Working in Singapore as Dental Assistant or Practice Manager

Working in Singapore as Dental Assistant or Practice Manager has a relatively low barrier to entry. Many clinics employ qualified dental assistants and receptionists.

Mid-level skilled foreigners who wish to work in Singapore may apply for an S Pass. Applicants will be assessed on a points system, taking into account multiple criteria. S Pass applicants accumulate points based on how far they meet the criteria. As a general guide, these criteria can be broadly described as (for illustrative purposes only):

•    A minimum fixed monthly salary of $2,000
•    Educational qualifications
⁃    A degree, diploma
⁃    2 Technical certificates can be considered. These are, very broadly, courses that train the applicant to be a qualified technician or specialist in their chosen field. The certification should comprise of at least one year of full-time study.
•    Type of job (e.g. professional, specialist or technician)
•    Number of years of relevant work experience

You may also use the S Pass Self-Assessment Tool to check if you are eligible:
S Pass Self-Assessment Tool Check Online

Who should apply for a Work Permit
The Work Permit (WP) is for foreigners who:

  • Want to work in Singapore; and
  • Are from an approved source country/territory (depending on the sector which the worker is going to be employed in).

A prospective employer must first apply to the Controller of Work Passes for a WP before employing a Foreign Worker. Prior to that, business employers who have never applied for WP or S Passes before are required to declare their business activity.

There are rules and regulations which WP holders and employers have to follow. You can read these rules under the Conditions of Work Permits.

Malaysian workers
An employer who wishes to employ a Malaysian who already holds a valid WP in Singapore must apply for a separate WP:

  • Upon approval, the new employer will be issued an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter stating when the new WP should be collected; and
  • The existing employer must cancel the worker’s existing WP on or before the scheduled date of collection.

Workers from North Asian Sources/Non-Traditional Source/People’s Republic of China

Non-Malaysian WP holders generally fall into one of these three source country/territory groupings:
1. North Asian Sources (NAS) – Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan
2. Non-Traditional Sources (NTS) – India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Philippines
3. People’s Republic of China (PRC)

Foreign Workers from NAS/NTS/PRC cannot be in Singapore when their WP applications are being submitted.

Employers can only bring these workers in after:

  • Obtaining the In-Principle Approval; and
  • Furnishing a security bond of $5,000 per worker.

Security deposits can be made in the form of a Banker’s Guarantee or Insurance Guarantee payable to the Controller of Work Passes.