Hiring in Singapore

Using a fair recruitment process when applying for an employment pass

What is a fair recruitment process and how does it help when applying for an employment pass?

If you are an international business considering employing in Singapore, you are not alone. Singapore has a large foreign workforce (approximately 1/3rd of skilled employees) and has historically been open to business from overseas. However, the Singaporean government wants to ensure that locals have an equal chance of getting into professional, managerial, executive and technical (PMET) positions, so have introduced fair recruitment processes to support this aim.

In 2006, Singapore set up the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). Employers in Singapore must now adhere to its guidelines. These revolve around 5 principles of fair employment;

• Recruit based on merit (such as skills and experience)
• Respect employees
• Provide fair opportunities (like training and development)
• Reward fairly
• Comply with labor law

The first of these means that employers should follow a fair recruitment process. This also applies when a business wishes to apply for an Employment Pass (EP) to allow a foreign worker to legally work in Singapore.

In a fair recruitment process, job advertisements should be written in a certain way, avoiding discriminatory language, the role should be advertised on MyCareersFuture for a minimum length of time (with some exemptions) and all applicants should be considered against the same assessment criteria. The process is prescriptive but it’s also good for your business because it will help you to find and identify the best possible candidate for your role.

If, having followed a fair recruitment process in Singapore, you identify that the best candidate is a foreign worker, your application will be strengthened because you followed the correct steps. In fact, the application will almost certainly be rejected without it.

To apply for an Employment Pass, the role will have to meet minimum wage criteria and the candidate will need to be suitably qualified. The team at Agility EOR have great experience in successfully applying for employment passes in Singapore, utilizing our Employer of Record service to provide the in-country employer. Get in touch with us today to discuss hiring in Singapore using an Employment Pass or download our free Singapore employment guide.