Quick answer: An IPA letter is the In-Principle Approval that the Ministry of Manpower issues when a work pass application is approved. It is not the pass itself. It confirms the approval, states the job and salary MOM approved, and sets the deadline for entering Singapore and completing the formalities. An IPA is usually valid for up to six months from the date of issue, and the employer can ask MOM to extend it before it expires. Let it lapse and the approval is withdrawn, which means a fresh application. The letter is issued to the employer or the appointed employment agent, who can print a copy from MOM’s eServices.
If you are holding an IPA letter for the first time, the important thing is what it is not. It is not a work pass, it is not a guarantee, and it does not last forever. It is a conditional approval with a clock on it, and most problems come from treating it as the finish line.
This guide covers the letter itself. If you are still waiting for the outcome and want to track the application, use our guide on how to run an IPA status check instead.
What is an IPA letter?
An IPA letter is MOM’s written confirmation that a work pass application has been approved in principle. “In principle” is the operative phrase: the approval holds only if the remaining conditions are met within the validity period.
| IPA letter | The work pass | |
| What it is | Approval in principle, as a PDF or printed letter | The actual pass, issued as a card |
| Issued by | MOM | MOM |
| When | After the application is approved | After the holder enters Singapore and completes the formalities |
| What it allows | Entry to Singapore within the validity period, and for some pass types it is the entry document | Living and working in Singapore for the pass duration |
| Validity | Usually up to 6 months from issue | The pass validity printed on the card |
The same IPA step applies across the main work passes.
| Pass | Who receives the IPA | Who acts on it |
| Employment Pass | Employer or appointed employment agent | Employer arranges entry, issuance and card |
| S Pass | Employer or appointed employment agent | Employer, plus the medical examination where required |
| Work Permit | Employer or employment agent | Employer completes the pre-entry requirements before the worker flies |
| Migrant domestic worker | Employer | The whole letter travels with her and acts as her entry document |
Every field on your IPA letter, and why it matters
Check the letter the day you receive it. An error is far cheaper to fix now than at the checkpoint or at issuance.
| Field | What to check | Why it matters |
| Full name | Matches the passport exactly, including the order of names | A mismatch can stop clearance at immigration |
| Date of birth | Matches the passport | Same reason |
| Passport number | Matches the passport that will be used to travel | A renewed passport means MOM must be updated before entry |
| Nationality | As stated in the passport | Affects visa requirements, and the COMPASS diversity criterion for EP applications |
| FIN | The Foreign Identification Number assigned to the holder | Used for every later transaction, including status checks and medical records |
| Employer name | The legal entity that applied | The pass is tied to this entity. A different entity means a new application |
| Occupation or job title | Matches the role that was assessed | MOM assessed the application on this role |
| Approved salary | The fixed monthly salary MOM approved | Paying below the approved salary breaches pass conditions |
| Validity or expiry date | The date the IPA stops being usable | This is the real deadline, not the general six-month rule |
| Reference number | Keep it for every enquiry with MOM | Needed for extensions, status checks and issuance |
| Multiple Journey Visa note | Whether an MJV is needed for that nationality | Affects travel arrangements |
MOM publishes a sample IPA letter for employers, which is worth comparing against if anything on yours looks unusual.
How to download or retrieve your IPA letter
MOM issues the IPA to the employer or the appointed employment agent, never directly to the candidate. Nobody can download it with the worker’s own login. Use the route that matches who you are.
| You are | Where to get the letter | Login needed |
| Employer hiring an EP, S Pass or Work Permit holder | myMOM Portal, where you apply for, issue and manage passes | Corppass, accessed with Singpass |
| Employer or employment agent handling Work Permit renewals and replacements | Work Permit Online (WPOL) | Corppass account with WPOL access |
| Employer using the Employment Pass eService | EP eService | Corppass |
| Employer of a migrant domestic worker | Log in to the MDW eService to print a duplicate of the in-principle approval letter, also called the Letter of Notification to bring a Foreign Domestic Worker into Singapore | Singpass |
| Employment agency | Retrieve the IPA document through the agency portal used for the application | Agency login |
| The worker | Ask your employer or agent for the copy. You can confirm the application is real on Check work pass and application status, which needs no login, but that service shows the status, not the letter | None |
Lost the IPA for a domestic helper
MOM gives employers three routes for a duplicate copy:
- Log in to the eService and print the duplicate yourself, the fastest option.
