If you lost your job on a work pass in Singapore, your employer has to cancel the pass within one week of your last day of notice, and from that moment you cannot work. You do not have to leave the same day. For an Employment Pass the employer can request a Short-Term Visit Pass (STVP) of up to 90 days, and for an S Pass up to 30 days, which gives you legal stay while you wrap up or look for the next role.
Those numbers come from MOM's cancellation pages as of October 2026. The sections below set out the timeline, what your employer owes you before the pass goes, what happens to your spouse's and children's passes, and how a new employer can bring you back onto a pass.
Key Takeaways
- Your employer must cancel your pass within 1 week after the last day of notice, per MOM.
- Once the pass is cancelled you cannot work, even while waiting to leave Singapore.
- An STVP gives up to 90 days of stay after an Employment Pass is cancelled and up to 30 days after an S Pass is cancelled.
- Work Permit holders get a Special Pass instead, tied to a departure date within 14 days of cancellation.
- Dependant's Passes and other family passes linked to your EP are cancelled with it and cannot be reinstated.
- A new employer can apply for a fresh pass. MOM does not require the old one to be cancelled first.
The timeline from notice to cancellation
A work pass in Singapore is tied to one employer. When that job ends, through a lay-off, a retrenchment exercise or a resignation, the pass has to end too. MOM puts the duty to cancel on the employer, not on you.
Notice comes first
Your contract sets the notice period. Where the contract is silent, MOM's notice table applies by length of service. Notice must be in writing, and the employer does not have to give a reason. Either side can pay salary in lieu of notice instead of serving it, and both can agree in writing to waive it.
| Length of service | Notice if the contract is silent |
|---|---|
| Less than 26 weeks | 1 day |
| 26 weeks to less than 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 years to less than 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years or more | 4 weeks |
Then the pass is cancelled
MOM says the employer must cancel an Employment Pass or S Pass within 1 week after the last day of notice. The request can go in up to 14 days early, so a pass ending on 15 February can be lined up from 1 February. Cancellation is immediate unless it was booked in advance.
If you have already left Singapore for good, the employer has 1 week from your departure date to cancel. A pass that has simply expired does not need cancelling, but you still need a valid stay if you are in the country.
How long you can stay after the pass ends
This is the question most people ask first. The answer depends on the pass type, and it is your employer who applies for the stay document through MOM's eService. Ask for it in writing before your last day so it is not forgotten.
| Pass type | Stay document after cancellation | Maximum stay (MOM, as of 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass | Short-Term Visit Pass (STVP) | Up to 90 days from the date of application |
| S Pass | Short-Term Visit Pass (STVP) | Up to 30 days from the date of application |
| Work Permit | Special Pass | Based on a scheduled departure date within 14 days of cancellation |
Both you and the employer receive the STVP by email. You show it with your passport to the immigration officer when you leave. If you are still in Singapore without a valid pass, MOM warns that an overstaying fine applies, and staying past the expiry of a visa is a criminal offence.
You cannot work during this period
An STVP is a visit pass. MOM is clear that once the work pass is cancelled the holder cannot work, even while waiting to leave. That rules out freelance gigs and short contracts with a new company until a new pass is issued.
What your employer owes you before the pass goes
Before cancelling, MOM expects the employer to give you reasonable notice of repatriation and to settle outstanding employment issues, including salary. For retrenchment, MOM's guidance says salaries, unused annual leave and notice pay should be paid on the last day of work.
- Tax clearance: the employer must seek clearance from IRAS at least 1 month before your last day of employment, using the IR21 process.
- Your flight home: for EP and S Pass holders, the employer buys an air ticket with check-in luggage to your home country, unless you agree in writing to pay for it yourself.
- Retrenchment benefit: employees with at least 2 years of service are eligible. The amount follows your contract or collective agreement, and MOM gives the usual norm as 2 weeks to 1 month of salary per year of service.
- Notification: employers with at least 10 employees must tell MOM about a retrenchment within 5 working days of notifying the affected employee.
