Singapore has made Covid vaccination a mandatory condition for the approval of new applications for work passes, long-term passes and permanent residence in Singapore from February 1 next year. Those renewing their work passes will also have to be vaccinated, the multi-ministry task force (MMTF) on Covid said.

The new order will not apply to children aged below 12 and those who are medically ineligible for vaccination, it said. The new measure, announced on Sunday, is a part of the nation’s adjustments to dealing with the Omicron variant. “These measures will help sustain our high vaccination rates and facilitate the safe reopening of our society and economy,” the MMTF said.

At the point of application, employers will have to make a declaration that their work pass holders and dependants are fully vaccinated upon arrival in Singapore. Work pass holders must submit or present their vaccination certificates as part of the verification process. Those with digitally verifiable certificates will have to upload them to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s Vaccination Check Portal system.

Those without digitally verifiable certificates will have to present their vaccination certificates to airlines or ferry operators, or at the checkpoint, before boarding. People who cannot produce the necessary documents will not be allowed to board the plane or enter Singapore, unless prior exemptions have been granted. Individuals who were vaccinated overseas must update their vaccination records in the National Immunisation Registry (NIR) and will be given a grace period of 30 days upon arrival in Singapore to undergo and show a positive serology test result taken at a public health preparedness clinic.

“Should they test negative, they will be required to complete the full vaccination regimen in Singapore or their passes may be revoked,” the task force said. As for dependents of work pass holders, the vaccination condition will not apply to children aged below 12