Inoculation a must for PR, long-term pass applications
Vaccination will be a mandatory condition for the approval of new applications for work passes, long-term passes and permanent residence in Singapore from Feb 1 next year.
Those renewing their work passes will also have to be vaccinated.
However, this rule will not apply to children aged below 12 and those who are medically ineligible for vaccination.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced the new measure yesterday as part of the nation's adjustments to dealing with the Omicron variant.
"These measures will help sustain our high vaccination rates and facilitate the safe reopening of our society and economy," MOH said in a statement.
At the point of application, employers will have to make a declaration that their work pass holders and dependants are fully vaccinated upon arrival in Singapore.
Work pass holders must submit or present their vaccination certificates as part of the verification process.
Those with digitally verifiable certificates will have to verify their certificates by uploading them to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's Vaccination Check Portal system, the ministry added.
Those without digitally verifiable certificates will have to present their vaccination certificates to the airlines or ferry operators, or at the checkpoint before boarding.
Those who cannot produce the necessary documents will not be allowed to board the plane or enter Singapore, unless prior exemptions have been granted.
Individuals who were vaccinated overseas must update their vaccination records in the National Immunisation Registry (NIR) and will be given a grace period of 30 days upon arrival in Singapore to undergo and show a positive serology test result taken at a Public Health Preparedness Clinic.
Should they test negative, they will be required to complete the full vaccination regimen in Singapore or their passes may be revoked, MOH said.
As for dependants of work pass holders, the vaccination condition will not apply to children aged below 12.
Children aged 12 to 17 can continue to make a declaration to complete the full vaccination regimen after arriving in Singapore.
Pass holders who are medically ineligible for vaccination will have to submit a doctor's memo at the point of application and undergo a medical review upon arrival in Singapore.
Those applying for permanent residence, student passes and long-term visit passes will have their vaccination status verified when their passes are issued.
Their vaccination records will also have to be updated in the NIR.
If applicants are unvaccinated or vaccinated overseas but test negative in a serology test - an indication that the body has not produced antibodies in response to vaccination - they will have to complete the full vaccination regimen in Singapore to fulfil the vaccination condition before they can be granted permanent residence or long-term passes.
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