Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
A. General Queries
B. FAQs for Employee(s)/Sponsored Traveller(s)
- Eligibility (Singapore Citizens & Singapore Permanent Residents)
- Eligibility (Work and other MOM and ICA-issued pass holders)
- COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR Test”)
C. FAQs for Employer/Application Sponsor
A) General Queries
Background and Feedback
1. What is the Periodic Commuting Arrangement?
The Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) is a travel scheme negotiated between Singapore and Malaysia that requires travellers to stay in the destination country of work or business, i.e. Singapore or Malaysia, for a minimum 90-day period. Following the 90-day stay, sponsored travellers can return to their home country for short-term home leave via the Causeway or Second Link.
Entry into Singapore under the Singapore-issued PCA is open only to the following groups of travellers:
(i) Malaysia Citizens and Malaysia Permanent Residents holding a valid Singapore-issued work pass; or (ii) Malaysia Citizens who are Singapore Permanent Residents.
2. Is there a quota imposed on the number of travellers? Is there a way for me to check if there is available quota for the day of my employee’s planned travel to Singapore?
Yes, the quota serves as a public health safeguard that also ensures smooth checkpoint operations. Sponsors will be alerted during the application process if the quota for a specific day has been fully utilised.
3. My PCA application has been submitted. How do I check my PCA application status?
You can check your PCA application status here.
4. Who should I contact for feedback or queries?
You may call us at 6812 5555 or submit your query via the webform at https://go.gov.sg/sto-enquiry. We will endeavour to reply to you within 3-5 working days.
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Stay-Home Notice Dedicated Facilities (SDF)
1. My immediate family member and I are approved to travel to Singapore under the PCA on the same day. Can we stay in the same SDF room?
Only travellers who are immediate family members and have arrived in Singapore on the same day are permitted to stay in the same SDF room (up to 2 pax).
In general, immediate family members travelling to Singapore together will be sent to the same SDF. Upon arrival at the SDF, they can alert the hotel duty manager of their room sharing request, even if they are from different companies.
Employers whose employees have successfully arranged to serve their Stay-Home Notice (SHN), may request for a refund. To do so, employers can write to COVID_SafeTravelAppeals@mti.gov.sg with the (i) PCA Reference Number, (ii) FIN/ IC numbers of the affected travellers, (iii) email address of the Sponsoring Organisation’s Contact Person and (iv) screenshot of proof of payment, to submit a request.
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Transport Matters
1. I am approved under the PCA scheme to enter Singapore. Am I permitted to drive into Singapore and directly to my SDF?
PCA travellers may travel to Singapore in their own vehicles. However, they will not be permitted to commute directly to their SDF. Travellers will receive more instructions on the parking arrangement at the checkpoint, and on the transport arrangement to their SDF.
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Payment Matters
1. My employee is unable to enter Singapore on the date indicated in the application. Can I amend the application and seek a refund for the COVID-19 PCR test?
Employers are strongly encouraged to ensure that their employees can enter Singapore on the date indicated in the application. This is because the pre-payments made for the cost of SDF and COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”) during application, are non-refundable. Forfeited pre-payments will go towards covering the relevant cost incurred to secure and prepare an accommodation for a traveller.
Requests for refunds or change in entry date will only be considered if there unforeseen extenuating factors, e.g. compassionate reasons. For such cases, employers may write to COVID_SafeTravelAppeals@mti.gov.sg with the relevant supporting documents.
2. My employee was diagnosed with COVID-19 upon entry into Singapore. Who is responsible for his/her COVID-19 medical treatment?
The cost of the relevant COVID-19 medical treatment will be borne by the Singapore Government if the traveller was diagnosed with COVID-19 14 days after his/her entry into the country.
The cost arrangement for travellers diagnosed with COVID-19 within the first 14 days of his/her entry into Singapore is as follows:
| Employee Type | Cost Arrangement |
|---|---|
| Long-Term Work Pass Holders | Employer/employee will bear the costs of the medical treatment, subject to MOM’s requirements. Employees may tap on prevailing financing arrangements to fund the costs of their medical treatment. |
| Singapore Permanent Residents entering Singapore via the PCA scheme | Employee to tap on regular healthcare financing arrangements for their medical bills – Singapore PRs may access Government subsidies and MediShield Life / Integrated Shield Plan (MSHL/IP) to help pay for their bills. |
3. I am an approved PCA traveller holding the Malaysia-issued MyTravelPass. I am back in Singapore for my short-term home leave and was diagnosed with COVID-19. Who will pay for my medical treatment?
SCs/SPRs holding the Malaysia-issued MyTravelPass may access Government subsidies and MediShield Life / Integrated Shield Plan (MSHL/IP) to help pay for their bills.
