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MyCareersFuture 14 Day Job Ad Rule for Restaurants: FCF Guide

The Fair Consideration Framework job ad a Singapore restaurant must run before an EP or S Pass: the exemption test, the ad rules, safe wording for a Japanese kitchen role, a template and a dated plan.

Updated September 27, 2026 WashokuJob

Before an Employment Pass or S Pass application, a Singapore restaurant must advertise the job on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days, show a salary range whose top is at most twice its bottom and which contains the offer, and make no offer during those days. Exempt: companies under 10 employees, fixed salaries of S$22,500 or more, jobs of a month or less, and local or intra corporate transferees.

For a restaurant that has chosen its chef and must now run a compliant job ad before filing the pass. This page is the one place on this site that sets out the advertising duty, the exemptions and the dates. Which pass to use and what it costs is on the Singapore hiring hub; the EP points test is on COMPASS points for chefs; quotas are on the kitchen workforce page.

On this page

  1. Does the duty apply to you?
  2. The ad rules
  3. Safe and unsafe wording for a Japanese kitchen role
  4. Copy and paste ad template
  5. How the ad ties you to the application
  6. Step by step, with dates
  7. Records and penalties
  8. Questions employers ask

Does the duty apply to you?

The advertising requirement applies to new Employment Pass and S Pass applications. It does not apply to Work Permits. Work through this test first:

QuestionIf yes
Does the company have fewer than 10 employees?Exempt (EP and S Pass)
Is the fixed monthly salary S$22,500 or more?Exempt (EP and S Pass)
Is the role one month or shorter, for example a guest chef for an opening?Exempt (EP and S Pass)
Is an existing employee moving from a related branch, subsidiary or affiliate in Singapore?Exempt as a local transferee (EP and S Pass)
Has the chef worked for your group outside Singapore for at least a year, and is moving as a manager, executive or specialist?Exempt as an overseas intra corporate transferee (EP only)
None of the aboveAdvertise on MyCareersFuture before applying

One point we could not confirm decides many small restaurants: MOM's page does not say how the 10 employees are counted, for example whether pass holders and part timers are included. If you are close to 10, ask MOM before relying on the exemption, and remember that a second outlet under the same company can push you over.

The intra corporate transferee route has costs. Family members are generally not eligible for a Dependant's Pass unless a trade agreement covers them, and MOM says such transferees are generally not eligible for later employment in Singapore or for permanent residence. A regular EP with an ad avoids that.

Exempt or not, MOM expects every employer to hire fairly and encourages advertising on MyCareersFuture anyway.

The ad rules

Safe and unsafe wording for a Japanese kitchen role

TAFEP's guidance says selection criteria must relate to qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience, that a language requirement must come with its reason, and that nationality must not be used. Its own list of phrases to avoid includes "Italian chef preferred", "EP/S Pass/WP holders preferred", "Work passes will be applied for successful candidates" and "S Pass quota available".

TopicAvoidUse insteadWhy
Job titleJapanese Chef; Japanese nationals preferredChef, Japanese CuisineTAFEP rejects nationality in job titles. Naming the cuisine removes doubt.
LanguageNative Japanese speakerAble to read Japanese, to order from suppliers in Japan and follow recipes written in JapaneseA language is allowed only with a job related reason; "native speaker" is on TAFEP's avoid list.
ExperienceMust have worked in JapanAt least 5 years preparing sushi and sashimi, including breaking down whole fishOur reading: a country of work can act as a proxy for nationality. Describe the skill.
Knife workJapanese trained onlyUses and maintains single bevel knives (yanagiba, deba)A testable skill, open to anyone who has it.
Counter serviceJapanese personalityServes an omakase counter, explaining each course to guests in EnglishStates the duty and the language used with guests.
AgeBelow 35; young teamStands through long service periods and handles whole fish and heavy stock potsTAFEP: state the physical demand, not an age.
Pass statusWork pass provided; S Pass quota available(leave out)Both appear on TAFEP's avoid list.

Copy and paste ad template

MyCareersFuture ads should be in the language of the platform, so write this one in English. Replace the brackets.

