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SINGAPORE – A new business travel pass is being tested for senior executives in Singapore with regional or international responsibilities who need to travel abroad regularly for official and business purposes.
Travelers with this pass, which is not country-specific, will be required to adhere to a strictly controlled itinerary when traveling abroad for work, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on Wednesday (September 23).
Upon return, the traveler will have the option of taking a Covid-19 test instead of a stay-at-home notice (SHN) and self-isolate until the test results are published, it added.
The ministry said the number of passes will be strictly limited in the initial phase to ensure that the public health results of this pilot can be monitored.
“If the pilot is successful and the public health measures are fully met, we will consider expanding the scheme in a safe and calibrated manner,” the Ministry of Health said.
The latest announcement comes after the multi-ministerial task force tackling Covid-19 in Singapore said in June that studies were underway to see how business travel can be facilitated in a safe and calibrated way.
Working group co-chair Lawrence Wong said during a virtual press conference on Wednesday (September 23) that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will share more details.
But, in essence, the travel pass will allow the traveler to visit “a wide range of countries,” said Mr. Wong, who is also the Minister of Education.
“It is not going to be country specific; we will allow those with the travel pass to travel.
“But, of course, these travelers will have to comply with any travel restrictions or measures that exist in the country they are visiting,” he added.
There may also be other restrictions under other travel schemes, such as bilateral travel arrangements like Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) schemes, that travelers should pay attention to, Mr. Wong added.
Under the RGL agreements Singapore has with Malaysia, Brunei and Japan, travelers must, for example, undergo Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction tests before departure and after arrival, and adhere to an itinerary controlled previously declared during your visit, among other requirements.
Mr. Wong said the new business travel pass that is being tested will not replace these restrictions.
“The idea is to allow senior executives who are based in Singapore and have broad regional or international responsibilities a little more flexibility to travel for work purposes,” said Mr. Wong.
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