Work Pass cancellation is a fairly simple and straightforward procedure. There are certain guidelines regarding the various circumstances under which one needs to cancel their Work Pass, the procedural requirements for cancellation and other terms and conditions that one needs to adhere to for different situations.
Detailed below is a guide to work pass cancellation, outlining who should cancel their work pass, when to cancel the work pass and how to do so, including tax clearance procedures for those leaving Singapore permanently and other related information. The scope of this guide is limited to Work Passes of type Employment Pass, Entre Pass, and S Pass only.
Who should cancel Work Pass?
You must cancel your existing Work Pass if you are
- resigning from your existing employment and leaving Singapore permanently
- retrenched by your existing employer and wish to leave Singapore permanently
- resigning from your existing employment and joining a new employer in Singapore
- resigning from your existing employment and starting your own business in Singapore
- retrenched by your existing employer and wish to find alternative employment in Singapore
When to cancel Work Pass?
Job resignation / job retrenchment and leaving Singapore permanently
If you wish to leave Singapore permanently on account of job resignation for whatever reason or employment termination by your employer, you must ensure that your Work Pass and other related passes attached to your pass are cancelled.
Cancellation:
- You must cancel your Work Pass and other related passes like Dependant's Pass and/or Long Term Visit Pass well ahead of the last date of your employment - usually on submission and approval of your resignation or as soon as you receive intimation of your employment termination.
- The Work Pass is deemed to be cancelled from the date the employment is terminated. You and your dependants should not stay in Singapore after the date the employment was terminated unless you have been issued an alternate valid pass to remain in Singapore.
- If employment resignation or termination is sudden and there is insufficient notice period before the last date of employment, you have seven days from the date of cessation or termination of employment to cancel your Work Pass and other related passes. If you and your dependants are in Singapore, at the time of making the cancellation request, you will be issued a 30-day Short Term Visit Pass, as the Work Pass and other related passes are invalid after the last date of employment. The Short Term Visit Pass allows you to temporarily stay in Singapore and prepare for your departure. You will be asked to return the Short Term Visit Pass to the Immigration Checkpoint Officer at the point of departure, before you leave Singapore.
Note: If you are leaving Singapore permanently you must also complete certain other legal formalities before you leave. Details on these formalities are listed at the end of this article.
Job resignation and joining a new employer or starting your own business in Singapore
Since the Employment Pass and S Pass is tied to a specific employer, you must apply for a new EP or S Pass and other related passes, whenever you change employers and cancel the existing passes. Usually, the new employing company will apply for the main pass and other related passes on your behalf.
If you wish to resign from your existing job and start your own business in Singapore, you must apply for a new Employment Pass or Entre Pass.
Cancellation:
- You must cancel Work Pass and other related passes like Dependant's Pass and/or Long Term Visit Pass only once you receive approval for the new passes.
- When your new Work Pass application is approved, MOM will mail In-Principle-Approval letter to the address as specified in the completed application form. You can then collect your pass and other related passes from the Ministry of Manpower.
- Once you receive your In Principle Approval Letter for the new pass, you can cancel your previous pass upon termination of employment with the previous employer. Other related passes attached to your main pass will be automatically cancelled on cancellation of your main Work Pass.
Job retrenchment and finding alternative employment in Singapore
Retrenchment with notice period:
- If your employer intimates you of your retrenchment well ahead of the last date of your employment, you must ensure that you find an alternate job before the last date of employment. Usually the new employing company will apply for your new pass and other related passes on your behalf.
- You must cancel Work Pass and other related passes like Dependant's Pass and/or Long Term Visit Pass only once you receive approval for the new passes.
- When your new Work Pass application is approved, MOM will mail In-Principle-Approval letter to the address as specified in the completed application form. You can then collect your Work Pass and other related passes from the Ministry of Manpower.
- Once you receive your In Principle Approval Letter for the new pass, you can cancel your previous pass upon termination of employment with the previous employer. Other related passes attached to your main pass will be automatically cancelled on cancellation of your main Work Pass.
Rentrenchment without notice period:
- If you are laid off without any notice period before the last date of employment, you have seven days from the date of termination of employment to cancel your Work Pass and other related passes.
- You will be issued a 30-day Short Term Visit Pass, as the Work Pass and other related passes are invalid after the last date of employment.
- The Short Term Visit Pass allows you to temporarily stay in Singapore and you must find a new job and apply for a new Work Pass within this time frame.
- On expiry of the Short Term Visit Pass and without an alternate valid pass on hand, you will be considered an over-stayer in Singapore and will be subject to penalities. Hence, if you have not obtained an alternate valid visa before the expiry of your Short Term Visit Pass, you will have to leave Singapore to avoid penalities.
How to cancel Work Pass?
- The cancellation can be done either by you in person or your company representative on your behalf.
- There are two channels available for cancelling the pass - Electronically online or in person at the Work Pass Counters at Ministry of Manpower. The documents to be submitted for cancellation of Work Pass are:
- a letter from the employer stating the Work Pass holder's last day of service along with a cancellation request
- the Work Pass and related pass holders' travel document/Passport and Disembarkation/Embarkation Card (Green Card).
- completed Immigration White Card
- The MOM officers will check all your documents and then proceed to cancel your Work Pass. You will be issued an acknowledgement letter confirming your Work Pass cancellation, immediately over the counter.
- Once the main pass is cancelled, all related passes - Dependent Pass and Long Term Visit Pass - will be automatically cancelled. If the dependant's pass holder happens to be holding a Letter of Consent or a Work Permit issued by MOM, they will be auto-cancelled.
- On receipt of the Work Pass Cancellation Confirmation Letter you must return your original Work Pass and other related passes by dropping it at the Ministry of Manpower building. Alternatively, you can post the relevant passes within seven days from the date of cancellation to the Work Pass Division.
Formalities to comply with before leaving Singapore permanently
If you have decided to leave Singapore permanently after job resignation or employment termination, there are certain legal obligations you need to fulfill, prior to your departure.
Tax Clearance Formalities
Before you leave Singapore permanently, you must ensure that you have cleared all your tax dues. Usually, employers will have to seek tax clearance with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) on your behalf. In this regard, your employer will notify the IRAS and withhold all payment due to you from the day you give notification of your intention to cease employment or when your employer decides to terminate your employment. Your employer will release the payment due to you, only once the IRAS does an assessment and issues a tax clearance certificate, confirming that you have paid all taxes or upon the expiry of 30 days after the Comptroller has been notified, whichever is earlier. The processing time taken by IRAS for giving a tax clearance is usually one week to 21 days.
Please note, IRAS may appoint your bank as an agent for tax recovery purposes. You may be prevented from leaving Singapore by a stop order certificate, if you have any tax dues. In such circumstances, you will need a release letter from IRAS.
Other factors to settle before you leave
Before you leave Singapore, you must also ensure that you have closed all loops and taken necessary steps to settle all dues. Here is a quick checklist you can refer to.
- If you are living in rented accommodation, you must inform your house-owner/landlord of your decision to move and settle any payments due to him/her and collect your rental deposit. Refer to your rental lease agreement to check if you have satisfied all terms and conditions mentioned therein.
- Close your accounts with utility providers (Starhub, Singtel, SP Services etc.) and collect deposits, if any.
- Intimate banks you hold an account with, your credit card and insurance companies of your intention to move out of the country and check with them for any formalities you need to comply with.
- Inform your maid agency (if you have employed a maid) and settle all dues as per the contractual terms.
- Collect all relevant and updated documents from your children's educational institution(s).
Other Related Topics
Singapore Immigration | EntrePass | Employment Pass
