Singapore · Weekly briefing · Nº 042

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EP salary cut and DP / LTVP cascade

Next companion when HR lowers EP fixed salary — MOM’s 1-month-before notify rule, SAT re-qualify, and how a cut can revoke spouse/child DP or LTVP privileges tied to the pass.

NextLiving2 min read

r/askSingapore’s “my company cut my package — does my spouse’s DP die?” threads treat a quiet payroll change as private. MOM does not. Employer notify mechanics (salary, occupation, related-company moves) live on EP salary & occupation changes. This Next companion is the household DP / LTVP cascade layer.

The cut is an immigration event

RulePublished orientation (verify live)
Who notifiesEmployer (not the pass holder DIY)
TimingNotify at least 1 month before the intended lower-salary date
Qualifying testRevised fixed monthly salary must still qualify for the EP — run SAT
If EP no longer qualifiesCancel and apply for a pass the person can hold
Family cascadeIf revised salary fails MOM’s criteria for DP / LTVP privileges, MOM revokes existing DP/LTVP tied to the work pass

A handshake pay cut without MOM notify is how families discover revoked dependant passes mid-school term.

Questions to send HR before you sign the cut

  1. Will you file the MOM salary-reduction notify ≥ 1 month before the effective date?
  2. Please run SAT on the revised fixed monthly salary and send screenshots.
  3. Do spouse / child DP or LTVP privileges still clear after the cut?
  4. If privileges fail, what is the plan — restore pay, cancel/reapply, or family exit timeline?
  5. Is this a related-company transfer in disguise? (That needs a new EP, not a salary notify — changing jobs.)

Raise vs cut (do not mix the folklore)

ChangeImmediate MOM notify?
Salary cutYes — employer, ≥1 month before
Raise aloneUsually no — declare at EP renewal
Raise then add dependantsNotify before applying for dependant privileges
Occupation / title rewriteSeparate employer occupation-update request (~3 weeks)

Package definitions for “fixed monthly salary” sit on salary package decoding. Renewal-year COMPASS firm scores are a different theatre — EP renewal strategy.

Decision rule

No written MOM notify + SAT proof + explicit DP/LTVP still OK answer → do not treat the cut as safe for the household. Parent notify mechanics stay on EP salary & occupation changes; dependant pass basics on Dependant’s Pass.