How to get a job in Singapore from the UK (2026)

Which Singapore work pass can a British citizen get?

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) runs every work pass. Most routes need a job offer first, because the employer applies. The exceptions are the ONE Pass and the Personalised Employment Pass, which a high earner can apply for in their own right on the strength of their recent salary, and the Work Holiday Pass for students and recent graduates. The passes below are the ones a UK professional is most likely to use. Figures are MOM's, checked on 3 October 2026; check the official page before you rely on them, because they are reviewed regularly.

How does the Employment Pass work in 2026?

There are two stages. Stage 1 is the qualifying salary, benchmarked to the top third of local professional salaries by age. It starts at S$5,600 a month for those aged 23 or under and rises to S$10,700 at 45 and above. In financial services it runs from S$6,200 to S$11,800. For new applications from 1 January 2027 it rises to S$6,000 (up to S$11,500 at 45 and above), and in financial services to S$6,600 (up to S$12,700). Miss Stage 1 and no points score can save the application.

Stage 2 is COMPASS. The application needs 40 points from four core criteria and two bonuses: salary against local benchmarks for the sector (up to 20), qualifications (up to 20), diversity of nationalities at the employer (up to 20), the employer's share of local professionals (up to 20), a skills bonus for jobs on the Shortage Occupation List and a bonus for firms in strategic programmes. Firms with fewer than 25 professional staff score 10 points by default on the diversity and local employment criteria.

You are exempt from COMPASS if your fixed monthly salary is at least S$22,500, if you transfer within your company from overseas as an intra-corporate transferee, or if the role lasts one month or less. Experienced tech professionals in shortage occupations can apply for a 5-year Employment Pass if they meet extra salary and verification checks.

• What this means for you: the diversity points depend on how many of the employer's professionals share your nationality. A British candidate tends to score better at a firm with few other Britons.
• Bringing family: Employment Pass and S Pass holders need a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000 to sponsor a Dependant's Pass for a spouse and children under 21.
• Partners who want to work need their own pass. A Dependant's Pass holder who gets an Employment Pass or S Pass must meet that pass's criteria, and their Dependant's Pass is cancelled.

How does hiring work in Singapore?

The Fair Consideration Framework shapes almost every Employment Pass hire. Before applying, the employer must advertise the job on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days and consider every applicant fairly. They should not make a job offer during that period. The advert must show a salary range that includes your salary, and the top of the range cannot be more than twice the bottom. MOM rejects applications linked to adverts that are discriminatory or do not match the job.

There are exemptions: companies with fewer than 10 employees, roles paying a fixed S$22,500 a month or more, roles of one month or less, and internal or intra-corporate transfers. Expect a direct offer to move faster at a small firm or at very senior level.

In practice this means a Singapore employer who wants you has some paperwork to do and a clear legal duty to look at local candidates first. Make it easy for them. Be clear about your pass needs, your salary expectations and your start date from the first conversation, and show what you bring that a local candidate may not, such as regional experience or a specialist skill on the Shortage Occupation List.

Where are jobs in Singapore advertised?

Start with the places employers are required, or choose, to post.

• MyCareersFuture: the government jobs portal. Employers sponsoring an Employment Pass or S Pass must advertise here first unless exempt, and MOM encourages all employers to use it. Adverts show salary ranges.
• Jobstreet: one of the main commercial job boards in Singapore, with its own career advice section.
• LinkedIn: widely used for professional and regional roles, and the first place a Singapore recruiter will look you up.
• Company careers pages: regional headquarters and banks often post roles on their own sites before, or alongside, the boards.
• Recruitment agencies: useful for regional and specialist roles. A good consultant will tell you early whether your profile is likely to clear the Employment Pass bar for the salary on offer.

Can you apply for Singapore jobs from the UK?

Yes. MOM states that candidates do not need to be in Singapore when the employer applies for the Employment Pass. You only need to be there to have the pass issued after approval, which the employer must do within 6 months of the in-principle approval letter.

Singapore is seven hours ahead of the UK during British Summer Time and eight hours ahead in winter. A 9am Singapore interview is 1am or 2am in London, so offer early morning UK slots, which land in the Singapore afternoon. Expect video interviews for early rounds.

When asked about relocation, be specific: the month you can start, whether you are moving with family, and that you understand the employer will need to apply for an Employment Pass. Have a researched salary expectation ready in Singapore dollars a month, since that is how the pass threshold and most adverts are expressed.

You can visit Singapore without a visa for business meetings or interviews. GOV.UK says British citizens are normally allowed to stay 30 to 90 days, at the officer's discretion, and must complete an SG Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival. You cannot work on a visit.

Are UK qualifications recognised in Singapore?

For the Employment Pass, MOM compares foreign degrees with a UK bachelor's degree, referring to bodies such as UK ENIC, so a UK degree counts as degree-equivalent. A degree from a QS top 100 university can earn 20 COMPASS points; other degrees earn 10.

If your employer is claiming those points, they must submit verification proof. MOM accepts reports from its selected background screening companies, certain official verification portals and OpenCerts certificates. It does not accept HEDD screenshots, notarised copies or the certificate on its own, so expect to authorise a screening company to check your degree.

Regulated professions need sign-off from the Singapore professional body before the pass is approved. MOM lists the Singapore Medical Council for doctors, the Singapore Dental Council for dentists, the Singapore Nursing Board for nurses, the Allied Health Professions Council for roles such as radiographers and occupational therapists, and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority for lawyers. Start that registration early, because the employer needs the professional body's documents to apply.

How long does it take to get a job in Singapore from the UK?

Allow three to six months from first application to arrival for a typical Employment Pass role. The legal steps are quick; the search and the notice period take the time.

• Weeks 1 to 2: rewrite your CV for Singapore, run your salary and age against the Employment Pass qualifying salary, and order your degree verification if you will need COMPASS points.
• Weeks 2 to 12: apply on MyCareersFuture, Jobstreet and LinkedIn, and speak to specialist recruiters. Interview by video.
• Advert period: the employer keeps the MyCareersFuture advert open for at least 14 days before making an offer, unless exempt.
• Offer: agree salary, start date and pass sponsorship in writing. Give written consent for the Employment Pass application.
• Application: online applications are processed or updated within 10 business days, longer if MOM asks for more documents.
• Notice and move: serve your UK notice, then travel once the in-principle approval letter is issued. The employer has the pass issued within 6 months of approval and you register fingerprints and photo if asked.

Which sectors have skills shortages in Singapore?

Singapore publishes an official COMPASS Shortage Occupation List. The current list was released in November 2025 and applies to new and renewal Employment Pass applications from 1 January 2026. Jobs on it earn bonus COMPASS points, and infocomm roles on it can qualify for the 5-year Employment Pass.

Each entry is a specific occupation with its own extra requirements, not a whole industry, so check the exact job title and duties on MOM's list.

• Infocomm technology: AI scientists and engineers, software developers, cloud specialists, data scientists, cybersecurity architects, penetration testers.
• Healthcare: registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, diagnostic radiographers, clinical psychologists, medical social workers, podiatrists.
• Green economy: carbon project managers, carbon traders, carbon standards analysts, verification and audit specialists.
• Financial services: investment advisers for ultra-high and high net worth clients and family offices.
• Maritime: marine superintendents and marine technical superintendents.
• Semiconductors and agritech: semiconductor, process and instrumentation engineers; alternative protein and novel food scientists.