Singapore to provide new “Business Travel Pass” to Senior Executives

The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore has announced on Wednesday (Sept 23) that it is carrying out a trial and will soon introduce a new business travel pass for senior executives with regional or international responsibilities.

Travelers holding this special pass must follow a strict itinerary when they travel to other country for business and official purposes. After returning to Singapore, they will be able to choose the option of undergoing a COVID-19 test instead of the stay-home notice (SHN) and they can isolate themselves until the results are released.

The health ministry said in a press release, “We are piloting a new business travel pass for senior executives in Singapore with regional or international responsibilities who need to travel regularly for official and business purposes.”

Mr. Lawrence Wong, the Minister of Education and co-chair of the task force, has recently informed at a multi-ministry task force virtual press conference on Sept 23 that senior executives holding this travel pass will be able to travel many countries. The business travel pass will not be country specific.

He also pointed out that travelers will have to comply with all travel restrictions or measures in other countries they visit. He also said that conditions of the bilateral travel arrangements such as the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) schemes will apply as well.

Singapore has established RGL arrangements with Brunei, China, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Korea. The country is also in talk with Indonesia to establish similar travel agreement. Under the RGL arrangements, travelers require to undergo pre-departure and post-arrival COVID-19 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) before departure and after arrival, and follow the pre-declared controlled route during the visit.

The Ministry of Health said in a press release that the number of passes allocated will be limited in the initial phase, in accordance to monitor the public health results of pilot.

“If the pilot is successful and public health measures are fully abided by, we will consider expanding the scheme in a safe and calibrated manner,” it added.

The idea is to enable senior executives in Singapore to travel for work with more flexibility.