If you have less than 2 years of service, any payment is goodwill rather than an entitlement. Read your contract before the exit meeting so you know which clauses apply, and keep copies of the termination letter and your last payslips.
What happens to your family's passes
This part catches families out. MOM states that once an Employment Pass is cancelled, all related passes issued to family members are cancelled as well, and they cannot be reinstated. A Dependant's Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass sponsored through your EP ends on the same day as your own pass.
School places and housing plans can be hit on the same day. If your spouse holds their own work pass from their own employer, that pass is separate and is not cancelled with yours.
Permanent residents are not affected
If you became a Singapore PR before losing the job, MOM does not need to cancel anything because your stay no longer depends on a work pass. MOM lists becoming a PR as one of the cases where the employer does not cancel the pass.
Getting back onto a pass with a new employer
MOM's guidance for EP holders is that the new employer applies for a new Employment Pass, and there is no need to cancel the existing pass before that application goes in. MOM considers each new application on its merits under the rules in force at the time.
For an EP that means the new role has to clear the qualifying salary and the COMPASS points test again. Your previous approval does not carry over. If the old pass was cancelled and you are on an STVP, a successful new application ends the gap and you can start work once the new pass is issued.
If you resign to join someone else
MOM does not cancel the old pass automatically when a new one is approved. The old employer still cancels it, which protects your notice period. Agree the end date and the new start date with both employers so you are never working for one company on the other company's pass.
- Get your termination letter and confirm the last day of notice in writing.
- Ask your employer to request the STVP or Special Pass when they cancel your pass.
- Check whether any family passes depend on yours and plan school and housing around that date.
- Share your updated CV and pass history with recruiters early, since the stay window is fixed.
- If an offer arrives, make sure the new employer applies for the pass before you start any work.
What is changing
The Employment Pass qualifying salary rises again from 1 January 2027, per MOM's published schedule, so an offer made late in 2026 for a start date in 2027 may be assessed against the higher figure. Check the MOM eligibility page against the date the new application will be submitted.
Frequently Asked Questions About losing a job on a work pass in Singapore
How long can I stay in Singapore after losing my job on an Employment Pass?
Your employer can request a Short-Term Visit Pass when cancelling your EP. MOM says it gives a valid stay of up to 90 days from the date of application. For an S Pass the STVP is up to 30 days.
Can I work while on an STVP?
No. MOM states that once the work pass is cancelled the holder cannot work, even while waiting to leave Singapore. You need a new pass from a new employer first.
Does my Dependant's Pass get cancelled if I lose my job?
Yes, if it was issued on the back of your Employment Pass. MOM says all related family passes are cancelled with the EP and cannot be reinstated.
How soon must my employer cancel my work pass?
Within 1 week after the last day of notice. The employer can submit the request up to 14 days in advance.
Am I entitled to retrenchment benefit as a foreign employee?
MOM's guidance makes employees with at least 2 years of service eligible. The amount depends on your contract or collective agreement, and the prevailing norm is 2 weeks to 1 month of salary per year of service.
Does a new employer need my old pass cancelled before applying?
No. MOM says the new employer can apply for a new Employment Pass without the existing EP being cancelled first. The application is judged on its own merits.
Official Sources and References
- Cancelling an Employment Pass (MOM)
- Cancelling an S Pass (MOM)
- Cancelling a Work Permit (MOM)
- Notice periods on termination (MOM)
- Responsible retrenchment and retrenchment benefit (MOM)
- Mandatory retrenchment notifications (MOM)
- Changing jobs while on an EP (MOM FAQ)
Explore Catalyst Immigration’s other services:
- Switching jobs on an Employment Pass
- What happens when an EP expires
- Dependant's Pass guide
- EP COMPASS framework explained
- Work pass application service
Talk to Catalyst Immigration
Losing a job on a pass puts a clock on everything. Catalyst Immigration can check your stay dates and your family's passes, then work with your next employer on the new application. MOM makes the decision, and we help you get the paperwork right the first time.