Can a Dependant Pass Holder Work in Singapore? (2026)

Written by the VIVOS team (MOM Employment Agency Licence 24S2425) and reviewed by Ray Tay. Figures checked against the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on 4 November 2026.

Key facts: the six ways a DP holder can work (November 2026)

Can a Dependant’s Pass holder work in Singapore?

The Dependant’s Pass (DP) lets the legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 of an Employment Pass or S Pass holder live in Singapore. To sponsor a DP, the main pass holder must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000. MOM is explicit that this is based on the pass holder’s own salary, not combined household income. Parents and other relatives use a different pass; see our guide to the Long-Term Visit Pass for parents.

The DP is a residence pass, not a work pass. Before 1 May 2021, a DP holder could take a job once the employer obtained a Letter of Consent (LOC). From 1 May 2021, MOM requires DP holders who want to work to hold an applicable work pass instead: an Employment Pass, an S Pass or a Work Permit. The LOC survived only for DP holders who own and run their own business.

When founders relocate on an Employment Pass, the question we are asked most is really two questions. Can my spouse keep working, often for an employer back home? And can my spouse help run the Singapore company we are setting up? The answers are different, and treating them as one is how families end up working without the right authorisation.

Which work passes can a Dependant’s Pass holder get?

Employment Pass or S Pass

A Singapore employer applies, and the DP holder has to meet the same criteria as any other candidate. For an Employment Pass that means the EP qualifying salary for their age and sector, then 40 points under the COMPASS framework (our Employment Pass eligibility and COMPASS guide walks through both stages). MOM’s rule is that the DP must be cancelled before the EP or S Pass is issued.

The trade-off is worth understanding. Once your spouse holds their own EP, their status no longer depends on yours. If your job ends, their pass stands. But their pass is now tied to their own employer, so a job change for them means a new application.

DP-Work Permit (DP-WP)

The DP-WP is the route for roles that would not meet EP or S Pass salaries. There is no minimum qualifying salary and holders can be of any nationality. The employer applies, and the employer’s Work Permit quota and levy apply. The DP-WP’s validity is tied to the DP, so it falls away if the DP does. MOM exempts DP-WP holders from the six-monthly medical examination and the security bond. If a DP-WP holder wants to change employers, the current employer has to cancel the existing Work Permit before the new application can be submitted.

Can a Dependant’s Pass holder start or run a business?

Yes, with a Letter of Consent. MOM issues the LOC to DP holders who want to set up or operate their own ACRA-registered business as one of the following:

• a sole proprietor;
• a partner; or
• a company director holding at least 30% of the shares (or a member of a company limited by guarantee).

A first LOC is valid for one year from issue or until the DP expires, whichever is shorter. To renew, the DP must have at least three months left, and the business must employ at least one Singaporean or Permanent Resident who earns at least the Local Qualifying Salary and has received CPF contributions for at least three consecutive months before the renewal is submitted. The Local Qualifying Salary rose from S$1,600 to S$1,800 a month on 1 July 2026 (S$10.50 an hour for part-time staff). Our Letter of Consent guide for DP business owners covers the renewal conditions in detail.

The practical consequence is about timing. Because the first LOC lasts at most a year and the local hire needs three consecutive months of CPF before you file the renewal, the hire has to be on payroll by about the ninth month at the latest. In practice, plan the hire from the start, and put it in the budget alongside incorporation.

If your spouse will hold less than 30% of the company, or the business will not hire locally, the LOC does not fit. The usual alternative is an Employment Pass sponsored by the Singapore company itself; see Employment Pass for business owners.

Can a Dependant’s Pass holder work remotely for an overseas employer?

MOM’s position turns on who the work is for. If you are in Singapore working for, or providing services to, a Singapore-based organisation or client (one registered with ACRA), you need a work pass. If you are working for, or providing services to, an overseas-based organisation or client, you do not need a work pass. Holding a DP does not change that test.

