Planning for Your Team's Overseas Travel in 2021
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After months of backlogged re-entry approvals for Singapore work pass holders to return to the country, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced in early August that it would resume entry approvals for work pass holders and their dependants in a safe and calibrated manner. This is great news for those who may have been stuck abroad, but it’s also a bright light at the end of a tunnel for foreigners who haven’t been able to see their families in the past year and a half.
As Singapore continues to gradually ease its border restrictions due to COVID-19, employees will be looking to their employers for guidance on how and when they might be able to travel again through the Work Pass Holder General Lane (WPHL). For those of you starting to navigate these queries, or if you’re planning for your own travel, our work pass processing team shares their tips on what to consider when you’re planning for your team’s overseas travel.
Departing Singapore
All countries have their own entry requirements, from testing to quarantine and vaccination documentation. While regulations outside Singapore don’t fall on the employer, it doesn’t hurt to encourage your team to do their research on their own if they will be traveling from Singapore to another location. Many destinations will require pre-departure tests within a certain number of days along with tests upon arrival, however the type of test and time period may vary.
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Applying To Re-Enter
Applications may be submitted between 3 to 30 days ahead of arrival back in Singapore. Approval will be granted for a three-day window, so if your employee does have their return flight booked already, you’ll want to gather those details for their application. The employer or third-party agency (“Submitter”) must pay for pass holders’ entry charges and will have joint responsibility with the pass holder to ensure they comply with the measures, which will vary depending on the category of the country from which they will return (more details may be found here via the Safe Travel portal).
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Testing Requirements
Currently, all categories of countries within the Work Pass Holder General Lane (WPHL) require a COVID-19 test upon arrival, however the type of test may vary depending on where the traveller is coming from. You’ll want to familiarise yourself with those requirements and arrange any required tests prior to arrival.
Vaccination Documentation
Those who are approved for entry from higher-risk countries (Category III and IV) will need to show proof of their full vaccination status to the airlines before boarding and at the checkpoint upon arrival in Singapore, so you’ll want to advise your employees to get their documentation in order.
Those vaccinated abroad will be required to update their records in the National Immunisation Registry (NIR), so it’s best to have a plan in place in advance depending on where they are traveling from.
Insurance
While COVID-19 insurance is only a requirement for travelers holding Work Permit, Training Work Permit or S Pass, it is still a good-to-have for Employment Pass holders and dependants. If you’re joining a company here in Singapore, check whether your new employer’s insurance covers incoming employees, saving you the stress and the cost of getting travel insurance! Otherwise, if you’re looking for personal cover, consider reaching out to local insurance agencies for a quick quote.
Stay-Home Notice (SHN)
If you qualify for home quarantine or are coming in from Category I countries that don’t require the full 7- or 14-day quarantine, good for you! For the rest of us who can only look forward to an SHN-Dedicated Facilities (SDF) hotel room, 14 days can be a daunting experience.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many options when it comes to hotel or room choice, and almost all requests (balcony, connecting room, larger room, baby cots) have to be made at the hotel concierge. If you have medical conditions that require accommodations, do get a doctor’s note and the staff can assist you accordingly. If you’d like a bit more space and certainty, you can book an SDF suite and notify the government agencies prior to your arrival, so they can send you to the right hotel.
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The Accela work pass processing team has helped countless clients enter Singapore smoothly, from pre-departure planning to entry application to post-arrival follow-up. Drop us a line at [email protected] to schedule a call.