Leaving Singapore for Good: A Practical Exit Checklist

Moving to Singapore comes with plenty of guides. Leaving it gets far less attention, yet the exit involves just as many moving parts: your employer cancelling your pass, tax clearance, handing back a rental flat, closing or keeping accounts, and making sure nothing follows you overseas as an unpaid bill. This leaving Singapore checklist pulls those steps into one timeline so you can work through them calmly.

It is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules for work passes, tax and CPF are set by government agencies and can change, so confirm current requirements with MOM (the Ministry of Manpower), IRAS (the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore), ICA (the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority) and the CPF Board.

Your Exit Timeline at a Glance

When	Main tasks	Who is involved
Two to three months before	Give notice at work, check lease notice terms, get mover quotes, start pet export planning	Employer, landlord or agent, movers, AVS
About one month before	Employer starts tax clearance, book flights, notify school, arrange utilities and telco end dates	Employer, IRAS, school, SP Group, telco
Last two weeks	Pack and ship, sell or deregister car, collect records, plan flat handover	Movers, LTA, clinics, landlord
Final week	Pass cancellation, handover and deposit, final bills, keep one bank account working	Employer, MOM, landlord, bank
After you leave	Receive deposit and final pay, settle any tax bill, close remaining accounts	Landlord, employer, IRAS, bank

The sections below expand on each area.

Work Pass and Dependants

If you hold an Employment Pass, S Pass or similar work pass, your employer is responsible for cancelling it with MOM when your employment ends. Agree the last working day and the cancellation date with HR early, because your right to stay in Singapore is tied to a valid pass.

Points to check:

• Dependant’s Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass holders in your family are linked to your pass. Ask HR and check the MOM website on what happens to their passes and how long they can remain.
• Short-term visit pass: if you need extra days after cancellation to wrap things up, ask HR or check with ICA about the options available for your situation. Do not assume you can stay on after your pass ends.
• Return your pass card if MOM’s instructions ask you to.
• Permanent residents leaving for good have different considerations. If you want to keep PR status while abroad, read up on the Re-Entry Permit with ICA well before leaving. If you intend to give up PR, check the process and its effects on CPF and other matters with the relevant agencies.

Tax Clearance With IRAS

For foreign employees who are leaving Singapore or ceasing employment, employers generally have to seek tax clearance from IRAS, commonly known as the IR21 process. The employer files the information and, in many cases, must withhold money due to you until clearance is given. HR usually starts this about a month before your last day.

What this means for you:

• Final salary or bonus may be held temporarily. Ask HR how and when it will be released.
• Watch for a tax bill. IRAS assesses income up to your departure. Make sure you can still log in to myTax Portal (often with Singpass) or that you have arranged another way to receive and pay the bill.
• Keep your Singpass working where possible and update your contact details, so you do not miss notices.
• Self-employed or with rental income? Your obligations differ. Check directly with IRAS.

Ending Your Lease and Getting the Deposit Back

Read your tenancy agreement before you give notice. Common clauses to look for:

• Notice period and how notice must be given, usually in writing.
• Diplomatic clause, which in many Singapore leases lets a tenant end early if they are leaving the country or transferred, subject to conditions in the agreement.
• Reinstatement terms: repainting, aircon servicing, professional cleaning or curtain washing may be required before handover.

For a smooth handover:

1. Book a joint inspection with the landlord or agent and use the original inventory list.
2. Take dated photos and videos of every room, appliance and meter reading.
3. Fix small damage, replace blown bulbs, and return all keys and access cards.
4. Agree in writing how the security deposit will be refunded and by when, and give bank details that will still work after you leave.

Utilities, Telco and Subscriptions

• Electricity, water and gas: arrange a final reading and account closure with SP Group (and your retailer if you used one in the Open Electricity Market). The deposit or final balance is usually settled against your bill.
• Internet and mobile: check for early termination charges and equipment you must return. Consider keeping your number active for a while, since many banks and services send one-time passwords by SMS.
• GIRO and recurring payments: cancel automatic deductions for gym memberships, streaming, insurance and town council or condo charges once final bills are paid.
• Mail: ask SingPost about redirection options, and update your address with banks, insurers and your employer.

Banks, CPF, Insurance and Your Car

Bank accounts. Many leavers keep one Singapore account open for a few months to receive the deposit refund, final salary and any tax refund. Ask your bank about minimum balance fees, overseas access and whether the account can be maintained by a non-resident. Pay off and close credit cards before you leave.

CPF. Foreigners on work passes usually do not contribute to CPF, but permanent residents do. Whether and how CPF savings can be withdrawn when leaving depends on your status and current rules. Check with the CPF Board directly.

Insurance. Company health cover usually ends with employment. Arrange travel or international cover for the gap, and review any personal policies to see if they continue overseas.

Car. If you own a car, you can sell it or deregister it. Deregistration may entitle you to rebates depending on the car’s age and certificate status. LTA’s website explains the current process. Settle any parking fines and ERP charges first.

Children, Pets, Health Records and Belongings

• School: inform the school early, request transcripts, report books and reference letters, and check notice and fee refund terms for international schools.
• Health records: ask your clinics for copies of key records, prescriptions and children’s vaccination history. Our travel documents checklist helps you organise originals and copies.
• Pets: exporting a pet involves the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) and the destination country’s import rules, which can take months. Start early.
• Belongings: get several mover quotes, decide what to sell or donate, and keep receipts for valuable items you ship.

Your Last Day

Keep a small folder or phone album with your passport, flight details, lease handover record, contact details for HR and your landlord, and proof of pass cancellation. The steps mirror what you did on arrival, as covered in our first-month checklist for moving to Singapore, only in reverse.

Then take an evening for a last hawker meal with friends. You have earned it.

Official sources: CPF Board · IRAS

Further reading: A Pre-Departure Checklist Before Leaving · Moving to Singapore From Ireland: Passes, Tax Exit Steps and Community