Employment Pass

What the Employment Pass is, and who qualifies

The Employment Pass is Singapore’s work pass for foreign professionals, managers and executives. It is tied to one employer and one role. If the person changes employer, a fresh application is required.

There is no quota on Employment Passes and no levy, which is what separates the EP from the S Pass and the Work Permit. In exchange, MOM applies two tests: a salary floor that rises with the candidate’s age, and the Complementarity Assessment Framework, known as COMPASS, which scores the application on the candidate and on the hiring company together.

Who the EP is for, and who it is not for

The EP suits a candidate with an acceptable degree, professional qualification or specialist skills, taking a role in Singapore that pays at or above the applicable floor for their age. It is not a general work visa. A role that pays below the floor for the candidate’s age cannot be approved on an EP however strong the candidate is, and the S Pass or another route has to be considered instead.

One point worth understanding early: the salary floor is a threshold, not a score. Clearing it only gets the application assessed. COMPASS then decides it.

Who may submit the application

Three parties can file an EP application: the employing company itself, an employment agency licensed by MOM acting for the employer, or in limited cases a Singapore-based sponsor for an overseas company that has no local entity, under EP (Sponsorship).

A candidate cannot apply for their own Employment Pass. This surprises people regularly. The pass belongs to the employment relationship, so an employer or its appointed agent has to make the application.

Foreign founders and newly incorporated companies

A founder who wants to move to Singapore and run their own company usually needs the company to exist first, because there has to be an employer to sponsor the pass. That sequence matters: incorporation, then the work pass. Our affiliate Raffles Corporate Services handles company incorporation and the resident director requirement, and we handle the pass.

Be realistic about COMPASS in a new company. A one-person or two-person firm scores by the small-company default rather than on its local workforce, which is explained under C3 and C4 below. Founders should also look at EntrePass, which is designed for innovative and venture-backed businesses, and at the ONE Pass and Personalised Employment Pass for high earners who want flexibility between employers.

Stage 1: the qualifying salary

The candidate’s fixed monthly salary must meet or exceed the floor for their age. Financial services roles carry a higher floor than every other sector.

Qualifying salary by age, current and from 1 January 2027

The figures in the right-hand columns apply to new applications made from 1 January 2027, and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028.

Table 1. EP qualifying salary by age, in Singapore dollars per month

Age	General, now	General, from 1 Jan 2027	Financial services, now	Financial services, from 1 Jan 2027
23 or below	5,600	6,000	6,200	6,600
24	5,832	6,250	6,455	6,877
25	6,064	6,500	6,709	7,155
26	6,295	6,750	6,964	7,432
27	6,527	7,000	7,218	7,709
28	6,759	7,250	7,473	7,986
29	6,991	7,500	7,727	8,264
30	7,223	7,750	7,982	8,541
31	7,455	8,000	8,236	8,818
32	7,686	8,250	8,491	9,095
33	7,918	8,500	8,745	9,373
34	8,150	8,750	9,000	9,650
35	8,382	9,000	9,255	9,927
36	8,614	9,250	9,509	10,205
37	8,845	9,500	9,764	10,482
38	9,077	9,750	10,018	10,759
39	9,309	10,000	10,273	11,036
40	9,541	10,250	10,527	11,314
41	9,773	10,500	10,782	11,591
42	10,005	10,750	11,036	11,868
43	10,236	11,000	11,291	12,145
44	10,468	11,250	11,545	12,423
45 or above	10,700	11,500	11,800	12,700

What counts as fixed monthly salary

Fixed monthly salary is the basic monthly salary plus fixed monthly allowances that are guaranteed and paid every month. It does not include variable bonuses, commissions, overtime, reimbursements, or benefits in kind such as housing or a car provided by the employer. Employers sometimes assume a generous total package will carry an application. It will not. MOM assesses the fixed component.

Renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028

This is the change most employers have not yet planned for. A pass renewed today is assessed against today’s floor. A pass expiring on or after 1 January 2028 is assessed against the higher figures. An employee currently at S$5,700 who is due to renew in early 2028 will need to be at S$6,000 by then, more if they have had a birthday in between.

The practical consequence is that salary reviews in 2027 need to be planned against renewal dates, not against the calendar year. We cover the planning sequence in our employer compliance guide.

Stage 2: COMPASS, criterion by criterion

COMPASS scores an application out of a possible 160 points across six criteria. Forty points is the pass mark. Four criteria are foundational and score 20, 10 or 0. Two are bonus criteria.

The crucial thing to understand is that two of the four foundational criteria score the company, not the candidate. An excellent candidate at a firm with a concentrated workforce can fail, and a modest candidate at a well-balanced firm can pass comfortably.

Table 2. COMPASS points legend

Points	Assessment
20	Exceeds expectations
10	Meets expectations
0	Does not meet expectations

C1 Salary, benchmarked against local PMET salaries

C1 compares the candidate’s fixed monthly salary against the salaries of local professionals, managers, executives and technicians in the same sector, for the candidate’s age. Twenty points at the 90th percentile and above. Ten points from the 65th percentile up to the 90th. Zero below the 65th.

