The Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP) is a short programme about your role and responsibilities as an employer. MOM makes it compulsory for first-time employers of a helper, to be completed at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application. If you have employed a helper in Singapore before, you are generally not a first-time employer, so the EOP is not normally required again. Confirm your own situation on MOM's EOP page before you apply.
Who usually needs to attend
- First-time employers: anyone hiring a helper in Singapore for the first time, including foreigners who already employ the same helper elsewhere.
- Experienced employers: generally do not need to repeat it. MOM can ask an employer to attend in some situations, so check if you receive a notice.
When someone else can attend for you
MOM allows a first-time employer to appoint a representative, sponsor or spouse to attend in specific circumstances, for example:
- You have a chronic medical condition, a physical disability and are unable to walk, or you are 60 or older with physical discomfort, and a sponsor or representative (over 21) attends on your behalf, or your sponsor or sponsor's spouse has employed a helper before.
- You are a new or expectant mother whose delivery is within one month of the application, and your spouse attends for you.
The representative must complete the EOP at least 2 working days before you apply online to appoint them, and the Work Permit application can go ahead one working day after that appointment is approved.
How to apply
- Check that you meet the conditions on MOM's EOP page.
- Apply online with Singpass (or ask your employment agency to apply using its Corppass).
- Have the employer's, sponsor's or representative's particulars ready, plus the agency's contact details if it applies for you.
- After approval, keep supporting documents, such as the EOP attendance certificate or a doctor's letter, for three months in case of audit.
Is it worth attending anyway?
Even when you do not strictly need it, many experienced employers find a refresher useful after a long gap, or when rules on rest days and well-being have changed. The online version can be completed at home.
See MOM's Employers' Orientation Programme page and our first-time employer guide.
Details that avoid delays
- Attend under the same name and NRIC that will appear on the Work Permit application.
- Complete the programme at least 2 working days before you apply, so the record reaches MOM.
- If a representative attends for you, keep the supporting documents for 3 months in case MOM asks for them.
Common questions
How long does the EOP take?
MOM describes it as a 3-hour programme, available online or in a classroom through approved providers.
I employed a helper years ago. Do I need the EOP again?
You are generally not a first-time employer, but MOM can require attendance in some situations. Check MOM's EOP page or ask your agency before applying.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Procedures change, so confirm the current steps on mom.gov.sg or with your licensed employment agency.