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B) For Employees/Sponsored Travellers
Eligibility (Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents)
1. I am a Singapore Citizen presently living/working in Malaysia. Do I need to apply for a PCA pass to return to Singapore?
Singapore citizens do not need any entry approval, including a PCA pass to return to Singapore. Returning Singapore citizens should refer to this page for more information on the general return process and latest health control requirements that they will be subject to.
2. I am a Malaysian citizen and a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) who is presently in Malaysia. Do I need to apply for a PCA pass to enter Singapore?
Singapore PR with a valid Entry/Re-Entry Permit may return to Singapore without the need for any entry approval. They will be subject to the prevailing health control measures for Singapore PRs, which includes:
- A COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (“PCR Test”) taken within 72 hours before departure at a recognised or accredited laboratories in Malaysia;
- Serving 21-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) at an SHN-Dedicated Facility (SDF); and
- Taking COVID-19 PCR tests on Day 14 and 21 of SHN.
Click here and here for more information.
Singapore PRs whose employer in Singapore is willing to facilitate their home leave in Malaysia may return to Singapore under the PCA. In addition to applying for a PCA pass with Singapore here, your employer should also apply for a PCA pass on your behalf with the Malaysian authorities at https://go.gov.sg/pcamsia.
3. I am a Singapore-based Singapore Citizen/Singapore Permanent Resident holding a Malaysia Work Pass. Am I eligible for a PCA pass to return to Malaysia for business/work?
Yes, you are eligible to work in Malaysia under the PCA scheme. However, you are required to apply for entry approval, i.e. MyTravelPass, with the Malaysian authorities. You can reach out to the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysian Immigration Department here or the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore here for advice.
4. I am a Malaysian citizen and a Singapore PR. I am currently working in Singapore but I wish to return to Malaysia. Do I need to apply for a PCA pass to do so?
For further clarification on entry to Malaysia, you may wish to reach out to the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.kln.gov.my, the Malaysian Immigration Department www.imi.gov.my or the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore https://www.kln.gov.my/web/sgp_singapore for further advice regarding entry to Malaysia.
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Eligibility (Work and other MOM and ICA-issued Pass Holders)
5. I am a confinement nanny. Do I apply for a PCA pass to enter Singapore?
No. Confinement nannies can only enter Singapore using a MOM-issued Letter of Entry Approval. Employers will need to apply for entry approval via MOM on behalf of the confinement nannies. Click here for more information.
6. I do not have a FIN number as am an In-Principle Approval (IPA) pass holder. How do I apply for a PCA to fulfil my employment obligation in Singapore?
Entries into Singapore under the PCA must be sponsored by a Singapore-based company. The PCA scheme is not open to IPA holders, and they may be sponsored for an Entry Approval under the Work Pass Holder General Lane instead.
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COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction Test
1. What should I do if I feel unwell on or before the date of my COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”) appointment?
Travellers who are unwell should inform the relevant agencies immediately and should also not leave their accommodation for the PCR test. Click here for more details.
2. Can I defer or change the appointment date/time of my COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”)?
No. All travellers must turn up for their COVID-19 PCR test at the assigned date, time and site as this is crucial to mitigating the formation of crowds.
3. What should I do if I have a medical condition, e.g. frequent nose bleeds, operations on face or nose area, tumours or cancers of the nose or throat area, that prevents me from providing a nasal swab sample for the COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”)?
Travellers who are unable to take the PCR test due to a medical condition should write in to COVID_SafeTravelAppeals@mti.gov.sg at least 7 working days before entry into Singapore. The employee or application sponsor should indicate in the email, the medical condition and provide the following details:
- Name;
- FIN No. (for work pass holder) or NRIC (for Singapore PR);
- Date of Birth;
- PCA approval letter; and
- Employee and employer’s local contact number.
4. I do not have my physical work pass. What should use as proof of my identity when I turn up for my COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR Test”)?
Travellers can bring the digital copy of their Singapore-issued work pass and passport for identity verification.
Travellers who have misplaced their work pass should lodge a police report immediately. For identity verification purposes, this group of travellers should bring along their passport and police report (showing the FIN number).
5. How much does it cost to take the COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”)? To whom and how should the payment be made?
Click here to check for the latest cost of the COVID-19 PCR test.
The cost of the COVID-19 PCR test taken on-arrival at the checkpoint, will be collected in cash, NETS or Credit Card payment on the spot. For the exit from Stay Home Notice (SHN) COVID-19 PCR test, payment would already be collected at the point of application.
