COMPASS framework , points, bonuses, shortage list , Documents required and templates

Little Big Employment Agency (EA Licence 19C9790) works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.

The COMPASS framework is the Ministry of Manpower’s points-based system for scoring every new and renewal Employment Pass application against four core criteria plus two bonus criteria, and an application needs a combined score of at least 40 points to pass , which means the evidence an employer files, not just the salary offered, decides the outcome. Correct as at 2 September 2026.

What the COMPASS framework is

COMPASS stands for the Complementarity Assessment Framework, introduced by MOM for all Employment Pass applications from 1 September 2023. It scores each application on four core criteria , salary relative to sector and age benchmarks, candidate’s qualifications, workforce diversity at the employer, and the employer’s support for local employment , each worth up to 20 points, for a maximum of 80 core points, of which 40 is the pass mark. Two additional bonus criteria , shortage-occupation roles and strategic economic priorities , can each add up to 20 points, and are specifically designed to let an application compensate for scoring zero on one of the core criteria.

Unlike the qualifying salary, which is a fixed floor, COMPASS is a relative score: the same salary can score differently depending on the candidate’s age, the sector benchmark, and the employer’s existing workforce composition. This is why two employers offering an identical salary for a similar role can get different COMPASS outcomes.

Who needs to prepare COMPASS documents

Every employer filing a new or renewal Employment Pass application needs to prepare COMPASS-supporting evidence, since MOM applies the framework automatically at the point of assessment. This guide is aimed at HR teams and immigration consultants assembling that evidence, and at employers whose core criteria alone will not clear 40 points and who therefore need to build a bonus-criteria case , most commonly the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).

Eligibility and requirements , the four criteria plus two bonus criteria

• C1 , Salary: scored against MOM’s published salary benchmark tables, which vary by sector and the candidate’s age band; salaries at or above the 90th percentile of the relevant benchmark earn the full 20 points, with lower percentiles earning fewer points down to zero.
• C2 , Qualifications: scored on whether the candidate holds a degree from a institution on MOM’s recognised list; non-degree candidates can still score based on skills and experience under MOM’s wider assessment.
• C3 , Diversity: scored on the proportion of the employer’s Employment Pass holders drawn from a single nationality, relative to the employer’s total EP headcount; heavily concentrated single-nationality workforces score lower.
• C4 , Local employment support: scored on the employer’s track record under the Local Qualifying Salary and its overall proportion of local versus foreign professional, managerial and executive staff.
• Bonus , Shortage Occupation List (SOL): up to 20 points if the role is on MOM’s current SOL, reviewed periodically in consultation with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and sector agencies.
• Bonus , Strategic economic priorities: up to 20 points for employers whose activity is recognised under a government-endorsed economic development initiative.

Documents required , the evidence checklist

Build this evidence pack alongside the standard Employment Pass document set:

• Candidate’s proposed fixed monthly salary, cross-checked against MOM’s current benchmark table for the sector and age band, before the offer is finalised.
• Candidate’s degree certificate and, where the institution is not on MOM’s recognised list, independent qualification verification.
• A current headcount breakdown of the employer’s existing Employment Pass holders by nationality, to estimate the C3 diversity score before filing.
• A summary of the employer’s local PME (professional, managerial, executive) headcount relative to foreign PME headcount, to estimate the C4 score.
• If relying on the shortage-occupation bonus: the specific occupation title as it appears on the current SOL, and evidence the role genuinely matches that occupation’s description.
• If relying on the strategic priorities bonus: documentary confirmation of the employer’s participation in the relevant government-endorsed programme.
• The standard Employment Pass documents , passport, employment contract, company ACRA profile and CV , since COMPASS scoring sits on top of, not instead of, the base application.

A practical template for HR teams is a one-page “COMPASS pre-check” worksheet: list the four core criteria as rows, estimate a point score for each based on the candidate and current workforce data, total the core score, and note which bonus criterion (if any) would be needed to reach 40 points. Running this worksheet before an offer is made avoids discovering a COMPASS shortfall only after the application is filed.

