Medical Examination for Work Pass Holders

Many newcomers are surprised to learn that getting a work pass can involve a medical check. Whether you need one, and how thorough it is, depends entirely on your pass type — and for some passes the exam decides whether the pass is issued at all. This guide explains the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) medical examination by pass type, the tests involved, the timelines and approved places, and what happens if a worker is certified unfit.

Who needs a medical exam, by pass type

The requirement is strictest for lower-wage passes and lightest for higher-wage ones.

• Work Permit: a medical examination is required before the Work Permit can be issued. MOM states you must send workers for one “before you can get their Work Permits issued.”
• S Pass: to get the pass issued, the employer must provide a completed medical examination form or medical declaration form. Whether a full exam is needed is indicated in the in-principle approval (IPA).
• Employment Pass: the IPA letter states whether the candidate needs to go for a medical examination after their arrival. If not, a medical declaration form is used; EP issuance likewise requires a completed medical examination form or medical declaration form.

Whether a medical examination is required depends on your pass and your IPA letter.

What the examination checks

For Work Permit holders the examination screens for four infectious diseases — tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis and malaria — and checks if they are fit to work. MOM’s examination form (Form A11) sets out the detail, and it “are to be completed by a Singapore-registered doctor.” The form covers:

• A chest X-ray for tuberculosis; an abnormal result is cleared by the National TB Care Centre, and the X-ray is exempted in pregnancy.
• A syphilis screen (VDRL) and an HIV test.
• A urine test for albumin, sugar and pregnancy.
• Vision of at least 6/12 in both eyes (with or without glasses), and colour vision for electricians and drivers.
• An ECG, compulsory for male Thai workers and others above age 50.

The doctor then certifies the worker fit or unfit for employment in the stated occupation.

Where and when to do it

For Work Permit holders, send the worker for the examination within two weeks of arrival, done by a Singapore-registered doctor or a MOM-appointed Anchor Operator, depending on the pathway. Some workers in the construction, marine and process (CMP) sectors complete an Onboard programme of up to three days first. A local GP or dedicated screening clinic can perform the test for workers who use the clinic pathway.

Results are submitted to MOM by the clinic, not the worker. Under MOM’s enhanced submission process, the examination is considered complete once all results are in and the doctor has certified fitness; delays in submission hold up the Work Permit. If a candidate for an Employment Pass is still waiting for results, the employer can extend their short-term visit pass to buy more time to issue the pass.

If you are certified unfit

An unfit certification has real consequences. Without a submitted, passed examination, the employer cannot issue the Work Permit, and MOM’s guidance is blunt: the worker “will then be required to leave Singapore and not allowed to work.” Fitness is a clinical judgement by the doctor about whether the person can safely perform the intended job.

The rule is most explicit for migrant domestic workers: if a helper “did not pass her 6ME, you must cancel her Work Permit and send her home immediately.” For other workers, an abnormal result that cannot be cleared — for example, a TB case not resolved through the National TB Care Centre — prevents the certification MOM needs.

Repeat exams: the six-monthly ME

Some workers are re-examined during employment. A migrant domestic worker must have a six-monthly medical examination (6ME) that “screens for pregnancy and infectious diseases such as syphilis, HIV and tuberculosis.” The schedule is pregnancy and VDRL every six months, HIV every two years, and TB once upon two years of stay, plus checks on body mass index and visible signs of abuse. A helper aged 50 or above does not need the 6ME and is examined only on Work Permit renewal.

The 6ME is not limited to helpers: MOM requires employers to send all female Work Permit holders for screening every six months (MOM 6ME for female migrant workers). Employment Pass and S Pass holders do not sit a routine six-monthly exam. If illness rather than a pass requirement is your concern, see how to see a doctor as a foreigner.

Putting it together

1. Read your IPA letter to confirm whether a full exam or a declaration is needed.
2. If a Work Permit holder, book within two weeks of arrival at an approved clinic or Anchor Operator.
3. Bring your passport; let the clinic submit results to MOM.
4. If a result is abnormal, follow the clinic’s referral (for example to the National TB Care Centre) before the pass can be issued.

For the wider picture of your pass, read the Work Permit overview and Employment Pass eligibility; and because a pass does not give you subsidised care, line up your health insurance as an expat.

Frequently asked questions

Do Employment Pass holders need a medical exam? Only if the IPA letter says so. Many EP candidates complete a medical declaration form instead of a full examination.

What diseases does the Work Permit exam test for? Tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis and malaria, alongside a general fitness check that includes a chest X-ray, urine test, vision and, for some workers, an ECG.

What if I am pregnant? The chest X-ray is exempted in pregnancy, and a pregnancy test forms part of the urine screen; pregnancy itself is handled within the form’s rules rather than automatically failing you.

How soon must a Work Permit holder do the exam? Within two weeks of arriving in Singapore, by a Singapore-registered doctor or a MOM-appointed Anchor Operator.

What happens if the result is unfit? The Work Permit cannot be issued and the worker must leave Singapore; a domestic worker who fails the six-monthly exam is sent home.

General information only, not medical advice, from MOM with the date each point was checked. Requirements change by pass and sector — confirm the current rules and your IPA conditions on the official MOM website.