Singapore Letter Of Consent (LOC)

Singapore Letter Of Consent (LOC)

You can apply for Letter Of Consent (LOC) to work in Singapore if you are an eligible Dependant’s Pass holder, or an LTVP/LTVP+ holder who is the spouse or unmarried child of a Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Resident.

NEW RULE ON DP HOLDERS (OF EP) TO WORK WITH LOC W.E.F. 01-MAY-2021

Dependant’s pass (DP) holders will soon have to secure a work pass instead of a letter of consent if they want to work in Singapore, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced on 03-Mar-2021, Wednesday.  From 01-May-2021, the DP holders will have to apply for an applicable work pass such as an Employment Pass, S Pass or work permit rather than the letter of consent that they currently use.

The move is to align the requirements with other foreigners working in Singapore, the ministry said in a factsheet.

• Companies that hire DP holders will therefore have to comply with the conditions for hiring foreign workers, including the relevant qualifying salary, quotas and levies.
• Those working on a letter of consent will be allowed to continue working until its expiry. After that, employers will need to apply for a work pass.
• For DP holders who are business owners, they will be allowed to continue if their business creates local employment.
• They will have to be either the sole proprietor, partner or director with at least 30 per cent shareholding in the business.
• The company must hire at least one Singaporean or permanent resident who earns at least S$1,400 and receives Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for at least three months.
• Those who do not fulfil these criteria can continue to run their business on their existing letter of consent until its expiry, or apply for a one-off extension until Apr 30, 2022, when they next renew their dependant’s pass.
• If they want to start a new business, they can apply for a Letter Of Consent (LOC) but must meet these conditions as well.

It is understood that more details will be released by MOM on 01-May-2021.

DP holders (of EP) with LOC or intending to have LOC may wish to refer to the following burning FAQs which would be clarified under consultation service.

• What is the new rule on LOC?
• Is the new rule on applying LOC affecting the existing LOC holders?
• When is the effective date of new rule for DP holders to apply with Work Pass such as EP, S Pass or Work Permit?
• Until when the existing DP holders with LOC will be allowed to work?
• How the new rule will impact when I am a Sole Proprietor of a Business or a Partner of Partnership Firm?
• How the new rule will impact when I am a Director cum Shareholder of a Pte Ltd Company?
• What would happen if I cannot afford to hire a local employee?
• I am currently holding DP and would like to start a new business. Can I apply for a LOC?
• Currently who can be the Director of the Company, Owner of Sole Proprietorship or Partner of Partnership?
• How can I apply LOC for an Oversea Employer?
• How can an Oversea Employer engage a LOC holder?
• Should I get LOC when I am offered to be an employee of Oversea Company which does not have presence in Singapore?
• Is there any change for applying LOC for a LTVP holder?
• When more details will be available on the announced new rule?

Key facts on Letter of Consent (LOC) in Singapore

Get key facts about the Letter of Consent (LOC) for eligible pass holders to work in Singapore, i.e. Dependant’s Pass holders, LTVP/LTVP+ holders who are spouse or unmarried children of a Singaporean or permanent resident.

Find out key facts about the pass:

Eligibility for Letter of Consent

The Letter of Consent (LOC) allows eligible Dependant’s Pass, LTVP or LTVP+ holders to work in Singapore if they find a job here.

Who is eligible

To be eligible for a Letter of Consent, you need to be one of the following:

• A Dependant’s Pass holder who is a dependant of an Employment Pass  (EP), EntrePass or Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) holder.
• An LTVP or LTVP+ holder who is married to a Singaporean or permanent resident.
• An unmarried child (under 21 years old) of a Singaporean or permanent resident, who holds an LTVP.

If you are a dependant of an S Pass holder, you should apply for a Work Permit, S Pass or Employment Pass instead.

The LTVP, LTVP+ or Dependant’s Pass has to be valid for at least 3 months, and you must have a job offer with a Singapore employer.

You are not allowed to work in objectionable occupations such as a dance hostess.

Who can apply

The employer or appointed employment agent can apply for the Letter of Consent. You can only begin working after the employer has received the LOC.

Duration of the pass

The duration granted for the pass is based on the earlier of these:

• What the employer indicated in the LOC application.
• The expiry date of the LTVP, LTVP+ or Dependant’s Pass.

The LOC stops being valid when:

• The LTVP, LTVP+ or Dependant’s Pass is cancelled or expires.
• You are no longer employed by the company. The employer still needs to cancel the LOC.

Letter of Consent: documents required for selected professions

For selected professions, you will need to submit additional documents when applying for a Letter of Consent. These include healthcare professionals, lawyers and regional representatives.

• For non-English documents, you must submit the original document and an English translation. The translation can be done by a translation service provider.
• Other than these documents, MOM may ask for other documents during reviewing of your application.

You will need to submit additional documents for these professions:

For regional representatives of overseas companies

You will need:

• A copy of the approval letter from Enterprise Singapore for setting up the representative office in Singapore.
• A letter from the representative’s office headquarters stating:
  • The purpose of the application.
  • The duration of the candidate’s assignment.
  • A guarantee for the maintenance and repatriation of the candidate.

For healthcare professionals, lawyers, football players or coaches

You will need supporting documents from the respective professional bodies:

For employees in a food establishment

A copy of the foodshop licence issued by NEA.

If you have a new establishment and don’t have the licence from NEA yet, you can submit a copy of the “Application for Foodshop Licence” letter issued to you by NEA.

Click the below links to learn more about:

ACHI is one of the licensed Employment Agencies in Singapore. We will assist your work pass related applications and appeals at our level best with the regulatory authority Ministry Of Manpower (MOM) for successful outcome.

Please refer to our GUIDES for more information, SERVICES to meet your requirements or CONTACT us if you wish to avail these or many other services.