As the global situation evolves, Singapore continues to adjust its border measures to limit the risk of importation and transmission of COVID -19 to the community while working to gradually resume essential business travel for economic considerations. Until such measures of entry into Singapore are eased, Global People are here, to walk you through the most current process and simplify it for you.
What do you need to know about entering Singapore these days?
The Initial step to get your employees into the country after receiving a Long-Term Employment Permit (EP) for them, is submitting a special request to the Ministry of Manpower (“MOM”) and to comply with the prevailing entry approval requirements, including serving a stay-at-home notice (“SHN”) at the dedicated SHN facilities and paying for it, where applicable. The abovesaid does not apply for those who have an approval under the Reciprocal Green Lane (“RGL”).
The RGL facilitates short-term essential business and official travel between the following counterpart countries/regions and Singapore: Brunei Darussalam, Germany, Mainland China (Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Tianjin and Zhejiang), Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea.
The RGL is only applicable for travel between Singapore and the foreign RGL counterpart using a non-stop flight route (no transit in other countries). Singapore-based companies or Singapore Government agencies (i.e., application sponsors) can submit a SafeTravel Pass-RGL application which are open between 2 and 5 weeks before the intended week of entry.
Pass holders who have spent the last 14 consecutive days in Australia (excluding New South Wales state), Brunei, Mainland China, New Zealand, Taiwan and Vietnam, before entering Singapore, and did not transit through other countries/regions, must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival at the airport (children who are 6 years old and below this year are exempted from the test).
The Employers are obligated to book and make the payment for the pass holders’ tests ($196 per person including GST) before they arrive to Singapore. Otherwise, the company’s subsequent entry approval requests may be rejected. After the test is taken, the pass holders must proceed directly to and remain isolated in their place of residence or in a hotel until they have obtained a negative test result. If tested negative, they are not required to serve the SHN.
Pass holders arriving to Singapore, who have spent the last 14 consecutive days in Macao and New South Wales (Australia) before entering to Singapore, and did not transit through other countries/regions, must Serve a 7-day SHN at a suitable place of residence that is occupied only by them or their family or in a hotel and take a COVID-19 test before their SHN is over. The Pass holders will get an SMS to inform them when to take the test and the Employers must pay for the test (up to $200 per person including GST).
Please note that Pass holders are not allowed to serve their SHN in dormitories or premises that are occupied by non-family members.
Until further notice, all pass holders who departed from, transited through or visited the United Kingdom within the last 14 days are not allowed to enter Singapore. This also applies even if they had obtained MOM’s entry approval earlier on.
All other pass holders coming from other countries then the ones described above must: (1) take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure from their destinations (excluding children who are 6 years old and below this year) and present a valid negative test result, in English and from laboratories that are internationally accredited or recognized by the respective countries’/regions’ government, in order to enter Singapore. The test memo must state the test result, the date that the PCR test was taken, the Pass holder’s name and either date of birth or passport number, as stated in their passport. If the particulars on the memo are not in the passport (e.g., memo states identification number, instead of passport number), the pass holder must produce the relevant identification documents for verification; (2) Serve a 14-day SHN at dedicated government SHN facilities upon arrival in Singapore. The employee shall be informed of the location upon arrival and sent directly to the facilities; (3) Take a COVID-19 test before their SHN is over (children who are 6 years old and below this year are exempted from the test). The Pass holders will get an SMS to inform them when to take the test.
Please note that the employers must pay for the SHN at the dedicated SHN facility ($2,000 per person including GST) and for the COVID-19 Test (up to $200 per person including GST).
Employers can request for their pass holders to serve 14-day SHN at a place of residence in the event the employees: (1) Occupy the place of residence alone or only with household members, including any foreign domestic workers, with the same travel history, arrival date and SHN duration; (2) Spent the last 14 consecutive days in any of these places before entering Singapore, and did not travel to other countries/regions: Fiji, Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Your Employees have arrived in Singapore, what now?
Employers are responsible for all new and existing foreign employees (including those they employ with a Letter of Consent). So, before requesting for MOM’s entry approval, you should take note of the additional responsibilities as an employer:
- Ensure their employees and DP’s have a Singapore mobile number for MOM to contact them.
- Ensure a suitable accommodation has been secured for them to serve SHN, unless they are required to serve SHN at dedicated government SHN facilities.
- Ensure the employees and DP fully understand and agree to comply with the additional conditions imposed for the SHN period (see further below).
- Ensure the employees and DP comply with the SHN upon arrival, unless they are not required to serve SHN.
- Arrange for the employees and DP to travel from the airport (or any other place of disembarkation) directly to their SHN accommodation upon arrival using the designated transport, unless they are serving SHN at dedicated government SHN facilities.
- Pay for their COVID-19 tests and stay at the dedicated government SHN facilities, if applicable.
- Ensure the employees and DP download WhatsAppon their mobile phones and respond to MOM’s phone calls, WhatsApp video calls or SMSes within 1 hour during their SHN. This includes ensuring their prepaid cards have sufficient value and they are able to make video calls using WhatsApp.
- For foreign employees who are issued an electronic monitoring device at the checkpoint – ensure they wear the device and charge it throughout their SHN.
- For foreign employees who are not issued an electronic monitoring device- ensure they follow the instructions in our SMS to download the Homer mobile app and have a thermometer to record their temperatures using the app.
- Provide the employees and DP with food and other daily essentials during their SHN, unless they are serving SHN at dedicated SHN facilities.
- Reschedule non-emergency medical needs (e.g. follow-up visits for chronic conditions or refilling of prescription).
- Ensure the employees and DP go for the COVID-19 test during their assigned slot.
- Arrange for the employees and DP to travel between their SHN accommodation and the testing facility using the designated transport, unless they are serving SHN at dedicated SHN facilities. They must return to their SHN accommodation after the test.
Pass holders and DP’s responsibilities
Pass holders and their DP’s must comply with the following:
- Remain in their SHN premises at all times.
- Carry their mobile phones with internet connection at all times as they must respond to MOM’s phone calls, WhatsApp video calls or SMSes within 1 hour.
- For pass holders who are issued an electronic monitoring device at the checkpoint- Wear the device and charge it throughout the SHN.
- For pass holders who are not issued an electronic monitoring device- record their temperatures 3 times a day using the Homer mobile app.
- Not have any visitors, and minimise contact with others.
- Maintain a record of persons they come into close contact with.
- Act responsibly based on advisories issued by the Singapore Government.
- Take a COVID-19 test before their SHN is over, except for those who are 12 years old and below.
It is very important to explain your employees that non-compliance with the above said requirements may lead to immediate work pass revocations and withdrawal of work pass privileges for them and for their dependents.
How can we assist you?
We shall apply for a MOM approval to let your employees and family enter Singapore on behalf of the company.
We shall provide your employee and family, before arriving to Singapore, with all local cellular needs in order to meet the MOM requirements (i.e. Sim cards, appropriate cellular service plans and courier services to the country of origin).
Since pass holders entering Singapore are responsible for their medical expenses if they develop COVID-19 symptoms or test positive within 14 days of arrival in Singapore, we can assist with all the necessary arrangements for your employees and family to join a suitable medical insurance plan.
During SHN we shall provide and assist the employees and family with all their daily essentials and medical needs. The Employees shall be committed to report us at the end of each SHN day of their full compliance with regulatory requirements.