- Fax the request to 6538 7275.
- Submit an online request to MOM.
Whichever route you use, have these details ready:
- the helper’s full name, Work Permit number and date of birth
- the employer’s full name, NRIC or CPF reference number
- the employer’s residential address and contact number
Three rules when printing the letter
- Print the whole letter, not the first page. For pass types where the IPA is the entry document, immigration expects the complete document.
- Print the latest version. If the IPA was extended, the extended letter carries the new expiry date and replaces the old one.
- Send it before she flies. For a migrant domestic worker, the IPA travels with her and is shown at the checkpoint, so email and courier it in time.
Not sure if your IPA is genuine?
MOM publishes a sample IPA letter for employers that you can open and compare against yours. If the layout, fields or wording look different, check the application status with MOM before you pay anyone anything.
How long is an IPA letter valid?
Usually up to six months from the date of issue. Always work from the printed expiry date on your own letter, since MOM can issue a shorter validity.
Within that window all of this has to happen:
- The holder enters Singapore, using the IPA as the entry document where that applies.
- Any required medical examination is completed.
- The employer requests issuance of the pass.
- Fingerprints and photo are registered if MOM asks for it.
- The card is issued and delivered.
If the IPA expires before the steps are done, MOM withdraws the approval. There is no appeal, because nothing was refused. The employer submits a fresh application, assessed under the criteria in force at that time. For an Employment Pass that can mean a different COMPASS score or a higher salary threshold than when the original was approved. Our guide to Employment Pass renewal explains how those thresholds move.
Can you extend an IPA letter?
Yes, and this is the part people miss. MOM accepts requests to extend the validity of an IPA, including for the Employment Pass, S Pass, Training Employment Pass and Work Permit. For migrant workers, the employer should log in to the work pass eService at least one week before the IPA expires, and can print the extended IPA once it is approved.
| Situation | What to do |
| Travel is delayed, for example a visa or flight problem at home | Submit the extension request before the expiry date |
| The medical examination or formalities cannot be completed in time | Same, and explain the reason |
| The IPA has already expired | Too late. The approval is withdrawn and a new application is needed |
| The holder’s passport was renewed | Update the passport details with MOM before entry, so the IPA matches the travel document |
Two practical rules: ask early, and give MOM a specific reason. Extensions are decided case by case, not granted automatically.
What to do after you receive the IPA
| Step | Who does it | Notes |
| 1. Check every field | Holder and employer together | Report errors to MOM before travel |
| 2. Arrange travel within the validity | Employer and holder | Enter before the expiry date |
| 3. Carry the IPA when travelling | Holder | For some pass types it is the entry document. Carry the full letter |
| 4. Complete the medical examination | Holder | Required for certain passes and nationalities |
| 5. Request pass issuance | Employer | Pay the issuance fee |
| 6. Register fingerprints and photo | Holder | If MOM asks for it |
| 7. Collect or receive the card | Holder | The pass, finally |
You can follow progress at each stage using our guide on how to check your work pass status.
IPA for a migrant domestic worker: what must be ready before she flies
For a migrant domestic worker the IPA doubles as her entry document, so the whole letter travels with her. The employer also needs these in place before she enters Singapore:
| Requirement | Detail |
| Security bond | S$5,000, except for Malaysian helpers |
| Personal accident insurance | Sum assured of at least S$60,000 |
| Medical insurance | At least S$60,000 a year for inpatient care and day surgery |
| Levy payment | A GIRO arrangement for the monthly levy |
If the steps are not completed before the IPA expires, MOM withdraws the approval and the worker has to be sent home. Our guides on hiring a domestic helper and renewing a helper’s Work Permit cover the rest of the employer’s obligations.
