Your Singapore Employment Pass has been approved. That is the milestone. What follows is a compressed, high-stakes logistics window in which you must simultaneously arrange housing, school places, healthcare, banking, and a Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) if your family needs one — often while still working a notice period in your home country. Most newly approved EP holders underestimate how much lead time each of these steps requires. This Singapore relocation checklist for newly approved EP holders sets out what to action, in what order, and by when — so your family’s first months in Singapore are a transition, not a crisis.
Before You Arrive: Weeks 1–8 After EP Approval
Step 1 — Apply for Your Dependant’s Pass and LTVP (Week 1)
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 who accompany you will need a Dependant’s Pass (DP) or Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP). Your employer applies for the DP at the same time as, or immediately after, the EP. Apply on Day 1: DP and LTVP processing takes 3–10 business days online, but the pass is only issued once you have collected your EP card. Do not book one-way travel until all passes are in hand.
Step 2 — Start School Applications Immediately (Weeks 1–3)
School selection is the highest-stakes step on this checklist — and the one with the longest lead time. Top international schools require applications 6–12 months before the intended start date; many have waiting lists of 12–18 months for certain year groups. Key points:
- International schools are open to all EP holders’ children. Fees range from SGD 2,000 to SGD 4,500 per month. Apply to two or three schools simultaneously, as many allow applications without a confirmed Singapore address.
- MOE government schools admit non-citizens subject to vacancy, through a central placement exercise. Per MOE’s international student admission guidelines, places are not guaranteed and are allocated after Singaporean citizens and PRs.
- Hybrid schools (Dulwich College, GESS, SJI International) offer IB or other international curricula and tend to have shorter waiting times than the most oversubscribed schools.
For a full comparison of school types, fees and enrolment windows, see our Singapore schools for expats 2026 guide.
Step 3 — Shortlist Housing Near Your Chosen School (Weeks 2–4)
Choose housing after, not before, you have applied to schools. Once you know which schools are realistic options, shortlist properties within a manageable commute. Typical 2026 rental ranges for EP-holder families:
- 3-bedroom condo, prime districts (9, 10, 11, 15): SGD 6,500–9,000/month
- 3-bedroom condo, city-fringe or suburban: SGD 4,500–6,500/month
- Serviced apartment (3-bedroom, bridge accommodation): SGD 4,500–7,500/month
Budget at least four weeks to find, negotiate and sign a lease. Short-term serviced apartments work well as a landing pad while you search. For the full cost of living breakdown for expat families in Singapore, including utilities, transport and domestic help, our 2026 numbers guide covers each category.
Step 4 — Begin the FDW Application (Weeks 2–6)
If your household intends to hire a Foreign Domestic Worker, begin now. The end-to-end process from selecting a worker to her first day typically runs 6–10 weeks. Per MOM’s FDW framework, EP holders with a gross monthly income of SGD 3,000 or more are eligible to employ an FDW. Estimated 2026 monthly all-in costs:
- Work Permit levy: SGD 300/month (standard household) or SGD 60/month (concession rate for households with a child under 16, elderly parent aged 65+, or person with disabilities).
- FDW salary: SGD 650–900/month depending on nationality and experience.
- Insurance: MOM requires a minimum personal accident and hospitalisation policy of SGD 15,000 coverage — premiums typically SGD 200–400/year.
- Agency fee: SGD 500–2,000 one-time, depending on source country and agency.
- Total monthly run-rate: approximately SGD 1,000–1,300 for a standard household.
On Arrival: Your First Two Weeks in Singapore
Step 5 — Collect EP and DP Cards, Register Address (Days 1–5)
Your In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter allows you to enter Singapore and work while your EP card is produced (typically 3–7 business days after arrival). Collect the EP card via your employer’s HR team. Your dependants collect their DP or LTVP cards separately. Once you move into your accommodation, register your Singapore address with ICA within 28 days — all EP and DP holders are required to maintain an accurate residential address on record.