Two cautions from doing this work. First, the test applies client by client: a freelance designer with three overseas clients and one Singapore client needs a pass for the Singapore work. Second, the work pass question and the tax question are separate. Being allowed to work without a pass says nothing about where the income is taxed, so take tax advice before the first payslip.

Can a Dependant’s Pass holder volunteer?

Yes, without a work pass, if no payment is involved and the activity is for a charitable purpose. Unpaid help at your spouse’s own company is not charity, so it does not fall under this exemption.

What changes in 2027?

The Employment Pass qualifying salary rises for new applications submitted from 1 January 2027, and for renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028. A DP holder planning to move onto their own EP in 2027 has to clear the higher scale.

One effect is easy to miss. On the published figures, the lowest EP qualifying salary for new applications from 2027 (S$6,000) equals the S$6,000 a main pass holder needs to sponsor a DP. An EP holder renewing before 2028 on a salary between S$5,600 and S$5,999 still holds a valid EP but cannot sponsor a DP for their family.

What most guides get wrong

• “An employer can still get an LOC for a DP holder.” Not since 1 May 2021. An employed DP holder needs an EP, S Pass or DP-Work Permit. The LOC is only for DP holders running their own business.
• “Any shareholding qualifies for the LOC.” A company director needs at least 30% of the shares. A 20% co-founder does not qualify on that basis.
• “The local hire is optional.” MOM lists it as a renewal condition, with three consecutive months of CPF contributions before you file. Without it, the LOC cannot be renewed when its first year ends.
• “A DP holder can never work remotely.” MOM’s FAQ says work for an overseas-based employer or client needs no work pass. The restriction is on work for Singapore-based parties.

How VIVOS can help

VIVOS is a licensed employment agency (MOM EA Licence 24S2425) and an ACRA Registered Filing Agent (FA20240323). We handle Employment Pass, Dependant’s Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass applications for founders and their families, Letter of Consent applications for DP business owners, and the incorporation and payroll set-up that the LOC renewal depends on. Start with our Dependant’s Pass service page, or speak to the team on +65 8827 7870 (WhatsApp) or contact@vivos.com.sg. We are at 14B Stanley Street, Singapore 068733.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Dependant’s Pass holder work part-time in Singapore?

Only with a work pass. There is no part-time exemption for DP holders. The employer must apply for an Employment Pass, S Pass or DP-Work Permit, and the DP-Work Permit has no minimum qualifying salary.

Can a Dependant’s Pass holder own a company in Singapore?

Yes. To set up or run it, the DP holder needs a Letter of Consent, which requires them to be a sole proprietor, a partner, or a director with at least 30% of the shares. To renew the LOC, the business must employ at least one Singaporean or PR paid at least S$1,800 a month with three consecutive months of CPF contributions.

Can I work remotely for my overseas employer while on a Dependant’s Pass?

Yes. MOM says you do not need a work pass if you are working for or providing services to an overseas-based organisation or client. You need a work pass if the employer or client is a Singapore-based, ACRA-registered party.

What happens to my Dependant’s Pass if I get an Employment Pass?

Your DP must be cancelled before the Employment Pass or S Pass is issued. You then hold your own pass and no longer depend on the main pass holder, but your pass is tied to your own employer.

How much must my spouse earn for me to get a Dependant’s Pass?

The Employment Pass or S Pass holder must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000. MOM assesses the pass holder’s own salary, not combined household income.

Sources

• MOM: Dependant’s Pass eligibility
• MOM: Dependant’s Pass holders working in Singapore
• MOM: Letter of Consent for Dependant’s Pass business owners, eligibility
• MOM FAQ: Do I need a work pass if I am self-employed or working for an overseas-based employer?
• MOM: Factsheet on work arrangements for DP holders from 1 May 2021 (PDF)
• MOM: Local Qualifying Salary
• MOM: Written answer on the Local Qualifying Salary (2026)
• MOM: Employment Pass eligibility

Last reviewed: 4 November 2026 by Ray Tay.