Common IPA problems and how to fix them
| Problem | What it means | Action |
| Name or passport number is wrong | The letter will not match the travel document | Tell MOM before travel and get a corrected IPA |
| Passport renewed after the IPA was issued | The IPA no longer matches the passport | Update passport details with MOM before entry |
| Salary on the letter is lower than agreed | MOM approved the pass on the declared salary | Resolve it with the employer before issuance |
| Employer entity differs from the one you signed with | The pass belongs to the applying entity | A different entity needs a new application |
| IPA expiring and the holder cannot travel in time | The approval will be withdrawn | Request an extension before expiry |
| Letter lost | Travel without it may be refused | Employer or agent prints a duplicate from the eService |
| Job scope changed between approval and arrival | MOM assessed a specific role | Check with MOM or a consultant. A materially different role may need a new application |
How to spot a fake IPA
Fake IPA letters circulate, usually through unlicensed agents charging for a job that does not exist.
- Verify through MOM, not through the agent. Check the application status yourself, as set out in our IPA status check guide.
- Check the employer exists and is the entity named on the letter.
- Be suspicious of any payment asked for in exchange for the IPA itself, or an agent who will not show you the full letter.
- Compare the format against MOM’s published sample IPA letter.
- An IPA that promises a pass without formalities is not how the system works.
How First Immigration can help
- Before submission: we check that the role, salary and documents match what MOM expects, so the IPA you receive is the one you need.
- After the IPA: we go through the letter field by field with employers and candidates, and flag anything that will cause trouble at entry.
- Extensions and re-applications: if travel slips, we handle the extension request. If an IPA has lapsed, we prepare the fresh application.
- Employer support: see our Employment Pass service and S Pass service. If the goal is to stay long term, we also handle Singapore PR applications.
Book a free assessment through our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
What is an IPA letter in Singapore?
It is the In-Principle Approval letter MOM issues when a work pass application is approved. It confirms the approval and the approved job and salary, and sets the deadline for entering Singapore and completing the formalities. It is not the pass itself.
How long is an IPA letter valid?
Usually up to six months from the date of issue. Use the expiry date printed on your letter, because MOM can issue a shorter validity.
How do I download or get a copy of my IPA letter?
Employers log in to the myMOM Portal with Corppass, or to WP Online for Work Permit renewals and replacements, and print the letter from there. Employers of migrant domestic workers log in to the MDW eService with Singpass to print a duplicate, or request one by fax on 6538 7275 or online. Workers cannot download it themselves and should ask their employer or agent.
I lost my IPA letter. What now?
Ask your employer or agent to print a duplicate from the eService before you travel. For pass types where the IPA is the entry document, you need the whole letter.
Can an IPA letter be extended?
Yes. The employer or agent can request an extension before the IPA expires, for passes including the Employment Pass, S Pass, Training Employment Pass and Work Permit. For migrant workers, log in at least one week before expiry and print the extended IPA once approved.
What happens if my IPA expires?
MOM withdraws the approval. A new application must be submitted and is assessed under the rules in force at that time, which may have changed.
Can I work in Singapore with just an IPA letter?
No. The IPA allows entry within its validity. Work starts once the pass is issued, unless MOM has issued a specific document allowing it.
Can I enter Singapore using my IPA letter?
For several pass types the IPA acts as the entry document, and migrant domestic workers must carry the whole letter. Some nationalities also need a Multiple Journey Visa, which the letter will note.
Is an IPA letter the same as a work pass?
No. The IPA is the approval in principle. The pass is the card issued after entry and the formalities.
My passport was renewed after the IPA was issued. What should I do?
Update the passport details with MOM before entry. The IPA must match the passport you travel on.
Official sources: MOM, In-principle approval (IPA) for migrant worker; MOM FAQ on extending the validity of an In-Principle Approval; MOM guidance on printing or requesting a duplicate IPA letter; MOM sample IPA letter for employers; MOM, Check work pass and application status.
Disclaimer: Validity periods, requirements and fees are based on MOM information as of October 2026 and can change. Each application is assessed individually. Nothing here guarantees an outcome.
