SINGAPORE: Foreign workers working in the Republic will face a
higher salary bar in order to bring their family members over under
the Dependant's or Long Term Visit Pass from Sep 1 this
year.
According to an advisory on
the Ministry of Manpower's website posted last week, it said that
work pass holders will need to earn a minimum fixed monthly salary
of S$5,000 to sponsor their spouse or children to stay here on the
Dependant's Pass, up from the current S$4,000.
Similarly, work pass holders
will need to earn at least S$10,000 to sponsor the stay of their
parents here on the Long Term Visit's Pass, up from the current
S$8,000, it added.
There are 178,900 Employment
Pass holders and 170,100 S Pass holders here as of December 2014,
according to the ministry's website.
"As part of periodic updating,
MOM has reviewed the qualifying salary criteria for work pass
holders to sponsor dependants," the ministry said. "This is to
ensure that sponsors are able to upkeep their dependants in
Singapore."
New applications for
Dependant's Pass and Long Term Visit Pass made before Sep 1 will be
assessed on pre-Sep 1 criteria, while renewal of existing passes
will also be assessed on the current criteria provided the main
pass holder remains with the same employer, MOM added.
The last time a similar review
was carried out was in September 2012, when MOM said S Pass and EP
holders who earn at least S$4,000 can sponsor their spouses and
children, while only P1 Pass holders can sponsor their
parents.
- CNA/kk
