Can LTVP Holder Work in Singapore? Letter of Consent and Work Options Explained
Quick AnswerA Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) does not automatically give the holder the right to work in Singapore. Depending on who issued the LTVP, the holder’s relationship to the sponsor and the type of employment, work authorisation may take the form of an LOC, PLOC, Work Permit, Employment Pass or S Pass. |
If you hold an LTVP and plan to work in Singapore, having the pass is only the first part of the process. You also need the work authorisation that applies to your LTVP category before you can take up employment.
The route also changes depending on your circumstances. For instance, a foreign spouse of a Singapore Citizen may qualify for a Letter of Consent (LOC), while a parent of a Singapore Citizen may work through a Work Permit. Family members of Employment Pass or S Pass holders have their own work pass requirements.
Can LTVP Holders Work in Singapore?
Yes. Depending on your LTVP category, you may work through an LOC, PLOC or Work Permit, while some holders need to qualify separately for an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit.
| Your LTVP Situation | Work Route | What Happens Next |
| ICA-issued LTVP/LTVP+ as spouse of a Singapore Citizen or PR1 | LOC or PLOC | LOC requires a job first; PLOC can be obtained before employment |
| ICA-issued LTVP as unmarried child under 21 of a Singapore Citizen or PR2 | LOC or PLOC | Same LOC/PLOC route applies if eligible |
| ICA-issued LTVP as parent of a Singapore Citizen or PR | Work Permit | Employer applies; at least 4 months of LTVP validity is required |
| ICA-issued LTVP as parent accompanying a child studying here | Work Permit after first year | Work is unavailable during the first year; employer may apply after that |
| MOM-issued LTVP linked to an EP, S Pass, PEP or EntrePass holder | EP, S Pass or Work Permit | Secure a job and qualify for the relevant work pass |
| MOM-issued LTVP as common-law spouse of a ONE Pass holder | LOC | Prospective employer applies for the LOC |
| Other LTVP family members of a ONE Pass holder | EP, S Pass or Work Permit | Must qualify for the relevant work pass |
Spouses and Children of Singapore Citizens or PRs
If you hold an ICA-issued LTVP or LTVP+3 as the spouse of a Singapore Citizen or PR, you may work through an LOC once you have secured a job. An unmarried child under 21 of a Singapore Citizen or PR may also qualify.
Eligible holders can also use a Pre-approved Letter of Consent (PLOC). Unlike an LOC, a PLOC can be obtained before you secure a job.
Parents of Singapore Citizens or PRs
If you are a parent of a Singapore Citizen or PR and hold an ICA-issued LTVP, you may work under a Work Permit4 once you find an employer willing to hire you.
Your LTVP must have at least 4 months of validity remaining when the Work Permit application is submitted. The employer handles the application, and you will count towards its overall foreign worker quota.
Parents Accompanying a Child Studying in Singapore
If you are in Singapore to accompany your child or grandchild while they study, you cannot work during your first year here.5
Once you have completed that first year, you may take up employment if an employer applies for a Work Permit on your behalf. There is no source-country restriction under this route, although the employer’s foreign worker quota and levy still apply.
Your Work Permit also depends on your LTVP remaining valid. If the LTVP expires or is cancelled, the Work Permit ends as well.
LTVP Holders Who Are Family Members of Work Pass Holders
If your LTVP was issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) because you are a family member of an Employment Pass or S Pass holder6, the LTVP itself does not allow you to work.
You first need a job offer. The prospective employer then applies for an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit, and you must meet the prevailing criteria for that pass.
If the role meets the Employment Pass criteria, the employer submits a standard Employment Pass application.
There is an exception for the common-law spouse of an Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass holder7. A common-law spouse holding an LTVP may work through an LOC. Other LTVP family members of a ONE Pass holder need to qualify for their own work pass.
What Is a Letter of Consent for an LTVP?
An LTVP Letter of Consent allows an eligible ICA-issued LTVP/LTVP+ holder to work for a Singapore employer once they have secured a job.
It is available to:
- a spouse of a Singapore Citizen or PR who holds an LTVP/LTVP+; or
- an unmarried child under 21 of a Singapore Citizen or PR who holds an LTVP.
Your LTVP/LTVP+ must have at least 3 months of validity remaining. Once you have a job offer, your employer or its appointed employment agent applies for the LOC, and you can begin work after MOM approves it.
Employers hiring through an LOC are not subject to a foreign worker quota or levy for that employee. There is also no LOC application fee, and MOM states that applications are generally processed within one week, although some cases take longer.
For an LOC, the job comes first: secure the role, then have your employer submit the application.
What Is a Pre-Approved Letter of Consent?
A PLOC works differently because you can obtain the work authorisation before you have a job.
It is available to eligible ICA-issued LTVP/LTVP+ holders who are spouses or unmarried children under 21 of Singapore Citizens or PRs.
You can request a PLOC when applying for or renewing your LTVP/LTVP+ with ICA. If you did not request one at that stage, you or your sponsor can submit the request from 2 days after receiving the LTVP card8. The PLOC remains valid for as long as the linked LTVP/LTVP+ remains valid. Once you find a job, your employer must notify MOM before you begin work. For the employer, hiring a PLOC holder does not use up foreign worker quota or attract a foreign worker levy.
