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Working in Singapore through legal routes

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

Legal routes for Indonesians in Singapore: migrant domestic work, the S Pass and the Employment Pass, and why factory Work Permits are not open.

Work Permits for construction, manufacturing, services and the process sector are not available to Indonesian passport holders, because Indonesia is not a source country approved by Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

Summary

  • The legal routes for Indonesian migrant workers to Singapore are the migrant domestic worker Work Permit, the S Pass and the Employment Pass.
  • Indonesia is not an approved source country for Work Permits in construction, manufacturing, services or the process sector.
  • Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not prescribe a minimum wage for local or foreign workers.
  • Singapore employment agencies may charge at most one month's salary for each year of the contract, and no more than two months' salary.
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On this page
  1. Which legal work routes exist for Singapore?
  2. Which route fits you?
  3. How do you check a job offer for Singapore?

Which route fits you?

The three legal routes differ in who the employer is and how you leave Indonesia. For domestic work the employer is a private individual, so the route is through a licensed P3MI. For the S Pass and Employment Pass the employer is a company, so you can go through a P3MI or as an independent migrant worker.

Legal work routes to Singapore for Indonesian passport holders
RouteWho it is forChannel from Indonesia
Migrant domestic worker Work PermitWomen aged 23 to under 50 at application, with at least eight years of formal educationLicensed P3MI
S PassAssociate professionals and technicians with a job offer and a fixed salary at or above MOM's thresholdLicensed P3MI or independent
Employment PassProfessionals, managers and executives who meet the salary threshold and the COMPASS points testLicensed P3MI or independent
Construction, manufacturing, services, process Work PermitsNot available to Indonesian passport holdersNo legal channel

How do you check a job offer for Singapore?

Match the work pass the recruiter names against the table above. If a recruiter offers Indonesians a factory, construction, restaurant or warehouse Work Permit, that route does not exist. For domestic work, make sure the P3MI is active on SISKOP2MI. For the S Pass and Employment Pass, ask for a written job offer from the company and look the company up yourself, not through a link from the recruiter.

Which official channels can you contact?

Frequently asked questions

Are there factory jobs in Singapore for Indonesians on a Work Permit?

There is no legal route. MOM accepts construction, manufacturing, services and process-sector Work Permits only from approved source countries, and Indonesia is not on that list. Indonesia is also not a Non-Traditional Source (NTS) country for the restricted service jobs, such as cooks, waiters and kitchen assistants. A factory, construction, dishwasher or kitchen assistant job in Singapore on a Work Permit offered to an Indonesian passport holder is a red flag.

Can I go to Singapore without a P3MI agency?

For the S Pass and Employment Pass, Law 18/2017 Article 63 lets independent Indonesian migrant workers work for legal-entity employers. You carry the risks yourself and must report to the labour office and the Indonesian mission. For domestic work the employer is a private individual, so the route is through a licensed P3MI.

What is the age limit for working in Singapore?

Age limits differ by legal route: Employment Pass for professionals, managers and executives: at least 18 years; Migrant domestic worker (MDW): 23 to 49 years; S Pass for associate professionals and technicians: at least 18 years. Check the route page again before you apply.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. Eligibility for Work Permit (migrant domestic worker), Ministry of Manpower Singapore Ministry of Manpower, Singapore · accessed
  2. Eligibility for S Pass Ministry of Manpower, Singapore · accessed
  3. Eligibility for Employment Pass (qualifying salary and COMPASS) Ministry of Manpower, Singapore · accessed
  4. Construction sector: Work Permit requirements Ministry of Manpower Singapore · accessed
  5. Manufacturing sector: Work Permit requirements Ministry of Manpower Singapore · accessed
  6. Services sector: Work Permit requirements Ministry of Manpower Singapore · accessed
  7. Process sector: Work Permit requirements Ministry of Manpower, Singapore · accessed
  8. Is there a prescribed minimum wage for migrant workers in Singapore? Ministry of Manpower, Singapore · accessed
  9. How will foreign workers know how much they have to pay the Singapore employment agency (EA)? Ministry of Manpower, Singapore · accessed
  10. Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
  11. Non-Traditional Sources (NTS) Occupation List, Ministry of Manpower Singapore Ministry of Manpower Singapore · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Working in Singapore through legal routes. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/singapore/

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Change log
  • : Added that Indonesia is also not a MOM Non-Traditional Source (NTS) country for service jobs such as cooks and kitchen assistants.