Spouses who arrive in Singapore on a Dependant’s Pass frequently assume that a Letter of Consent will let them work without going through the same work-pass process as any other foreign hire. However, that assumption has been outdated since 1 May 2021, when MOM closed the LOC employment route to most DP holders. What follows is a current, practical read on what an LOC is, the cases where it still applies, and the realistic options for everyone else.

What is a Letter of Consent?

A Letter of Consent is an authorisation that permits certain long-term pass holders to work in Singapore without holding a separate work pass of their own. It is issued by MOM in most cases, and by ICA for certain pass categories.

Where it applies, it functions as a lighter-touch arrangement than a full work pass: the holder’s permission to work is tethered to their long-term pass rather than assessed independently, and it has historically been exempt from the foreign-worker quotas and levies that apply to S Pass and Work Permit holders.

That exemption made the LOC an attractive arrangement for employers and DP holders alike, and for many years it was the default expectation for relocating spouses. The May 2021 policy change significantly narrowed who can rely on it.

What Changed in May 2021

From 1 May 2021, MOM removed the ability for Dependant’s Pass holders to take up employment in Singapore on a Letter of Consent. The change was part of a broader effort to align DP work arrangements with the framework that applies to other categories of foreign hires, and to ensure that DP holders seeking employment are assessed through the same channels as any other applicant for a work pass.

The practical effect is that a Dependant’s Pass holder who wants to work in Singapore for a local employer can no longer use an LOC to do so, and must instead apply for their own Employment Pass, S Pass, or Work Permit. The assumption that the DP covers residence while the LOC covers employment, which was a workable read of the rules before the change, no longer holds for most DP holders.

Who Can Still Work on an LOC Today

Can a Dependant’s Pass holder work in Singapore on an LOC? In most cases, no. The rule change did not eliminate the LOC entirely, but it left only two categories of DP holders eligible to work under one.

The first is DP holders who operate their own qualifying business in Singapore. To be eligible, the following conditions must all be met:

• The DP holder is a sole proprietor, partner, or company director with at least 30% shareholding.
• The business employs at least one Singapore citizen or permanent resident at the prevailing local qualifying salary.
• CPF contributions have been paid for that local hire for at least three months.

The local qualifying salary threshold is set by MOM and reviewed periodically. The figure current at the time of application should be confirmed directly with MOM before relying on any published number.

The second is the spouse of a ONE Pass holder. The ONE Pass, which MOM introduced in January 2023 for top talent in business, arts, sports, and academia, carries a specific benefit that allows the holder’s spouse to work in Singapore on a Letter of Consent without needing to secure their own work pass. This is a deliberate feature of the ONE Pass framework rather than a residual carve-out from the 2021 changes.

It is also worth noting that those who qualify under LTVP eligibility rules as family members of Singapore citizens or permanent residents may in some cases be eligible to work on an LOC, depending on the specific pass conditions. This is different from the DP situation, and the distinction between a Dependant’s Pass and a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) is one that DP holders frequently underestimate. The two passes serve similar residential purposes but carry different work rights and arise from different circumstances.

What Most DP Holders Need to Do Instead

For DP holders who do not fall into one of the categories above, the question is which work pass fits their profile. A Dependant’s Pass can work in Singapore only as a residential status; it does not confer work rights on its own, and the three realistic options are to apply for an Employment Pass, an S Pass, or a Work Permit, and the right choice depends on the role, salary, and employer situation.

Work Pass	Typical Profile	Key Considerations
Employment Pass	Professional and managerial roles	Must meet MOM’s qualifying salary benchmarks for the applicant’s sector and age band, and satisfy the COMPASS points framework for most new applications
S Pass	Mid-skilled roles	Subject to employer-level quotas and a lower salary band than the EP
Work Permit	Certain lower-skilled roles	Carries its own eligibility conditions depending on sector and nationality

One practical distinction that catches many DP holders off guard is how an EP or S Pass affects the DP itself. When a DP holder is granted an EP or S Pass in their own right, the Dependant’s Pass must generally be cancelled, since the holder’s immigration status shifts from dependent to independent. A Work Permit, by contrast, does not require the DP to be cancelled, and the two can coexist for as long as both remain valid.

For DP holders considering what employment in Singapore means for their longer-term residency status, our article on whether a Dependant’s Pass holder can apply for Singapore PR also covers how the transition to an EP changes the picture on that front.

A Note on Remote Work

One situation where neither an LOC nor a work pass is required is remote work for an overseas employer with no Singapore presence and no local clients. A DP holder working entirely for a foreign company with no business operations in Singapore is generally not considered to be working in Singapore for MOM regulatory purposes and does not need MOM authorisation to do so. This is a relevant consideration for relocating families in which one spouse continues in a fully remote role, and it is worth clarifying the employer’s local footprint before assuming it applies.

Identify the Right Path Forward

The LOC route that many DP holders still expect is no longer available to most of them, and the right move is to identify the correct work pass early, ideally before the DP holder begins looking for local employment. The pass type matters not only for immediate work rights but also for the holder’s longer-term position in Singapore.

For those who want a candid read on which pass fits their role, salary, or business situation, the immigration consultants at E&H Immigration Consultancy offer a free initial profile evaluation.

Note: The local qualifying salary threshold referenced in the business LOC criteria is set by MOM and reviewed periodically. The figure current at publication should be confirmed with MOM before relying on it.