Chef, Japanese Cuisine (Sushi Counter)

[Restaurant name], a [number] seat Japanese restaurant at [location], is hiring a chef to lead the sushi counter.

Duties: break down and age whole fish; prepare sushi rice and sushi to our standard; serve an omakase counter of [number] seats, explaining each course to guests in English; manage fish orders and stock; train and supervise [number] cooks.

Requirements: at least [5] years preparing sushi and sashimi, including whole fish; use and care of single bevel knives; ability to read Japanese, because recipes and supplier orders from Japan are in Japanese; food hygiene certification or willingness to obtain it.

Hours: [days] per week, [hours] per week, split shifts. Salary: S$[min] to S$[max] per month fixed, plus [allowances].

We welcome applicants of all ages and backgrounds who meet the requirements.

Before posting, check that the maximum is no more than twice the minimum and that the range covers every salary you might offer, including the pass floor for the candidate's age in the month you will apply.

How the ad ties you to the application

MOM rejects an application whose offered salary sits outside the advertised range. Three situations catch restaurants:

Step by step, with dates

An example with a posting date of Monday 5 October 2026. MOM does not say whether the posting day counts as day one, so the plan below treats it as day one and leaves the offer to day 15.

DateStep
Mon 5 Oct 2026Post on MyCareersFuture with the final occupation, entity, vacancies and salary range. Start Japanese channels the same day; see writing a job ad for chefs in Japan.
5 to 18 OctReview every applicant, interview suitable local ones, run remote tests with candidates in Japan. No offers.
Mon 19 OctChoose, make the written offer, submit the EP or S Pass application linked to the ad.
By early NovMOM aims to process within 10 business days.
If anything changesNew ad, new 14 days.
Three months after the ad closesThe ad can no longer be used. Advertise again.

Records and penalties

MOM says to keep interview and offer records for at least one year in case of a complaint. For each applicant, keep the CV, whether you interviewed, and a line on why they did or did not fit the stated requirements.

Since January 2020, breaches of the Tripartite Guidelines, such as advertising after pre selecting a foreigner or posting a discriminatory ad, bring a work pass debarment of at least 12 months and up to 24. Debarment covers renewals, and MOM notes that with passes of two to three years, a 12 month debarment can stop one third to half of renewals. A false declaration that all candidates were considered fairly can be prosecuted, with up to 2 years' jail, a fine of up to S$20,000, or both. The Workplace Fairness Act, which adds a legal claims process for discrimination, is slated to take effect at the end of 2027.

Figures that expire: EP and S Pass floors change for new applications on 1 January 2027, which affects the salary range you advertise. The Workplace Fairness Act is slated for end 2027. MOM's EP advertising page was last updated 5 January 2026 and the S Pass page 20 January 2026. Checked 27 September 2026.

Questions employers ask

Do we have to advertise if we already know which chef we want?

Yes, unless an exemption applies. You must still advertise for 14 consecutive days and consider every applicant fairly. Advertising after pre selecting a foreigner without reviewing applicants is one of the breaches MOM names.

Are small restaurants exempt from the MyCareersFuture ad?

A company with fewer than 10 employees is exempt. MOM's page does not define the count, so check with MOM if you are near 10 or run several outlets under one company.

Can the ad ask for Japanese language?

Yes, if you give the job related reason, such as reading recipes and supplier orders written in Japanese. "Native Japanese speaker" and any nationality preference should not appear.

What if the chef asks for more than the advertised maximum?

The offer must fall inside the advertised range. Post a new ad with the new range and keep it open another 14 consecutive days before applying.

Does a chef transferred from our Japan head office need an ad?

Not if they qualify as an overseas intra corporate transferee for an EP: at least a year with your group outside Singapore and a manager, executive or specialist role. Family members then generally cannot get a Dependant's Pass.

General information checked against MOM and TAFEP pages on 27 September 2026, not legal advice. The wording table combines TAFEP's published examples with our reading where marked. Confirm with MOM or TAFEP before posting.

Sources

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