If you are moving to Singapore on an Employment Pass or S Pass, the dependant pass Singapore issues for your spouse and children is usually the first piece of paperwork that touches the whole family. This guide explains who qualifies, how the application runs, what a Dependant’s Pass holder can and cannot do, and how expat households go about hiring a live-in helper once they have settled in.
Expat families tend to ask three questions in order: can my spouse come, can they work here, and can we hire a helper?
The answers sit with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and they have changed in recent years, especially on whether a spouse can work. We link to the official MOM pages throughout so you can check the current position.
What the Dependant’s Pass is and who it covers
The Dependant’s Pass (DP) is a pass that lets the family of an eligible work pass holder live in Singapore. According to MOM’s key facts on the Dependant’s Pass, it is for the legally married spouse or unmarried children under 21 of eligible Employment Pass or S Pass holders. Children who are legally adopted are included.
The main pass holder must meet two conditions set out on MOM’s Dependant’s Pass eligibility page:
- They must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $6,000. MOM is explicit that this is based on the pass holder’s own salary, not combined household income.
- They must be sponsored by an established, Singapore-registered company, which is usually the employer.
Family members who need a different pass
Not every family member fits the Dependant’s Pass. MOM’s Long-Term Visit Pass eligibility page covers common-law spouses, unmarried stepchildren under 21, and unmarried children aged 21 or older with a disability, again where the pass holder earns at least $6,000 a month. Parents can only be brought in on a Long-Term Visit Pass if the pass holder earns a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000.
How to apply for a dependant pass in Singapore
The family member does not apply directly. For EP and S Pass holders, MOM’s application guide says the employer or its appointed employment agent submits the application through EP eService on the myMOM Portal. The main steps are:
- Submit the application. The employer completes the online form, uploads the documents and pays the $105 application fee per pass. MOM gives a processing time of about 3 weeks for EP and S Pass dependants.
- Receive the In-Principle Approval (IPA). The IPA letter works as a pre-approved single-entry visa. It is valid for 6 months for EP dependants and 2 months for S Pass dependants, so plan travel around it.
- Get the pass issued. The family member must be in Singapore. The employer submits the issuance details and pays the $225 issuance fee per pass, plus $30 per Multiple Journey Visa where applicable.
- Register fingerprints and photo if asked. The notification letter says whether this is needed. EP dependants register at the Employment Pass Services Centre within 2 weeks of the pass being issued, and S Pass dependants at the MOM Services Centre within 1 week.
- Collect the digital pass and card. The pass holder can view the digital pass in the SGWorkPass app with Singpass, and the card is usually delivered within 5 working days of registration or document verification.
The DP lasts as long as the main work pass or the duration requested, whichever is shorter, and it can be renewed.
Can a Dependant’s Pass holder work in Singapore?
Yes, but not on the DP alone. Many people still search for whether a dependent pass can work in Singapore as a permission to take a job, because for years a simple Letter of Consent (LOC) was enough. That changed on 1 May 2021. In a written parliamentary answer, MOM confirmed that from that date all DP holders who wish to work must obtain a work pass, including for part-time or temporary jobs.
MOM’s page on working in Singapore for Dependant’s Pass holders sets out the current routes:
- Employment Pass or S Pass. A prospective employer applies, and the DP holder must meet the prevailing criteria. The DP is cancelled before the new pass is issued.
- DP-Work Permit (DP-WP). There is no minimum qualifying salary, and the holder can be of any nationality. Its validity is tied to the DP, and the relevant Work Permit quota and levy apply.
- Letter of Consent for business owners. DP holders who set up or run their own business can apply for an LOC if they meet MOM’s criteria.
Unpaid volunteering for a charitable purpose does not need a work pass. And according to MOM’s FAQ on remote and self-employed work, a DP holder working for an overseas-based organisation or client does not need a work pass, but one providing services to a Singapore-registered organisation or client does.
Can an expat family hire a live-in helper?
Yes. MOM’s FAQ on Employment Pass and S Pass holders confirms they can apply for a Work Permit for a migrant domestic worker. In most expat households the main work pass holder is the named employer. The application needs your passport, your work pass or your spouse’s Long-Term Pass, and income documents such as the Notice of Assessment for you and your spouse, or your consent for MOM to verify income with IRAS.
New arrivals without a Singapore Notice of Assessment can give written reasons plus an employment letter on company letterhead stating their start date and monthly salary.
MOM has not published a specific rule on whether a DP holder can be the named employer in their own right, so in practice we work with the main pass holder as the employer. If your situation is unusual, check with MOM before applying.
MOM’s employer requirements still apply
Being a foreigner does not change the basic tests on MOM’s employer requirements page. You must be 21 or older, not an undischarged bankrupt, and have the mental capacity to carry out an employer’s responsibilities. MOM also considers your caregiving needs and your financial ability to hire the helper and house her properly.
