry of Manpower
Documents Business plan · Passport · Evidence of funding, incubator support, intellectual property or research partnership · ACRA registration or intent to register
Working holiday
Work Holiday Pass
Work Holiday Programme
Students and recent graduates aged 18 to 25 from universities in ten partner countries who want a short spell of work and travel.
- Income floor
- none
- Duration
- Up to 6 months, not renewable
- Cost
- Not stated on the eligibility page opened for this report
- Processing
- Not verified for this report
- Eligibility
- Aged 18 to 25 at application; undergraduate or graduate of a university in Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States; undergraduates must have been resident full-time students for at least 3 months; the scheme is capped at 2,000 holders at any one time; regulated professions need local registration
- Work rights
- Any employment in Singapore during the pass; employers do not sponsor. Remote work for foreign clients is not addressed by the scheme text.
- Dependants
- Not provided for.
- Leads to
- no
- Apply
- Online with the Ministry of Manpower, by the applicant
Documents Passport · University enrolment or graduation proof · Evidence of residence in the university's country
Without a visa, by passport
The stay you get on arrival, and whether working remotely on it is tolerated
- EU / EEA / Switzerland90 days visa-freeRemote work on a visit pass is not permitted: the visit pass is for social and business visits, remote work is not among the work-pass-exempt activities, and the ministry says an extended stay working for an overseas company needs a regular work pass. Law firms describe short business trips with no local contract as unenforced in practice.
- United Kingdom90 days visa-freeSame rule: no work of any kind on a visit pass; remote work for a foreign employer is not an exempt activity.
- United States90 days visa-freeSame rule; no dedicated remote-work status exists.
- Canada30 days visa-freeSame rule; extension is discretionary and applied for online before expiry.
- Australia90 days visa-freeSame rule; Australian graduates aged 18 to 25 can instead use the six-month Work Holiday Pass.
- New Zealand90 days visa-freeSame rule; New Zealand is also a Work Holiday Programme partner.
- IndiaVisa required in advance (e-visa through an authorised agent); a 96-hour visa-free transit facility exists for air passengers holding a valid visa or residence permit for Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United StatesNo work on a visit pass; the transit facility is for genuine transit only.
- Brazil30 days visa-freeSame rule; no remote-work status.
- South Africa30 days visa-freeSame rule; no remote-work status.
- Japan30 days visa-freeSame rule; Japanese graduates aged 18 to 25 may use the Work Holiday Pass.
- Turkey30 days visa-freeSame rule; no remote-work status.
- China30 days visa-free (ordinary passports)Same rule; the visa exemption is mutual and dates from February 2024.
Tax
When the country starts counting you as its taxpayer
- Residency trigger
- An individual is tax resident for a year of assessment if they resided in Singapore or were physically present or employed here for at least 183 days in the preceding calendar year; IRAS also applies administrative concessions treating a continuous stay or employment spanning two or three calendar years as resident throughout. Non-residents employed for 60 days or fewer in a year are exempt on that employment income; beyond 60 days it is taxed at 15 per cent or at resident rates, whichever is higher.
- Special regime
- No nomad or newcomer regime. Resident rates are progressive from 0 to 24 per cent. Foreign-sourced income received in Singapore by a resident individual is generally exempt, but IRAS treats employment or self-employment exercised physically in Singapore as Singapore-sourced regardless of where the payer sits, so a remote worker present for more than 60 days is generally taxable on that income.
- Social security
- The Central Provident Fund applies only to Singapore citizens and permanent residents; foreign pass holders and their employers make no contributions. Singapore has no totalisation agreements, so home-country coverage is a matter for the home system alone.
- Treaties
- Singapore has comprehensive double-taxation agreements with around one hundred jurisdictions but none with the United States. For an employee of a foreign company, a treaty's dependent-services article usually keeps short stays taxable at home only if the 183-day limit and the payer and permanent-establishment tests are all met; a contractor relies on the independent-services or business-profits article.
Practicalities
- Entry formality
- Every visitor must submit the free SG Arrival Card online within three days before arrival; the visit pass is issued electronically by email and no passport stamp is given.
