Periodic Commuting Arrangement Checklist
NOTE: If you hold a valid entry approval letter under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement but wish to apply to enter under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL), please write in via the SafeTravel Enquiry Form for assistance. All short-term visitors and long-term pass holders are required to have a Vaccinated Travel Pass and fulfil VTL conditions in order to qualify for quarantine-free travel under the VTL. Click for more information on the VTL (Air) or VTL (Land).
The Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) supports the periodic movement of workers between Singapore and Malaysia. In summary, travellers using the PCA to enter Singapore must:
- Travel via the land checkpoints from Malaysia to Singapore
- Spend at least 90 days in Singapore for work upon entry, before being eligible to return to their home country for short term home leave
- Be subject to the prevailing health measures including SHN (currently 7-day SHN at a residence or self-sourced accommodation) and COVID-19 tests
Travellers should consider using the Vaccinated Travel Lane (Land) instead of the PCA, if they wish to have quarantine-free measures on arrival in Singapore or Malaysia.
The checklist below provides a step-by-step guide for reference for travellers and companies wishing to utilise the PCA, split into the following stages:
- Stage 1: Pre-Departure for Singapore
- Stage 2: Departure for Singapore
- Stage 3: Arrival in Singapore
- Stage 4: Stay-Home Notice and COVID-19 Test
- Stage 5: End of Stay-Home Notice
- Stage 6: Departure from Singapore
☐ A) Apply for SafeTravel Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) Pass
Singapore-based companies (i.e. application sponsors) must apply for a PCA Pass on behalf of employees via the application portal here.
The employees must spend at least 90 days in Singapore for work upon entry. Applications must be submitted at least 7 calendar days before the planned date of entry. Eligible employees must be:
- Malaysian Citizen or Malaysian Permanent Resident holding a long-term pass* for business and work purposes in Singapore that is valid for at least 15 days from the date of entry; or
- Malaysian Citizen who is a Singapore Permanent Resident working in Singapore.
*Includes the following MOM-issued work passes: Employment Pass, Entre Pass, Personalised Employment Pass, S Pass, Work Permit, Training Employment Pass, Training Work Permit and Work Holiday Pass. Work Pass in-principal approval holders are ineligible for PCA and should obtain their entry approvals from MOM.
☐ B) Secure Self-Isolation Accommodation
Travellers will be placed on 7-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN), which they must complete before going about with their activities in Singapore. They may complete their SHN at a place of residence (see advisory below), self-sourced hotel, or serviced apartment. For hotel bookings, travellers may refer to this non-exhaustive hotel list.
General advisory for travellers opting to serve their SHN at their place of residence:
Travellers may serve SHN at their residence, with household members not sharing the same travel history, regardless of vaccination status. However, if travellers are residing with unvaccinated vulnerable household members, they are strongly encouraged to serve their SHN in isolation in a room and minimise contact with their vulnerable household members.
If sharing a place of residence with others, travellers should designate a specific bathroom to be used by themselves. If a single bathroom must be shared, all individuals in the location should practise good hygiene habits, below, and disinfect the bathroom after each use:
- Lower the lid before flushing the toilet;
- Clean and disinfect contact surfaces after each use; and
- Avoid using the toilet for at least 20 minutes after it is used by the person who is serving SHN.
☐ C) Pre-Departure COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test or Antigen Rapid Test (ART)
Travellers must take a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test or ART within 2 days before departure for Singapore. The test must be taken at a recognised or accredited laboratory in Malaysia.
Following the test, travellers must obtain a certificate/report for the test; only those who test negative for COVID-19 will be permitted to travel. The report should be in English (or accompanied with an English translation), and:
- Contain the traveller’s name, and either date of birth or passport number (per the passport used to travel to Singapore); and
- Reflect the date and time the test was taken, the name of the testing institution, and test result.
☐ D) Submission of Health Declaration
Travellers should submit an SG Arrival Card (SGAC) with their pre-trip health and travel history declaration, within 3 days before arriving in Singapore
Travellers should defer their travels if they:
- Have COVID-19 symptoms;
- Are diagnosed or suspected to have contracted COVID-19 in the last 14 days before departing for Singapore; or
- Had been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive patient in the last 10 days before departing for Singapore. This includes the provision of care for a COVID-19 patient in a healthcare or family/social setting, staying in the same location as a COVID-19 patient, or had been in close (i.e. less than two meters) contact with a COVID-19 patient for more than 15 minutes.
☐ E) Contact Tracing
Travellers must download the TraceTogether, FWMOMCARE and WhatsApp mobile applications and register their profile on these applications to facilitate contact tracing. Individuals who are unable to use a mobile device due to a certified disability or special need, are eligible to be issued physical TraceTogether tokens.