Step 6 — Open a Singapore Bank Account (Days 3–10)
DBS, OCBC, UOB and Standard Chartered all open accounts for EP holders with EP card, passport and proof of address. Digital banks (Trust, MariBank, GXS) open via app with just your FIN — no branch visit required. Arrange salary crediting with your employer’s payroll team in your first week; most Singapore employers transfer salaries via GIRO to a local account.
Step 7 — Review Your Health Insurance (Days 1–14)
EP holders are not enrolled in MediShield Life, Singapore’s national health insurance scheme, which covers only Citizens and Permanent Residents. You depend entirely on your employer’s group plan or a private policy. Check with HR what the plan covers — particularly private hospital ward class, outpatient limits and whether your DP-holding spouse and children are included. If the employer plan is thin, top up with an International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) policy. Mid-tier IPMI for a family of four runs SGD 10,000–18,000/year. For a full breakdown of healthcare for expats in Singapore, including Integrated Shield Plan eligibility once you become a PR, our healthcare for expats guide covers all the options.
Within the First Month: Practical Registrations
Step 8 — Convert Your Driving Licence
Many foreign driving licences allow a temporary driving period in Singapore, but you must convert to a Singapore Qualified Driving Licence (QDL) for long-term use. The process involves a Basic Theory Test (BTT) and, depending on your home country’s licence classification, possibly a Practical Driving Test. Book a BTT slot early — test slots fill 2–3 weeks out.
Step 9 — Complete School Enrolment (Weeks 4–8)
With EP and DP cards in hand and a residential address confirmed, complete school enrolment formalities. International schools typically require EP and DP cards as part of enrolment. MOE government school enrolment requires proof of Singapore residential address. If you applied to a government school through MOE’s placement exercise, placement decisions are issued by MOE within the relevant window.
Step 10 — Understand Your Singapore Tax Position (End of Year 1)
Singapore taxes EP holders on income earned in Singapore. Work in Singapore for 183 days or more in a calendar year and you are taxed as a resident at progressive rates from 0% to 24% on chargeable income. Your employer submits your employment income to IRAS under the Auto-Inclusion Scheme; your first tax return is due by 15 April of the year following your first full calendar year of employment. Retain documentation of days outside Singapore for work travel, as these affect residency calculations.
Checklist Summary Table
| Timing | Action | Who Initiates |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 after EP approval | Apply for Dependant’s Pass / LTVP for spouse and children | Employer HR on your behalf |
| Weeks 1–3 | Submit school applications (2–3 schools simultaneously) | You, directly to schools |
| Weeks 2–4 | Shortlist housing near preferred school; engage agent | You, via property agent |
| Weeks 2–6 | Begin FDW application if needed | You, via MOM-licensed agency |
| Day 1–5 on arrival | Collect EP and DP cards; register Singapore address with ICA | You and employer HR |
| Days 3–10 on arrival | Open Singapore bank account; set up salary crediting | You |
| Days 1–14 on arrival | Review employer health plan; purchase IPMI top-up if needed | You |
| Month 1 | Book BTT slot; convert driving licence if planning to drive | You, via Singapore Traffic Police |
| Weeks 4–8 | Complete school enrolment with passes and address proof | You, directly to school |
| End of Year 1 | File personal income tax with IRAS by 15 April | You (employer submits AIS data) |
Conclusion
The Singapore relocation checklist for newly approved EP holders above is not a list to tackle sequentially — Steps 1, 2 and 4 run in parallel from Day 1 after approval. The critical insight is that school applications and FDW applications both have minimum lead times that cannot be shortened, so they must start before you have done anything else. Housing follows school choice, not the reverse.
For a comprehensive narrative guide covering all aspects of family relocation to Singapore — including detailed district guides, school comparisons and cost modelling — see our complete family relocation guide for 2026. For assistance with Employment Pass, Dependant’s Pass and all related work pass applications, Singapore Employment Agency — Little Big Employment Agency Pte Ltd (MOM Licence 19C9790) — is a MOM-licensed employment agency serving EP holders and their families. For corporate services including incorporation and secretarial support as you establish your Singapore presence, Raffles Corporate Services is our affiliated practice.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency