All about the working holiday in Singapore!
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005 (medical expenses, hospitalisation, repatriation…).
Between 18 and 25 or 30 years old
A valid passport for the entire duration of your working holiday
The equivalent of a few thousand dollars
This must be your first participation
Should cover medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation
Apply before the annual quota is reached
01. What is the Working Holiday Visa?
WHVs are bilateral accords signed between governments to promote youth mobility and cultural exchange. Participating countries allow young adults to spend a set period of time (usually one year) living and working abroad. Most of the accords are signed between countries in Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia. A WHV encourages cultural exchange alongside the chance to gain valuable work experience, though participants are not obligated to work.
02. Which nationalities are eligible?
Undergraduates or graduates of universities in Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States are eligible for the Work Holiday Programme.
Students and graduates from Australia and New Zealand are also eligible for the Work and Holiday Visa Programme.
03. What is the application fee?
It costs S$175 for a Work Holiday Pass card.
04. What documents are required for the application?
As well as providing your passport details, you will need to provide:
- Proof of your degree (if you are a graduate)
- Proof of your current studies (if you are an undergraduate)
For full details, including what supporting documents you need to show once you have entered Singapore and are getting your Work Holiday Pass card, see the official website.
05. How long is the visa good for?
The Work Holiday Programme allows eligible students and young graduates to stay for six months.
Australians and New Zealanders on the Work and Holiday Visa Programme can stay for 12 months.
06. What is the processing time?
It currently takes around three weeks for the Work Holiday Programme and four weeks for the Work and Holiday Visa Programme.
07. When do I have to enter the country by?
If your application is approved, you will be sent an in-principle approval (IPA) letter by email. You must enter Singapore and get the Work Holiday Pass card issued within three months of the date of your IPA letter.
08. Do I need to buy health insurance?
Though private health insurance is not required by the authorities for the Singapore working holiday, it is still strongly recommended because, otherwise, even small incidents can lead to significant out-of-pocket costs. You should choose an insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation.
We have been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They've accompanied thousands of working holiday makers in their adventures.
09. Can I leave and re-enter at any time?
Yes, you can leave and re-enter Singapore during your working holiday. If you are still waiting for your Work Holiday Pass card to be issued, you can use the notification letter to travel in and out of Singapore.
10. What is pvtistes.net and how can it help me?
We are a team of current and former working holiday makers dedicated to providing free information and resources about the working holiday, to Singapore and other destinations. Read our helpful articles, leave comments if you have questions, and check out our special deals.
We don’t ask for any money, and neither should anyone else in your application process (besides the embassy/consulate and their official partners). Be very careful of online scams where someone might ask you for an exorbitant amount to help you get your visa. Working Holiday Visas are designed to be relatively easy to obtain yourself, so there is absolutely no need to pay any professional service to do it on your behalf.
11. Where can I apply?
You can apply on the official website. Once your application has been approved, you must enter Singapore and make an appointment with the Employment Pass Services Centre to get your Work Holiday Pass card.
As mentioned earlier, all working holiday makers should think about buying health and travel insurance for the duration of their stay.
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They have covered thousands of working holiday makers over the years.
- Chapter 5: Getting WHV health insurance
- Everything You Need to Know About Insurance for Working Holiday and Other Adventures Abroad
- What to have in your Working Holiday adventure first-aid kit
Singapore’s currency is the Singapore dollar (SGD, S$). There are two main ways to open a foreign-currency account: via 1) a traditional bank or 2) an online neo-bank. Traditional banks usually require you to already be in the country. You would have to make and attend an appointment where a representative would ask you for some documents.
If you want to have a SGD prepaid travel card in hand before even arriving, you may want to consider an online neo-bank like Wise. Wise is an app that offers multi-currency financial services. You can receive a prepaid travel money card that can be loaded with your home currency and it will auto-convert into SGD when making purchases in Singapore. Your account would also have its own routing and account numbers, so you can set up autopay, direct deposits, or transfer money to recipients in Singapore. These capabilities could be useful in exchanges with your employer or landlord. You can register from your home country or once you arrive in Singapore. Learn more about Wise.
There are advantages to both options. If you are only staying for six months on the Work Holiday Programme, you may not want to open a bank account for such a short period of time. Wise registration is simple and quick, but traditional banks offer the possibility of issuing and depositing cheques, if that is something you need. So you could make a Wise account first and then a traditional account once you arrive in Singapore.
Once your application is approved, you’ll need to think about where to live, especially in the first few days and weeks. If you are planning on renting long term housing, we recommend you wait until you arrive in Singapore before paying a deposit or signing anything. Never send money to anyone without seeing the place in person.
For your first couple of weeks, you could consider hotels. But the most affordable option is going to be youth hostels. You can find some great ones on Hostelworld.
- Chapter 6: Booking housing for your arrival
- 7 Tips for finding housing during your working holiday abroad
- Couchsurfing Abroad
Once your application is approved, you will have plenty of things you need to take care of. Some of them are more urgent than others, so this list breaks down your to-dos, from the most urgent to the least. It may seem like a lot but don’t worry, take it one step at a time!
As you prepare for your working holiday in Singapore, check out our library of free articles and guides. Everyone on the pvtistes.net team has done (or is currently on) a working holiday, and so everything we write is from personal experience.
This is the perfect chance to learn or brush up on English. Babbel is partnering with pvtistes.net to offer 20% off on language courses (learn more). Also check out our other deals for working holiday makers.
You must be between 18 and 25 years old at the time of applying for the Work Holiday Programme.
You can be up to 30 years old if you are an Australian or New Zealander applying to the Work and Holiday Visa Programme.
You must have a passport that is valid for the entire duration of your working holiday.
You must provide evidence of sufficient funds during the application process. The exact amount is not specified but the sufficient funds will need to be at least a few thousand dollars, as you must be able to support yourself throughout your arrival, stay and departure.
See our chapter on budgeting for an idea of how much more savings you should have for a working holiday.
This must be your first participation. If you have already been in Singapore on a working holiday, then you cannot apply again.
Though health insurance is not required for the Singapore working holiday, it is strongly recommended. You should buy health insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the totality of your stay. Without health insurance, out of pocket costs for healthcare can be very high.
Apply before the annual quota is reached. There is a quota for 2,000 Work Holiday Pass holders (applicable to all qualifying citizenships) at any one time.