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New Research Staff Relocating to Singapore

Before Arrival

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  • The following is a general checklist of the things which you would need to do once you have decided to accept NIE's offer of appointment:


    Letter of Appointment (LA) received from NIE

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    Accept offer of appointment 

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    Go for pre-employment medical examination

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    Complete and submit documents to the Human Resource Department (HRD) as requested in the LA

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    Arrange with mover to transport personal effects 

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     Purchase air ticket for flight to Singapore

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     Pack belongings

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     Depart for Singapore
    Important Notes:

    Pre-employment Medical Examination

    You will go for your pre-employment medical examination before your commencement of duty. The completed pre-employment medical report should reach HRD before your travel to Singapore. This is important as your appointment is conditional upon your being certified medically fit for employment by the physician.

    Air ticket

    You may wish to book your air ticket in advance. However, as your employment is conditional on your passing the pre-employment medical examination and the grant of an Employment Pass by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower, your air ticket should be issued only after you have been certified medically fit for employment and the in-principle Employment Pass is granted to you. The airfare will be borne by you.

    Submission of Forms

    You should ensure that the following forms have been duly completed and submitted to the HRD before your assumption of duty:

    • Form of Acceptance
    • Personal Particulars Form
    • Form for Declaration for Directorship/Partnership/Proprietorship in Public and Private Companies
    • Immigration Form 8 (Employment Pass) and Form 12 (Dependant Pass), if applicable, together with the relevant supporting documents.
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  • If you are not a Citizen or Permanent Resident of Singapore, you will need to apply for an Employment Pass (EP) with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), before you can take up employment in Singapore. You will also need to apply for Dependant's Pass (DP) for your spouse and each of your children if they are coming with you to Singapore. "Children" in this instance refer to those who are below the age of 21 and who are unmarried.

    A copy of the EP and DP application forms will be enclosed in the letter of appointment to you. You will need to send to HRD your completed EP and DP application forms, together with the relevant supporting documents, for onward submission to MOM. As the MOM takes about 4 - 6 weeks to process EP/DP applications, it is advisable to courier, rather than mail, the completed documents to us, especially if the date of your assumption of duty is near.

    You will be informed and given the in-principle approval letters once the EP/DP have been approved. For entry into Singapore, you will need to bring along the in-principle approval letters for the EP/DP as you may be requested to produce them at the Singapore Changi Airport checkpoint.

    More information on the application of EP/DP can be obtained from:
    http://www.mom.gov.sg/services-forms/passes/Pages/employment-pass.aspx

    If you intend to have your parents or parents-in-law stay long-term with you in Singapore, you may apply for a Long-Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) for each of them. Please visit the MOM's website at http://www.mom.gov.sg/services-forms/passes/Pages/employment-pass.aspx for more information and to download a copy of the LTSVP application form. When you have completed the LTSVP form, you may forward it to HRD together with a copy of your birth certificate (with English translation, if applicable).

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  • You will need to open a bank account for the credit of your salary if you do not already have one in Singapore. There is an OCBC Bank within the campus. Please note that a minimum deposit of S$500 (amount varies among different banks) is required to open an account with the OCBC Bank and a S$2 service fee per month is chargeable if the monthly average balance falls below S$1,000. As such, do remember to bring at least the minimum sum with you should you wish to open an account with the OCBC Bank. You will also need to bring along your passport and proof of your NTU employment status either in the form of your NTU staff card or any other correspondence with our Office that indicates your employment with us.

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  • You will make your own flight bookings. For appointments subject to the grant of Employment Pass approval, your air ticket(s) must not be issued until you are informed by our Office of the Ministry of Manpower's in-principle approval of your Employment Pass application.

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  • You may want to start your home search through the service of a real estate agent or check out the classified section of the daily newspapers (The Straits Times). It is advisable that you enlist the service of a real estate agent, especially if you are unsure of the procedures you need to go through.  For more information on renting guide, please visit http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/. Rental rates depend on the type of housing, location, such as proximity to the MRT station and amenities, size and layout of the apartment or house, the facilities provided and the furnishing.

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  • Income Tax

    All Singapore citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents and foreigners exercising employment in Singapore are subject to Singapore personal income tax.

    Remuneration and benefits-in-kind received by you are taxable.

    You will bear all taxes charged by the relevant authorities. For more details on Singapore taxation, please visit Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore's website at http://www.iras.gov.sg.

    Child Care Facilities

    The University has a child care centre on campus for faculty and staff members' children who are between 3 and 6 years old (i.e. for children attending the Nursery 2 to Kindergarten 2 level). The centre, currently operated by Learning Vision International Pte Ltd, provides full day care at a reasonable fee. More information can be found in their website http://www.learningvision.com/.

    Nearest Educational Institutions

    The schools located near the University are:

    Primary School

    Secondary School

    Junior College

    For more details on education/schooling in Singapore, please visit the Singapore Ministry of Education website at http://www.moe.gov.sg/. Details on private schooling in Singapore can be obtained from https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/private-education/admissions-into-private-schools.

    Transport

    Public Transport

    Singapore has an efficient public transportation network that offers taxis, buses and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) rail system. Commuting within the country is both easy and economical. To enable you to better understand the roads and the transportation system, it will be useful for you to purchase a copy of the Singapore Street directory (available in most major bookstores) and visit the following websites:

    Most people in Singapore use the EZ-link card for traveling on buses and the MRT. The EZ-link card is a stored-value smartcard. The card can be purchased from the TransitLink Ticket Offices and Passenger Service Counters within the MRT stations. For more information on the EZ-link card, please visit http://www.ezlink.com.sg/top-up/ez-online.php. You may also wish to purchase the TransitLink Guide which can be found at all TransitLink Ticket Offices and major bookstores. This handy-sized booklet carries information on the various types of EZ-link Cards, use of the card on buses, MRT and LRT as well as bus and MRT service details.

    Buying a Car and Driving in Singapore

    In Singapore, owning a car is a complex and pricey affair. Please visit the Contact Singapore's website http://www.contactsingapore.org.sg/moving_gettingaround.shtml for the details.

    The other useful websites are:

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