MOM publishes the benchmark tables by sector as a separate document and refreshes them annually. The set released in August 2025 applies to new applications made during 2026 and to renewals of passes expiring between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. Note that the renewal cut-in date for the benchmarks, 1 July, is not the same as the 1 January cut-in for the qualifying salary. The two move on different clocks and it catches people out.

C2 Qualifications

Twenty points for a degree-equivalent qualification from a top 100 QS-ranked university, from other highly reputed Asian universities, from Singapore’s Autonomous Universities, or from an institution highly recognised in its field and endorsed by the relevant agency. Ten points for other degree-equivalent qualifications, which includes foreign degrees assessed as comparable to a UK bachelor’s degree, endorsed professional qualifications, and qualifying foreign qualifications awarded through a local private education institution. Zero where there is no degree-equivalent qualification.

Qualifications that have already been verified do not need to be verified again at renewal or when the holder changes employer.

C3 Diversity

C3 looks at how many of the firm’s professionals, managers, executives and technicians already share the candidate’s nationality. Twenty points where that share is under 5 per cent. Ten points from 5 per cent up to 25 per cent. Zero at 25 per cent or above.

This is the criterion that most often surprises a firm that recruits heavily from one country. Permanent residents count as foreigners for C3.

C4 Support for local employment

C4 measures the firm’s share of local PMETs against other firms in its sector. Twenty points at the 50th percentile and above, ten points from the 20th up to the 50th, zero below the 20th.

There is a floor worth knowing. A firm whose local PMET share is at least 70 per cent scores at least 10 points on C4 regardless of how it sits within its sector.

The small-company default on C3 and C4

A firm with fewer than 25 PMETs scores 10 points by default on both C3 and C4. That is 20 points before the candidate’s own attributes are counted, which means a small firm usually needs only 20 more points from C1 and C2 to pass.

For headcount, a foreign employee counts if they earn at least S$3,300 fixed monthly salary as declared in their work pass application. A local counts if they earn at least S$3,300 per month based on CPF Ordinary and Additional wages. Staff in overseas branches are included. Permanent residents count as foreigners under C3 but as locals under C4.

C5 Skills Bonus and the Shortage Occupation List

Twenty bonus points where the job sits on the Shortage Occupation List and the candidate’s nationality makes up less than one third of the firm’s PMETs. Ten points where the job is on the list and that share is one third or more.

The candidate must actually perform the duties of the listed occupation, and the employer must select an eligible job title. Where the SOL points are what carries the application over 40, or where a five-year technology EP is sought, MOM checks additional job requirements. A candidate who needed SOL points to pass may only be employed in that shortage occupation.

The current list was released in November 2025 and applies to new and renewal applications from 1 January 2026. It covers agritech, financial services, the green economy, healthcare, infocomm technology, maritime and semiconductors. MOM updates the list annually and reviews it comprehensively every three years.

C6 Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus

Ten bonus points where the firm participates in, or meets the criteria for, at least one eligible programme run by EDB, Enterprise Singapore, IMDA, MPA, STB or NTUC. Examples include the Development and Expansion Incentive, the Global Trader Programme, Scale-Up SG, IMDA Accreditation, the Maritime Sector Incentive and NTUC Company Training Committees.

The bonus lasts up to three years, or for the duration of participation if shorter. At renewal the firm must have scored at least 10 points on both C3 and C4 in each of the three months before the renewal application.

Who is exempt from COMPASS

An application is exempt from COMPASS if any one of these applies: the fixed monthly salary is at least S$22,500; the candidate is applying as an overseas intra-corporate transferee; or the role is being filled for one month or less.

One warning that costs employers applications every year. A COMPASS exemption is not an advertising exemption. The two sets of rules are separate, the thresholds happen to share a number in one case, and an exempt application can still be refused for failing to advertise correctly.

Estimate your COMPASS score

Enter the candidate and company details below for an estimate of the score on each criterion, the total against the 40-point pass mark, and the weakest point in the application. Nothing is sent anywhere; the calculation runs in your browser.

Fair Consideration Framework and job advertising

Before filing most EP applications the employer must advertise the role on MyCareersFuture and consider local candidates fairly.

The 14-day rule

The advertisement must run for at least 14 consecutive days. If the employer changes the UEN, the occupation, the salary or the number of vacancies, the 14 days start again. An advertisement that expired or closed more than three months ago cannot be used. The advertised salary range cannot have a maximum more than twice its minimum. No job offer may be made during the 14-day window.

