Foreign Students Working in Singapore
Part-time Employment
Student pass holders may engage in part-time work in Singapore. The Immigrations Checkpoint Authority (ICA) allows students to undertake a maximum of 16 hours of part-time work per week during term time. There is no restriction on working hours during vacation. For more information, please click here.
Full-time Employment
Singapore depends to an unusual degree on recruiting foreign talent to live and work in Singapore.
General information on working, studying and living in Singapore can be found at Contact Singapore.
Foreign students not qualified to practice Singapore law most commonly find work in international law firms based in Singapore, as in-house counsel, and as foreign associates in the corporate, finance and capital markets sectors.
The NYU Office of Career Services (OCS) provides a variety of career services for students and alumni of the Law School’s Graduate Programmes in order to help them find a private sector position consistent with their career goals.
Every year, practice interviews and the Asia Job Fair provide opportunities for networking and career development, as well as interviews that may lead to placements in Singapore or other offices.
A workshop on public interest opportunities is also held each year. The Public Interest Law Center (PILC) at the NYU Law School provides all advice regarding public interest careers.
Useful resources include:
1. Miller|Hunter
David Miller Osammor, BA (Hons), LL.M.
Partner
Singapore Office
#12-02, Samsung Hub
3 Church Street
Singapore 049483
Tel: (65) 6327 4271 Mobile: (65) 9635 5639
Fax: (65) 6327 4576 Hong Kong: (852) 5808 0134
E-mail: david@millerhunter.com
Website: www.millerhunter.com
2. Singapore’s directory of law firms.
Internship Positions
Students may also undertake internship positions. The National University of Singapore (NUS) generally prohibits full-time students (regardless of nationality) from engaging in full-time work during term time.
The duration of an internship is dependent on each individual law firm or organization, it can be as short as a week or extend to more than a few months.
For internships that take place during term time, full-time students must obtain approval from the Vice Dean, Graduate Studies, NUS Faculty of Law.
Please note the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore (MOM) has set out the following new regulations that will apply with effect from 1 January 2012.
1. Work pass exemption will be granted to foreign students to do their internships if they fulfill the following conditions:
- conducted during stipulated school vacation at NUS; OR
- within 16 hours per week during term time; OR
- compulsory course work requirement for graduation (this is not applicable to NYU@NUS students)
NUS academic calendar is found at: http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/calendar.html
2. For international students who are registered for courses and also will be assuming an internship position in Singapore during term time, please note that the working hours must not exceed 16 hours per week.
3. For more information, please refer to the advisory note at: http://www.nus.edu.sg/osa/career/downloads/Advisory.pdf
Please note that foreign students will be prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act if they are found working in Singapore without a valid Work Pass.
Employers who hire foreigners without valid work passes will be prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
If you have further queries, please do not hesitate to contact NYU@NUS office (email: NYU@NUS.edu or tel: 6516 7034).
You may also wish to contact MOM Hotline directly at 6438 5122.
Application for Internship Positions in Singapore
A good start in your search for internship positions in Singapore will be the NUS Faculty of Law Vacation Internship Programme website. You may wish to start by writing to law firms that have offered internship positions previously. Note that this website is updated as and when positions become available.
Below is a list of law firms that have previously offered internship positions to NYU@NUS students and graduates.
|
Organisation/ Law Firm |
Recruiting Contact Details |
| Allen & Overy | Crystal LEE Human Resources (Internships) crystal.lee@allenovery.com |
| Arfat Selvam Alliance LLC | Krishna RAMACHANDRA Managing Director Email: krishna.ramachandra@asalliance.com.sg |
| Ashurst LLP | Carl DUNTON Partner carl.dunton@ashurst.com |
| Clifford Chance Singapore | Rosie LYNN-JONES Recruitment – Legal (Hong Kong) Email: rosie.lynn-jones@cliffordchance.com |
| DLA Piper | Anisara AZIZ Office Manager anisara.aziz@dlapiper.com |
| Drew & Napier | Human Resources (Interns) kym.ko@drewnapier.com |
| Konrad Adenauer Foundation (not-for-profit German Political Foundation) | Marc SPITZKATZ, The Director (Rule of Law Programme, Asia) Email: law.singapore@kas.de |
| Linklaters Singapore | Recruitment Department Email: pearl.bik@linklaters.com |
| Rajah & Tann LLP | The Human Resource Department (Internship) Email: recruitment@rajahtann.com Tel: +65 6535 3600 |
| Rodyk & Davidson LLP | NG Hwee Yen Manager Human Resources Email: ang.hweeyen@rodyk.com Tel: +65 6885 3983 |
| Singapore Petroleum Company | Email: spccc@spc.com.sg Tel: + 65-6276 6006 |
| Stamford Law | Recruitment Director Email : recruitment@stamfordlaw.com.sg |
| White & Case | Email: recruitment.singapore@whitecase.com Tel: + 65 6225 6000 |
| Yeo-Leong & Peh, LLC | EE Ping Sie Email: leepingsie@ylp.com.sg Or Wendy YEO Email: wendyyeo@ylp.com.sg |
| A growing number of NYU@NUS alumni are currently work in Singapore. There will be opportunities to meet them at alumni and other events during term time. | |
Additional web-based resources include internship sites such as Asia Interns and Intern SG.