Household income is one of the criteria, but MOM does not disclose a minimum figure, and spouses may combine income.
The Employers’ Orientation Programme
First-time helper employers in Singapore must attend the Employers’ Orientation Programme (EOP), even if you employed a helper in another country. The online EOP takes 2 hours and costs $29 to $36, and the classroom version takes 3 hours and costs $35 to $76. It must be completed at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application. Our guide to the EOP course for maid employers walks through booking it.
The declared address
Your helper may only work at the residential address declared to MOM. If you move flats or condominiums, update the address before she starts working at the new home. Deploying her to work at another home, such as a friend’s, is not allowed; the only exception is caring for your own child or parent at a relative’s home, and only after notifying MOM. She also needs suitable sleeping space with privacy, in line with MOM’s accommodation guidelines.
Helper costs for expat families
The government charges are the same for every employer, but expat households usually pay the full levy. Here is what to budget for, based on MOM figures:
- Monthly levy: $300 for the first helper and $450 for each additional helper. The concessionary rate of $60 applies only when the household includes a Singapore citizen child under 16, an elderly Singapore citizen aged 67 or above, certain elderly PRs with Singapore citizen family, or a certified person with disabilities. Most expat families do not meet these conditions, so plan on $300. See our maid levy guide for the detail.
- Security bond: $5,000 per helper, usually bought as an insurer’s guarantee rather than paid in cash. It is required for every helper except Malaysians. Our article on the maid security bond explains when it can be forfeited.
- Insurance: medical insurance with an annual claim limit of at least $60,000, and personal accident insurance of at least $60,000 a year. You cannot pass the premium on to your helper.
- Work Permit fees: $35 to apply and $35 to issue.
- Settling-in Programme: for a first-time helper, a 1-day course costing $76.40 to $92.65, paid by the employer and attended within 7 days of arrival.
- Salary: MOM sets no minimum salary, but you must pay the amount declared in the application, no later than 7 days after the end of each salary period.
- Meals and medical care: 3 meals a day, and the six-monthly medical examination, which the employer pays for.
Agency fees vary and are separate from these charges. Our full breakdown of what it costs to hire a maid puts all the numbers side by side.
Practical tips for expat employers
- Time it around your passes. Hire once your own pass and home address are settled.
- Consider a transfer helper. A transfer maid is already in Singapore and has local experience, which can help a family still learning how things work here. Her current employer’s consent is required.
- Plan for your departure. If your assignment ends, the helper’s Work Permit must be cancelled and she must be sent home, or she can transfer to a new employer with your consent.
If you want a live-in helper from the start, our full-time helper placements page explains how matching works, and we can share profiles of Filipino helpers and Indonesian helpers, as well as Myanmar and Mizoram helpers, on request.
Related guides: Maid Off Day Rules in Singapore: 2026 Guide for Employers and Domestic Helper Work Permit Singapore: How to Apply (2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
What salary do I need to bring my family on a Dependant’s Pass?
MOM requires the Employment Pass or S Pass holder to earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $6,000, based on their own salary rather than combined household income, and to be sponsored by an established Singapore-registered company.
Can my spouse work on a Dependant’s Pass?
Not on the Dependant’s Pass alone; since 1 May 2021 a DP holder needs their own work pass, such as an Employment Pass, S Pass or DP-Work Permit, while business owners who meet MOM’s criteria can apply for a Letter of Consent.
Can a foreigner on an Employment Pass hire a maid in Singapore?
Yes, MOM allows Employment Pass and S Pass holders to apply for a Work Permit for a migrant domestic worker, provided they meet the employer requirements, show proof of income and attend the Employers’ Orientation Programme if they are first-time employers.
Do expat families get the maid levy concession?
Usually not, because the $60 concessionary levy depends on the household including a Singapore citizen child under 16, a qualifying elderly Singapore citizen or PR, or a certified person with disabilities, so most expat families pay the $300 normal rate.
What happens to our helper if we leave Singapore?
Her Work Permit must be cancelled and she must be sent home, unless she transfers to a new employer, which requires your consent through MOM’s transfer process.
Conclusion
The Dependant’s Pass gets your family to Singapore, but it does not by itself let your spouse work. A spouse who wants a job needs a work pass of their own, and a helper is normally hired by the main pass holder, who must meet MOM’s employer requirements, attend the EOP if new to it, and budget for the full levy, bond and insurance.
If you are planning your first helper hire as an expat, we are happy to talk it through. You can get in touch with the Femme5 team to discuss your family’s needs, read more about how we work with employers, or explore what a good placement looks like.
The Femme5 Team
Maid placement specialists, Femme5 Maid Agency
Our consultants work with Singaporean and expatriate families on helper matching, contracts and MOM compliance, and we verify the regulatory guidance in our articles directly against the Ministry of Manpower’s published requirements.