Cost and timeline

• There is no separate COMPASS filing fee , it is assessed automatically as part of the standard Employment Pass application fee of S$105 and issuance fee of S$225.
• Processing time is unchanged by COMPASS: MOM aims to decide a complete application within about three weeks.
• The Shortage Occupation List is reviewed periodically (recent reviews have run roughly every six months), so an occupation’s SOL status at the time of filing should always be checked against the current list rather than a cached copy.
• Salary benchmark tables underlying the C1 criterion are also updated periodically , the most recent update affecting C1 benchmarks took effect in 2026 and will flow through to further EP renewals from January 2027.
• Budget planning tip: where a role is likely to score marginally on C1 and C2, allow for either a modest salary uplift or a longer recruitment search for a candidate whose profile improves the qualifications score, rather than filing and risking rejection.

Step-by-step: assembling a COMPASS-ready application

1. Check the candidate’s proposed salary against MOM’s current sector and age-band benchmark table before finalising the offer.
2. Estimate the C2 qualifications score based on the candidate’s degree and institution.
3. Pull the employer’s current EP-holder nationality breakdown to estimate the C3 diversity score.
4. Pull the employer’s local versus foreign PME headcount ratio to estimate the C4 score.
5. Total the four core scores; if below 40, check whether the role appears on the current Shortage Occupation List or qualifies under a strategic priorities programme.
6. Assemble the full documentary evidence for whichever criteria the application is relying on, alongside the standard Employment Pass document set.
7. File through EP Online and monitor for any MOM request for additional COMPASS-related evidence.

Common mistakes and gotchas

• Assuming a salary above the statutory qualifying minimum automatically scores well on C1 , COMPASS benchmarks are sector- and age-specific and can be materially higher than the statutory floor.
• Filing on an outdated Shortage Occupation List , the list is reviewed periodically and roles can be added or removed between filing cycles.
• Ignoring the C3 diversity criterion until an application unexpectedly scores zero , employers with a concentrated single-nationality EP workforce should track this ratio proactively, not just at filing time.
• Treating COMPASS as a one-off hurdle , renewals are rescored against the criteria and benchmarks in force at the time of renewal, which may differ from those in force when the pass was first issued.
• Relying on a bonus criterion without keeping the underlying evidence (SOL occupation match, or programme participation) on file for the pass’s full validity period.

FAQs

What is the minimum COMPASS score to pass?
An Employment Pass application needs a combined score of at least 40 points across the four core criteria, with bonus criteria available to make up a shortfall on one core criterion.

What is on the Shortage Occupation List?
Roles where MOM and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in consultation with sector agencies, have identified genuine shortages of qualified local workers, typically concentrated in advanced manufacturing, technology and select healthcare specialisations; the list is reviewed periodically.

Does COMPASS replace the Employment Pass qualifying salary?
No , COMPASS is scored in addition to the qualifying salary requirement; an application must clear both independently.

How is the diversity criterion (C3) scored?
It is based on the proportion of the employer’s existing Employment Pass holders from a single nationality relative to total EP headcount , the more concentrated the nationality mix, the lower the score.

Is COMPASS applied to Employment Pass renewals as well as new applications?
Yes, renewals are scored under the COMPASS criteria and benchmarks in force at the time of renewal, not those in force when the pass was originally issued.

Related guides

For how Singapore’s Regional Headquarters and International Headquarters tax incentives interact with the senior expatriate hiring that COMPASS assesses, see Raffles Corporate Services’ Regional HQ (RHQ) and IHQ tax incentives , Documents required and templates. For the broader question of what a foreign pass holder can do in terms of starting or joining a Singapore business, see Singapore Secretary Services’ What businesses can foreigners on certain passes in Singapore start?. For the latest C1 salary benchmark movements affecting your own renewal planning, see our own COMPASS C1 Salary Benchmarks August 2026: What the New Table Means for EP Renewals from January 2027.

Section 5(1) of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 provides that no person shall employ a foreign employee unless that employee holds a valid work pass issued under the Act, and it is under this statutory power that the Controller of Work Passes administers the COMPASS scoring criteria as a condition of granting an Employment Pass. Section 5(1) of the Immigration Act 1959 governs the entry of non-citizens into Singapore, which is why a COMPASS-approved Employment Pass functions as the In-Principle Approval permitting the candidate’s entry before the physical pass is issued.

For the authoritative, current COMPASS criteria and salary benchmark tables, always check the Ministry of Manpower at www.mom.gov.sg, and for entry and residency matters, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority at www.ica.gov.sg.

Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Little Big Employment Agency (EA Licence 19C9790) works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.