How Do You Apply for an LOC or PLOC?
The main difference is when you obtain the work authorisation. An LOC is applied for after you secure a job, while a PLOC can be obtained before you find employment.
For an LOC:
- Secure a job with a Singapore employer.
- Check that the LTVP/LTVP+ has at least 3 months of validity remaining.
- The employer or appointed employment agent submits the LOC application.
- Begin work only after the LOC has been approved.
For a PLOC:
- Request it when applying for or renewing an eligible ICA-issued LTVP/LTVP+.
- If the card has already been issued, submit the request from 2 days after receiving it.
- Once employment is secured, the employer notifies MOM before the first day of work.
What Can You Do With an LOC or PLOC?
| LOC | PLOC | |
| When you can obtain it | After securing a job | Before securing a job |
| Who handles the employment step | Employer or appointed employment agent applies | Holder obtains the PLOC; employer notifies MOM before work begins |
| Validity | Ends at the earlier of the period requested by the employer or the LTVP/LTVP+ expiry date | Follows the validity of the LTVP/LTVP+ |
| If employment ends | LOC stops being valid for that employment and the employer must cancel it | Employer must notify MOM within 7 days of the last day of work |
| Foreign worker quota or levy | None | None |
| Restricted work | Objectionable occupations are not allowed | Certain media and religion-related occupations require an LOC instead |
| Self-employment | The LOC is tied to employment with the approved employer | PLOC does not permit self-employment |
With an LOC, your work authorisation is tied to the employer that applied for it. If you move to another company, the new employer must obtain a fresh LOC before you start work.
A PLOC is more flexible because it is linked to your LTVP/LTVP+, not to one employer. You can move to a new job without applying for another PLOC, although the new employer still has to notify MOM before your first day.
In either case, the work authorisation does not replace any professional licence or registration required for the role. Doctors, lawyers and other regulated professionals must still meet the relevant professional requirements before practising.
Need Help Understanding Your LTVP Work Options?
If you already hold an LTVP and intend to work, we can identify whether you need an LOC, PLOC, Work Permit or separate work pass before you take up employment.
Our team of the best immigration consultants in Singapore can also advise when your situation requires a separate Employment Pass application or another work pass. You can also refer to our Long-Term Visit Pass guide and Visitor to LTVP: Birth and Motherhood Visa Pathways.
Need to confirm your work route? Engage Xignam to assess your LTVP category and the work authorisation you need before starting employment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Working on an LTVP
Yes, if the holder has the appropriate work authorisation. Depending on the LTVP category, this may be an LOC, PLOC, Work Permit, Employment Pass or S Pass.
ICA-issued LTVP/LTVP+ holders who are eligible spouses or children of Singapore Citizens or PRs may use an LOC or PLOC. MOM-issued LTVP holders linked to EP or S Pass holders generally need their own EP, S Pass or Work Permit. A common-law spouse of a ONE Pass holder may use an LOC.
When applying for or renewing an eligible LTVP/LTVP+, select the PLOC option through the ICA e-Service. If you did not request one at that stage, the LTVP holder or sponsor can submit a separate request from 2 days after receiving the LTVP card
Eligible LTVP+ holders can work through an LOC or PLOC. They still need the relevant work authorisation before they start work.
Yes. PLOC holders cannot work in certain media and religion-related roles, including journalist, editor, sub-editor, producer, priest, pastor and other religious occupations. If you want to take up one of these roles, your prospective employer must apply for an LOC instead.
ICA-issued LTVP holders are also barred from objectionable occupations such as dance hostess or masseur.
Work authorisation linked to that LTVP can also end. PLOC validity follows the LTVP/LTVP+, while LOC validity ends when the underlying pass expires or is cancelled.
A PLOC does not authorise self-employment. Anyone intending to run a business or work independently must confirm the appropriate immigration and work-authorisation route for that activity.
No. MOM’s general rule is that work pass holders may work only for their designated employer and cannot take on additional jobs. An LOC is tied to the employer named in the approval, while a PLOC holder’s employer must notify MOM before employment begins.
There is no separate minimum salary for an LOC or PLOC. If the holder instead requires an Employment Pass or S Pass, the normal salary requirements for that work pass apply.
An LTVP does not create a PR route by itself. Some holders may qualify through another ICA category, such as being the spouse or child of a Singapore Citizen or PR, or an aged parent of a Singapore Citizen.
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/loc-for-ica-issued-ltvp-holders/eligibility ↩︎
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/loc-for-ica-issued-ltvp-holders/eligibility ↩︎
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/loc-for-ica-issued-ltvp-holders/eligibility ↩︎
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-passes-for-holders-of-long-term-visit-passes-issued-by-ica ↩︎
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-passes-for-holders-of-long-term-visit-passes-issued-by-ica ↩︎
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/long-term-visit-pass/working-in-singapore-for-ltvp-holders ↩︎
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/overseas-networks-expertise-pass/passes-for-families/long-term-visit-pass-for-overseas-networks-expertise-pass/working-in-singapore ↩︎
- https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/pre-approved-letter-of-consent/eligibility ↩︎