☐ Pre-Departure Checks
Travellers are strongly advised to prepare the following documents, which may be requested by the Malaysian authorities during departure:
- Physical or digital copy of the PCA Approval Letter;
- Valid pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test or ART showing a negative COVID-19 result (see Stage 1C);
- a Valid Malaysia-issued passport; and
- Singapore-issued Work Pass or Singapore NRIC (for Singapore Permanent Residents).
☐ A) Immigration Clearance
Follow the instructions provided by the ground officers and signages on arrival.
As part of immigration clearance, travellers may be required to present the same set of documentation listed in Stage 2. Travellers who are fully vaccinated overseas should also present their vaccination certificate(s) to the immigration officer, who will facilitate the registration of the traveller’s vaccination status into TraceTogether. This will allow the traveller to qualify for vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) adopted in Singapore for up to 30 days.
Following immigration clearance, travellers will receive a digital Visit Pass (“e-Pass”), which will indicate the permissible period of stay granted; traveller’s passport will no longer be stamped. Travellers will receive their e-Pass via the email indicated in their SG Arrival Card.
☐ B) COVID-19 On Arrival Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (“PCR Test”)
Immediately after clearing immigration, travellers will take an on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test. To minimise processing time at the checkpoints, please register and pay for the test before arrival in Singapore.
☐ C) Transport to Declared SHN Accommodation
Travellers must commute directly to their declared accommodation for the completion of their 7-day Stay Home Notice. They may do so using private transport, taxi, or private hire cars (see advisories below). The use of public transport, e.g. trains or buses, is prohibited.
| Transport Type | Advisory |
|---|---|
| Private transport | Travellers can be ferried from the checkpoint to the declared accommodation by the authorised hotel, transport service representative, or family member from the same household/friend. However, there should not be more than one person picking up the traveller. Travellers who are sharing vehicle must share the same travel history and be heading to the same declared place of accommodation. A face mask must be worn by all passengers throughout the journey. Passengers are also strongly encouraged to adopt the following measures:
|
| Taxi/private hire cars |
Travellers must inform the transport operator and driver that they are served with an SHN. Travellers may do so by indicating “SHN” in the chat, note or comment box found in the mobile booking application, or selecting this option (if available). Only travellers sharing the same travel history and serving their 7-day SHN at the same declared place of accommodation are permitted to share transport. All travellers are advised to occupy the backseat and have the vehicle windows wounded down. |
☐ A) Stay-Home Notice (SHN)
Travellers must serve a 7-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) which takes effect immediately upon its issuance. Travellers must remain in the declared SHN accommodation for the period specified in their SHN, unless they have/have been:
- Directed by the relevant authorities to leave their accommodation
- Scheduled to take a COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (“PCR test”) at the end of the SHN period; or
- Received a negative PCR test result for the test taken before the end of SHN.
To calculate the estimated SHN end-date, click here for the SHN calculator.
During the SHN period, randomised in-person or phone/video compliance check(s) will be conducted. Failure to comply with any SHN-related requirement is an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act and a breach of the additional work pass conditions. Errant travellers can expect to be fined, imprisoned, and/or have their residency/work permits revoked. Click here for information on SHN-compliance.
☐ B) End-of-SHN COVID-19 Test
Travellers will be scheduled to take a COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (“PCR test”) before the end of the SHN. Travellers who do not receive their test appointment details a day before the end of their SHN should seek for assistance by completing this form.
Travellers can only leave their self-isolation accommodation after a negative result of the COVID-19 test taken on arrival in Singapore is conveyed.
☐ A) Release from Stay-Home Notice (SHN)
Travellers may end their SHN upon the receipt of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, or upon completion of the 7-day SHN, whichever is later. The result could be released to the traveller via email or call in around 24 hours from when the test was administered. Travellers with Singpass may also view their results via the TraceTogether or HealthHub App.
Travellers who test positive for COVID-19 must receive medical treatment. The medical expenses incurred will be borne by the employer if the traveller infected with COVID-19 within 14 days of their entry into Singapore. Otherwise, the prevailing medical treatment charges will apply. Singapore Permanent Residents, may, access Government subsidies and Medishield Life/Integrated Shield Plans to pay for their medical bills.
☐ B) Abide by local COVID-19 Safe Management Measures
After self-isolation, travellers may go about their activities but must comply with the latest public health measures.
To qualify for vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) in Singapore, travellers will need to show proof of their vaccination status via the TraceTogether application. Click here for more details on VDS. Travellers should also use the TraceTogether app, which facilitates the identification of close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case.
☐ A) Upload of TraceTogether Data & Return of TraceTogether Tokens (If applicable)
Travellers who test positive for COVID-19 upon their return to Malaysia, may be asked by the Singapore Ministry of Health to upload their TraceTogether mobile application data. As such, travellers are strongly advised to retain their TraceTogether mobile application for 14 days following their departure from Singapore.
Travellers issued with a physical TraceTogether token upon arrival in Singapore must return the tokens in-person at the designated TraceTogether token return booth found at the checkpoint.