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DP LOC renewal: local-hire and CPF evidence pack
Companion to Dependant’s Pass / trailing-partner careers — first-year LOC vs renewal, Local Qualifying Salary hire, three months of CPF contributions, and what to pause if the pack is thin.
Parents: Dependant’s Pass · trailing partner careers. This companion is the LOC renewal evidence layer solo consultancies discover after a painless first-year approval.
First LOC ≠ renewal rules
A Letter of Consent for eligible DP business owners (ACRA sole prop / partner / director meeting shareholding tests) is time-boxed. Forum heat is almost never “MOM hates freelancers” — it is renewal after a year of invoicing with no Local Qualifying Salary hire and no three-month CPF trail.
| Renewal ask (orientation) | What to gather |
|---|---|
| Local employee | At least one Singaporean/PR on payroll at/above live Local Qualifying Salary |
| CPF trail | Three consecutive months of CPF contributions for that hire before you submit |
| Business still qualifies | ACRA status + shareholding / partnership facts that still match the LOC product |
| DP still live | LOC dies if the underlying DP dies — sequence principal renewal first |
If the pack is thin
- Pause Singapore-client work before the LOC expires — do not “invoice through the gap.”
- Hire to the published standard early enough for three CPF months, or
- Migrate onto an employer / self-sponsored Employment Pass via a properly capitalised vehicle — incorporate, or
- Keep clearly overseas-only clients under the DP overseas FAQ — still not a Singapore-client licence — side income.
Decision rule
Renewal is a hiring + CPF story. Shareholding and a first-year LOC letter do not waive the local-hire bar Reddit keeps wishing away.
Sources & citations
Admin and policy details change. Prefer the official page when making decisions; we cite primary sources for Singapore government and statutory guidance.
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