- Bank account
- The three local banks generally require a long-term pass and Foreign Identification Number plus a Singapore address; visitors on a visit pass are usually declined. This is bank practice, not a published statutory rule.
- SIM registration
- Prepaid and postpaid SIMs are registered against a passport or pass under the Infocomm Media Development Authority's rules; registration is done in-store or in-app with the document scanned.
- Health insurance
- No insurance is required for a visit pass or an Employment Pass; compulsory employer-paid medical insurance applies only to Work Permit and S Pass holders. Public hospitals bill foreigners at unsubsidised rates.
- Address and identity number
- A Singapore residential address must be given before an Employment Pass card is issued; the card carries the Foreign Identification Number, which also serves as the tax reference with IRAS.
- Overstay penalties
- Under the Immigration Act, overstaying up to 90 days carries a fine of up to S$4,000 and/or up to 6 months in prison; beyond 90 days the penalty is up to 6 months in prison and a minimum of three strokes of the cane, replaced by a fine of up to S$6,000 where caning cannot be imposed.
Singapore: no nomad visa, a strict work-pass regime and a 24% ceiling on tax
Where remote workers actually sit in Singapore
Singapore is a base for remote workers who have a corporate route in, not for the visa-run crowd. Those who stay are usually on an Employment Pass issued through a Singapore entity of their own employer, on a Dependant's Pass, or on one of the personalised passes for the very well paid. Coworking clusters sit around Tanjong Pagar, the Central Business District and the Bugis and Lavender belt, and the city is used as a short, expensive stopover between Bali, Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City rather than a place to linger on a visit pass.
The published rules leave no room for a working tourist. The visit pass is for social and business visits, the work-pass-exempt list covers things like conferences, exhibitions and performances for up to 90 days a year, and the Ministry of Manpower's own FAQ states that a foreigner who wants to be based in Singapore for an extended period while working for an overseas company needs to be hired by that company on a regular work pass. Law-firm guidance published in 2025 says a short business trip with no Singapore contract draws no authorisation requirement in practice, but that is a description of enforcement, not of the law.
What applicants report about the passes
Employment Pass decisions within the published ten business days are the norm when the employer is established in Singapore and the salary clears both the floor and the COMPASS score. Refusals cluster around three things: salaries that meet the floor but score poorly against local benchmarks, employers with a low share of local professionals, and degrees from institutions that need third-party verification. Applications from an overseas company without a Singapore office take up to six weeks and are rare in practice since the ministry closed the employer-of-record route.
The Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass and the Personalised Employment Pass are essentially self-sponsored but priced for the top of the market at S$30,000 and S$22,500 a month respectively, and the Personalised pass must be cancelled after six months without a job. The EntrePass is not a freelance permit: it wants a venture-backed or technology company with the applicant holding at least 30 per cent, and consultancies and one-person service businesses do not qualify. The Work Holiday Pass is the one low-barrier option, but only for people aged 18 to 25 from universities in ten named countries, for six months, within a cap of 2,000 holders at any time.
Money, banking and tax
Opening an account with DBS, OCBC or UOB generally needs a long-term pass, the Foreign Identification Number that comes with it, and a local address; visitors are turned away and rely on multi-currency cards from home. Cards and PayNow are accepted almost everywhere, and cash is rarely needed.
Tax is simple and, by regional standards, low. Presence of 183 days in a calendar year makes an individual resident and taxes worldwide employment exercised in Singapore at progressive rates up to 24 per cent, with no wealth, capital-gains or inheritance tax. Non-residents present for more than 60 days pay 15 per cent or resident rates, whichever is higher. The Central Provident Fund does not touch foreigners, so there are no social contributions to plan for, but there are also no totalisation agreements and no treaty with the United States.
What is changing
The direction is steadily upward on salary floors. The Employment Pass minimum went to S$5,600 in January 2025, applies to renewals from January 2026 and moves to S$6,000 for new applications from 1 January 2027, with renewals following a year later. Nothing announced so far creates a status for remote workers, and the government has repeatedly framed work passes as tools for filling Singapore jobs rather than for hosting foreign payrolls.
Researched from mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · mom.gov.sg · ica.gov.sg · the authority