Your migrant workers may want to take time off to visit their home country/region or go on holiday. You can get a levy waiver for the time they are away. You also need to take certain steps if they don't return.
Preparing for overseas leave
Before your workers go for their overseas leave, you need to:
- Ensure they have a valid passport.
- Check with their embassies on their home countries/regions' immigration requirements.
- Make sure they bring along their Work Permit card and passport so that they can re-enter Singapore.
- Keep a copy of their travel ticket or departure itinerary.
- Check if you need to seek tax clearance should their leave exceed 3 months.
If your worker is away for an extended period of time, you can choose to cancel their Work Permit to stop the levy. If you do so, you will need to apply for a new Work Permit to employ them again.
Applying for levy waiver
You will continue to be charged levy while your worker is on overseas leave.
You can apply for a levy waiver when the worker returns to Singapore.
To qualify for levy waiver, the overseas leave must be at least 7 consecutive days and the waiver period is capped at a maximum of 60 calendar days per calendar year.
If the worker doesn't return
If the worker does not return to Singapore from overseas leave, you must:
- Cancel the Work Permit to stop the levy.
- Keep a copy of the worker's travel ticket or departure itinerary as proof.
After we have verified that the worker has left and did not re-enter Singapore, we will proceed to discharge the security bond. If the worker re-enters Singapore before the security bond is discharged, you must send them home immediately. Otherwise, your security bond may be forfeited.
You can also apply for a levy waiver.