6. I was recently diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. When can I travel into Singapore?
Travellers who are unwell or recently diagnosed with COVID-19 should defer their travels.
Those diagnosed with COVID-19 should only schedule their trip to Singapore 21 days after the first diagnosis, and after they have fully recovered from COVID-19.
7. I was recently diagnosed with or recovered from COVID-19. Am I exempted from the requirement to take a COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”) within 72 hours before departure for Singapore?
As a condition for entry into Singapore, all travellers arriving from Malaysia under the PCA scheme must take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure for Singapore. The test must be taken at recognised or accredited laboratories in Malaysia. As proof that the required PCR test has been taken, travellers should ask for a copy of the COVID-19 PCR test report that:
- Is in English (or accompanied with an English translation); and
- Contains the (i) Traveller’s name, Date of Birth or Passport number (per the passport used to travel to Singapore); and (ii) Date of the test.
Travellers will be turned away at Singapore’s checkpoint if:
- diagnosed with COVID-19 infection 21 days or less, from the date of travel; and/or
- tested positive on the pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test.
8. I have recovered from COVID-19 and was also tested negative for COVID-19 after taking the COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”). Am I exempted from having to take another COVID-19 PCR test in Singapore?
In general, as a condition for entry into Singapore, all PCA travellers must adhere to the health control measures imposed on the group. This includes the taking of a COVID-19 PCR test toward the end of their Stay Home Notice (SHN).
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C) For Employers/Application Sponsors
General Issues
1. My employee has been approved for a PCA Pass but he is unable to travel to Singapore. Can I transfer his/her PCA approval to another employee?
No. An approval is given to a specific employee and it cannot be transferred; a separate application must be submitted for a new traveller.
2. How long is my employee permitted to stay in Singapore under the PCA scheme? Am I required to extend the PCA period for my employee?
PCA approved travellers are permitted to remain in Singapore for as long as their long-term work pass or Singapore PR status is still valid.
Employers are only required to submit a fresh PCA application if an employee had left Singapore. Fresh PCA applications (for re-entry into Singapore), however, can only be submitted 90 days after the employee’s entry into Singapore under the previous PCA approval.
3. My employee is approved to travel to Singapore under the PCA scheme; however, he/she is only able to travel to Singapore by air. Can he/she still travel to Singapore? Or do I need to submit another application?
Travellers approved to visit Singapore under the PCA are only permitted to enter the country via the two land crossings, i.e. Second Link and Woodlands Causeway. Travellers entering Singapore from Malaysia via other means, e.g. air, should seek for an entry approval from MOM.
4. Are there any materials I can disseminate to my employees to prepare them for their SHN and COVID-19 test in Singapore?
For more information on the prevailing health control measures, including SHN and COVID-19 tests, you may go to this page. You may also wish to share with your employees the additional work pass conditions imposed on them as a condition for entry into Singapore via the PCA.
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Eligibility
1. Can I sponsor a PCA application for an employee who is given in-principle approval (IPA) or Letter of Consent (LOC) to work in Singapore?
No. An application for Entry Approval must be submitted under the Work Pass Holder General Lane for all IPA and LOC holders.
For employees who are concurrently an LOC and ICA-issued Long-Term Visit Pass holder, an application Entry Approval must be submitted under the Singapore Citizen/Permanent Resident Familial Ties Lane.
2. I run a domestic helper agency. Can I apply for a PCA for the domestic helpers on behalf of my clients?
No. Domestic helpers are only permitted to enter Singapore via the Work Pass Holder General Lane (FDW/CN).
3. I must send an employee to Malaysia for work/business purposes. Do I apply for a PCA pass using the SafeTravel application portal?
No. While the SafeTravel application portal is open to Singapore-based companies, it does not process entry applications for the Malaysian authorities.
Employers who plan on sending their employees to Malaysia for work/business purposes under the PCA scheme should check with the relevant Malaysian authorities, e.g. Malaysian Immigration Department, for more information.
4. Can my employee travel to Singapore under the PCA scheme for study, short-term work, or leisure purposes?
No. Employers can only sponsor a PCA application for employees that agree to remain in their country of employment, i.e. Singapore, for at least 90 days; and are:
i) Holders of a valid MOM-issued long-term pass, e.g. employment pass, EntrePass, personalised employment pass, S pass, Work Permit, Training Employment Pass, Training work Permit and Work holiday pass; or
ii) Malaysian citizens who are a Singapore Permanent Residents employed in Singapore
Employees who fail to satisfy conditions (i) or (ii) above, e.g. Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP), Student’s Pass (STP), In-Principle Approval (IPA) for LTP holders, can consider seeking entry via other SafeTravel lanes.
