Singapore Employment Pass qualification verification made simple
Simple Singapore Employment Pass qualification verification comes down to one thing: making sure your education credentials can be accepted as valid evidence when your employer submits your Employment Pass application. If you are planning to move to Singapore for work, getting this sorted early can prevent an avoidable hold-up once you have secured a job.
RMI can manage the qualification verification process for you, including checking your qualification with the awarding institution and confirming the institution’s accreditation where required.
Why are qualifications checked for a Singapore Employment Pass?
Singapore’s Employment Pass, usually called an EP, is intended for foreign professionals working in Singapore.
Most Employment Pass candidates have to meet a two-stage eligibility framework. The first stage concerns salary. The second is the Complementarity Assessment Framework, better known as COMPASS. Unless an exemption applies, an application needs at least 40 COMPASS points to pass.
Qualifications can contribute towards that score.
Under the C2 Qualifications criterion, eligible degree-equivalent qualifications can contribute 10 or 20 points depending on the qualification and institution. If your employer needs to claim those points for your application, acceptable verification proof must be provided.
That is where qualification verification comes in.
If you are still at the stage of considering a move, RMI’s guide on working in Singapore as a foreigner explains how the Employment Pass fits into the wider process.
Do all Employment Pass applicants need qualification verification?
No. Your qualifications do not always have to be declared.
MOM states that qualification evidence is required when the qualifications are needed for points under the COMPASS C2 Qualifications criterion. There are also certain cases involving occupations on the Shortage Occupation List where qualifications may need to be declared.
Your employer or employment agent will normally assess your overall Employment Pass eligibility and determine whether your qualification needs to form part of the application.
For an individual preparing to work in Singapore, the useful question is therefore simple: will my employer need my qualification to support my Employment Pass application?
If the answer is yes, dealing with verification before the application is submitted can make the next stage much easier.
For more detail on the wider requirements, read RMI’s Singapore Employment Pass eligibility guide.
What does qualification verification actually check?
Simple Singapore Employment Pass qualification verification confirms two key points.
First, the qualification itself needs to be authentic. This means confirming that the degree, diploma or other relevant credential was genuinely awarded to you by the institution shown on your documents.
Second, the status of the educational institution may need to be confirmed. Accreditation checks establish whether the institution is appropriately recognised by the relevant authority.
Sending a copy of your university certificate alone does not achieve this. MOM specifically states that education certificates, notarised documents and school letters are not accepted as qualification verification proof on their own.
Where a background screening company is used, the verification proof also needs to meet MOM’s requirements, including carrying an MOM verification reference number.
What will you need to provide?
The exact documents can vary according to your qualification and educational institution. In a typical case, you should be ready to provide:
- a clear copy of your passport biodata page
- your final degree, diploma or qualification certificate
- your academic transcript where required
- consent allowing the qualification to be checked.
You may also need additional evidence if your current name differs from the name on your qualification, or if your documents require an English translation.
RMI’s guide to documents needed for education verification in Singapore gives a closer look at what to prepare.
Checking your documents before starting matters. A missing transcript, unreadable certificate or difference between your passport and academic records can result in questions that slow the case down.
How does RMI make the process simpler?
For someone organising an international move, qualification verification is another administrative task competing for attention.
RMI provides Simple Singapore Employment Pass qualification verification directly for individuals. You submit your details and documents, give the required authority for the checks and RMI contacts the relevant institution or other sources needed to complete the verification.
Once the checks are complete, you receive your verification report for use in the Employment Pass process.
Most verification cases handled through RMI take around 7 to 15 business days, although some countries and institutions can take longer. Response times depend partly on the university or other verifying body, so starting early is sensible.
There is another useful point if you expect to work in Singapore for several years. MOM states that qualifications generally only need to be verified once. If the same qualification has already been verified appropriately, you should not normally be asked to verify it again for a later application.
When should you start qualification verification?
You do not need to wait until the final day before your employer submits your Employment Pass application.
Once you know that your qualification is likely to be required, starting the verification process early gives the educational institution time to respond and gives you time to deal with any missing information.
This is particularly useful if you studied overseas, graduated some years ago or attended an institution where records are handled manually.
Your employer will still be responsible for making the Employment Pass application. Getting your qualification evidence ready means one important part of that application is already in order.
Get your qualifications verified for your Singapore Employment Pass
Moving country already involves plenty of paperwork. Your education verification does not need to become another project.
If you want Simple Singapore Employment Pass qualification verification handled for you, RMI can verify your educational credentials and provide the documentation required for the MOM process.
Start your Singapore Employment Pass qualification verification with RMI