Transita
Open your workspace
Singapore · Healthcare6 min read

Can I Move to Singapore as a Nurse? Registration and Passes 2026

Singapore does not let foreign nurses register on their own. The hospital that hires you applies to the Singapore Nursing Board, and you sit its licensure exam.

By Senne Bels··Updated 17 October 2026

Short answer: It depends

Yes, with an offer from an eligible healthcare institution. Its HR team applies to the Singapore Nursing Board on your behalf, you pass the SNB licensure exam, and the employer applies for your work pass: usually the S Pass or the Employment Pass, depending on salary.

The programmes that apply to nurses in Singapore

Fees, salary floors and processing times below come from the official sources in Transita's visa database. Processing is an estimate from the published figure, not a promise.

ProgrammeFeeSalary floorProcessingJob offerPR after
S Pass$158SGD 3,300/mo (≈ $30,975/yr)0–1 monthsYes2 years
Employment Pass$254SGD 5,600/mo (≈ $52,564/yr)0–1 monthsYes2 years

S Pass headline floor: benchmarked to the top third of local associate professional and technician salaries; rises with age, and again for new applications from 1 January 2027.

Employment Pass headline floor: youngest age band, all sectors except financial services; MOM raises it with age to S$10,700 at 45 and above.

S Pass alternative floor: SGD 57,600/yr (applicants aged 45 or over).

Employment Pass alternative floor: SGD 128,400/yr (applicants aged 45 or over).

Employment Pass alternative floor: SGD 74,400/yr (financial services).

Employment Pass alternative floor: SGD 72,000/yr (new applications from 1 January 2027).

Employment Pass alternative floor: SGD 79,200/yr (financial services, new applications from 1 January 2027).

  • S Pass: For nursing roles paid below the Employment Pass floor. Subject to employer quotas and levies.
  • Employment Pass: For senior or specialist nurses whose salary clears the Employment Pass floor for their age.

What SNB requires from foreign-trained nurses

The Singapore Nursing Board's page for foreign-trained nurses sets these conditions:

  • A job offer from an eligible healthcare institution with inpatient services.
  • The application comes from the employer's HR, not from you; SNB does not deal with agents.
  • Registration and a current practising licence in your home country.
  • Recent clinical practice, within the period SNB states.

Foreign-trained nurses then sit the SNB licensure examination for registered nurses (or enrolled nurses).

S Pass or Employment Pass

The S Pass floor is SGD 3,300/mo (≈ $30,975/yr) and the fee $158. The Employment Pass floor starts at SGD 5,600/mo (≈ $52,564/yr), with a fee of $254. Both are decided in about 0–1 months. Which one you get depends on the salary in your offer and your age, and the employer chooses when it applies.

How Singapore compares

Singapore is one of the few places where the employer controls both registration and the work pass. If you would rather apply for recognition yourself, compare the routes in the best countries for nurses.

Who sponsors nurses in Singapore

Transita does not hold a Singapore sponsor register. For nurses, SNB limits the employer to eligible healthcare institutions with inpatient services, so the shortlist is hospitals and similar institutions rather than any clinic.

The Transita sponsor register collects the official sponsor lists we hold, so you can check an employer before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreign nurse apply to the Singapore Nursing Board directly?

No. The application comes from the HR of the eligible healthcare institution that has offered you a job, and SNB does not deal with agents.

Do foreign nurses need to take an exam in Singapore?

Yes. Foreign-trained nurses must pass the SNB licensure examination for registered nurses or enrolled nurses.

What work pass do nurses get in Singapore?

Usually an S Pass, with a floor of SGD 3,300/mo (≈ $30,975/yr), or for higher salaries an Employment Pass, with a floor from SGD 5,600/mo (≈ $52,564/yr).

Do I need to be licensed in my home country to nurse in Singapore?

Yes. SNB requires registration and a current practising licence in your home country, plus recent clinical practice.

Related guides

Keep your SNB and work pass steps in one plan

Transita tracks the documents your employer needs for SNB and the work pass, and checks your salary against the S Pass and EP floors. Answer 8 questions and your routes, documents and dates are set up for you. Free.

Build my workspace

official sources: S Pass · mom.gov.sg·EP · mom.gov.sg