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Pathway

Singapore Work Holiday Pass

Singapore Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Eligible students and graduates aged 18–25 can apply for a six-month Singapore Work Holiday Pass. Your university’s location, recognition, and full-time study history matter; a qualifying passport alone is not enough.

Age
18–25 when applying
University
A recognized university in one of 10 listed countries or regions
Study history
Resident full-time study; undergraduates need at least three months before applying

Summary

Singapore’s Work Holiday Programme lets eligible university students and graduates aged 18–25 stay and work for up to six months. You apply yourself and do not need an employer sponsor.

The pass cannot be renewed, does not provide family passes, and is limited to 2,000 holders at any one time. Eligibility depends on your university and study history, not simply your passport.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

Age and university

You must be 18–25 on the application date and be an undergraduate or graduate of a government-recognized university in one of these places:

Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, or the United States.

The university’s location and recognition matter. A passport from a listed country, a short course, or an overseas campus that does not meet the location rule is not enough.

Full-time study and residence

Prepare university evidence showing the study mode and required residence history, as well as enrollment or graduation. Someone already aged 26 cannot apply under this six-month program; turning 26 after applying does not change the age test used at application.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) checks the evidence and program capacity. Meeting the personal conditions does not guarantee an available place.

Using Singapore’s six-month Work Holiday Programme
  1. Check age, university, and study history Use the six-month program’s rules, including resident full-time study.
  2. Apply directly to MOM Submit official records and check the program’s limited capacity.
  3. Complete your temporary work-and-holiday stay Follow pass and professional rules and plan to leave or change status before expiry.

The separate Australian and New Zealand 12-month programs have different requirements.

What This Route Allows

The approved pass allows a temporary job, internship, or other lawful work-and-holiday stay within its six-month limit. There is no employer quota or foreign-worker levy.

After initial approval, complete the required entry, pass issuance, and any fingerprint and photo steps. Report address or employment changes where the pass conditions require, and cancel the pass if it is no longer needed.

Regulated professions still require registration. This includes areas such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture, and law. Employment and tax rules also continue to apply.

What This Route Is Not

This is not an automatic step toward an Employment Pass, S Pass, permanent residence, or citizenship. A later work pass must meet its own requirements, and you need different valid permission to stay after expiry.

Spouses, partners, children, and parents do not receive family passes through this program. They must qualify independently.

Singapore has separate 12-month Work and Holiday Visa Programs for eligible Australian and New Zealand citizens aged 18–30. Those use different citizenship, education, and participation rules. Do not combine their conditions with this six-month university-based program.

Next Steps

  1. Check your age, the university’s location and recognition, and your resident full-time study history.
  2. Gather the passport and official university records requested by MOM, and check current availability before making nonrefundable plans.
  3. Apply through the candidate process and complete the entry and pass steps if approved. Obtain professional registration where required.
  4. Plan for the nonrenewable six-month limit. If an employer wants you to stay longer, it must pursue the appropriate separate pass in time.

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Discussed in these reports

Similar youth mobility pathways in other destinations.

Sources