5. My employee, who has been approved to enter Singapore under the PCA scheme, wishes to bring his/her family to Singapore. Can I sponsor a PCA application for the family member(s) of the said employee? They (family members) presently hold a Dependant’s Pass/Long-Term Visit Pass.
No. The PCA scheme facilitates travel strictly for a work or business purpose.
Approved PCA travellers whose non-Singapore Citizen/Singapore Permanent Resident family members are keen to enter Singapore must apply for Entry Approval under the following schemes (below):
| Prospective travellers who are: | Agency |
|---|---|
Holders of the Ministry of Manpower issued:
|
Work Pass Holder General Lane |
| Foreigners with familial ties to a Singapore Citizen/ Singapore Permanent Resident | Singapore Citizen/Permanent Resident Familial Ties Lane |
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Application Matters
1. When should I submit a PCA application and what do I need to prepare for the application?
The steps and general timelines to go about submitting a PCA application are available here.
Once an application is approved, an email will be sent to the contact person listed in the application. Application sponsors (i.e. the company) can also enquire about the status of the application here.
2. My employee has returned to Malaysia for home leave. Do I need to submit a new application to facilitate his/her return to Singapore?
If the employee had returned to Malaysia with a valid Singapore-issued PCA approval for a future entry date to return to Singapore, the employer does not need to make a new application.
If the employee had returned to Malaysia without a valid Singapore-issued PCA approval for a future entry date, the employer needs to make a fresh PCA application on behalf of the employee.
3. I am unable to submit a fresh PCA application for an employee who was previously approved under the scheme to travel to Singapore. Why is that so?
Fresh PCA applications can only be submitted for an entry date 90 days after the employee’s previous entry into Singapore.
4. Can I edit the details of my Employee/Sponsor details after my application has been approved?
Yes. From 1 March 2021, employers can update Sponsor’s details and employee’s passport details through the PCA application website via https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/STO/ at least 3 days before the approved date of entry. Employers will have to log in with their Corppass. Once the changes have been made, a new PCA confirmation letter will be sent to the Sponsor’s email.
5. What do I do if my employee needs to return to Malaysia before the 3-month (i.e. 90 days) stay is up?
The employee is permitted to leave Singapore. However, employers should note that they will only be able to apply for another PCA for the employee’s re-entry into Singapore, 90 days after their previous entry into Singapore.
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COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (“PCR test”)
1. Do I need to arrange for the COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”) for my employees? If not, how do I inform my employees of the date and time of their PCR test appointment?
Employers do not have to arrange for the COVID-19 PCR test for their employees as these are automatically scheduled by the relevant authorities. Upon arrival, all PCA travellers will be directed to take a COVID-19 PCR test after clearing immigrations at the checkpoints. Travellers will also be scheduled for two other PCR tests on the 14th and 21st day of their SHN.
While employers do not need to arrange for the tests, they are obligated to inform their employees of the details of their PCR test appointment, e.g. test date and time and location. These details will be sent to the employer as an SMS or email. In general, travellers will be required to take the PCR test toward the end of their Stay Home Notice.
Employers or employees that do not have the details of the COVID-19 PCR test appointment date, time and designated test site by the 11th day of the SHN period should write in using SafeTravel Enquiry Form. Please include the employee’s name and FIN (for work pass holder) or NRIC (for Singapore PR), and employer’s mobile number for our follow up.
2. My employee did not turn up for his/her COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”) on the scheduled date. Who can I contact to reschedule a new swab appointment?
All PCA travellers must adhere to their appointment timing for their COVID-19 PCR test. Should an employee miss their first test appointment, a second test appointment will be scheduled; these details would be sent to the employer/employee. Employers should ensure that their employees turn up for their test appointment. Travellers who refuse to or continue to miss their COVID-19 PCR tests may be charged under the Infectious Diseases Act and have their work passes revoked.
Travellers should not turn up for their COVID-19 PCR test if they are unwell while serving their Stay-Home Notice (SHN). Such travellers should alert the relevant agencies immediately and remain in their accommodation. Click here for the list of contact points on SHN and PCR test related issues.
3. How will I and/or my employee be informed of his/her COVID-19 test result?
COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test (“PCR test”) results will be sent to employers within 2 days of the test. Should there be a need for a second test, employers will be informed. Employers should remind their employees to remain in their accommodation until after being tested negative for COVID-19.
Employers that do not receive a notification of the test result, 2 days from when the test was taken, should either call us at 6812 5555 or submit a webform via https://go.gov.sg/sto-enquiry and provide the employee’s name and FIN (for work pass holders) or NRIC number (for Singapore PRs), as well as the employer’s contact details.