Advertising exemptions

Table 3. When the advertising requirement does not apply

Situation	Exempt from advertising	Still subject to fair hiring
Company has fewer than 10 employees	Yes	Yes
Fixed monthly salary of S$22,500 and above	Yes	Yes
Role lasts not more than 1 month	Yes	Yes
Role filled by a local transferee within the group	Yes	Yes
Overseas intra-corporate transferee	Yes	Yes
Everything else	No	Yes

What gets employers into trouble

The advertisement has to match the application. A job title, salary range or headcount that differs between the two is the most common reason an otherwise sound application runs into difficulty. Debarment for breaching the framework runs from a minimum of 12 months up to 24. A false declaration under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act carries a fine of up to S$20,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

Documents you will need

Table 4. EP document checklist

Document	Provided by	Notes
Passport biodata page	Candidate	Must be valid and legible
Educational certificates	Candidate	Verification may be required
Academic transcripts	Candidate	Where qualifications are being assessed
Professional qualifications or licences	Candidate	Where relied on for C2
Detailed curriculum vitae	Candidate	Dates and duties must match the declared role
Employment references	Candidate	Where experience supports the role
Certified translations	Candidate	For any document not in English
Signed employment contract or offer letter	Employer	Fixed salary must match the application
Company business profile from ACRA	Employer	Recent extract
MyCareersFuture advertisement record	Employer	Unless exempt. Keep the posting reference
Job description	Employer	Must match the advertisement
Declaration of PMET headcount	Employer	Drives C3 and C4
Evidence of C6 programme participation	Employer	Only where the bonus is claimed
Candidate’s written consent	Both	Required before filing

Consistency is what actually matters

Most avoidable problems come from small mismatches. A salary figure that differs by S$50 between the offer letter and the application. A job title in the advertisement that does not appear in the submission. Employment dates on a CV that do not line up with the references. MOM’s assessors see a great many applications, and inconsistency reads as carelessness at best.

The application process, step by step

Table 5. Typical timeline

Stage	Typical duration	Who acts
Advertise on MyCareersFuture	14 consecutive days minimum	Employer
Gather documents and consent	Varies	Employer and candidate
Submit the application	Same day	Employer or licensed agency
MOM outcome	Within 10 business days for most cases	MOM
EP (Sponsorship) outcome	Within 6 weeks for most cases	MOM
In-Principle Approval validity	6 months to enter and issue	Candidate
Issue the pass	Immediate on request	Employer or agency
Fingerprint and photo registration	Within 2 weeks of issuance, if required	Candidate
Card delivery	Within 5 working days of registration	MOM

Table 6. MOM fees

Item	Amount	When
Application fee	S$105	On submission, new application and EP Sponsorship
Issuance fee	S$225 per pass	On issuance, new and renewal
Multiple Journey Visa	S$30 each	Where required
Card replacement, damaged	S$65.40	As needed, inclusive of GST
Card replacement, lost or stolen, first time	S$109	As needed, inclusive of GST
Card replacement, lost or stolen, subsequent	S$327	As needed, inclusive of GST
Our service fee, new EP application	S$1,400	Includes MOM fees and one appeal if rejected
Our service fee, EP renewal	S$200	Excludes MOM fees such as issuance

Before you file

Obtain the candidate’s written consent, complete the candidate information required, and run MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool. The tool is an indicator rather than a decision, but a clear fail is a signal to fix the application before spending the fee.

From In-Principle Approval to issuance

An approved application produces an In-Principle Approval letter. The candidate then has six months to enter Singapore and have the pass issued. On renewal the IPA is valid for three months, and the pass must be issued before the IPA expires or the current pass expires, whichever comes first. A notification letter is valid for one month from issue and allows travel while the card is produced.

Renewing an Employment Pass

The renewal window opens up to six months, or 180 days, before the pass expires. For EP (Sponsorship) it is three months. The application must be made before the pass expires. Miss it and a fresh application is required, with all that follows.

Renewing early costs nothing in validity. Remaining validity of up to six months is added to the renewed pass.

COMPASS at renewal

COMPASS applies to renewals of passes expiring from 1 September 2024 onwards. A candidate earning at least S$22,500 in fixed monthly salary is exempt. A pass that was comfortably approved two years ago can fail at renewal if the firm’s workforce mix has shifted, so the sensible practice is to check the firm’s C3 and C4 position a few months ahead rather than at the point of filing.

Planning for the 2028 renewal rule

Passes expiring from 1 January 2028 are assessed against the higher salary floors. For most employers that means the salary review cycle in 2027 is the moment to close any gaps. A first pass renewed on time runs for up to three years.

If the application is rejected

An appeal may be lodged within three months of the rejection. Only the employer, or the authorised third party that submitted the original application, may appeal. MOM will not deal with the candidate directly. Around 85 per cent of appeals are processed within six weeks.

Fixing the actual cause

An appeal that simply restates the original application rarely succeeds. The rejection advisory indicates where the application fell short, and the appeal has to answer that specifically: a salary raised above the applicable floor, a qualification properly verified, a C3 position that has changed, a job advertisement corrected and rerun.

Where the underlying problem cannot be fixed, a fresh application later, with the facts genuinely changed, is usually a better use of everyone’s time than an appeal. Our service fee for a new application includes one appeal if the application is rejected.

Cancelling a pass when employment ends

The pass must be cancelled within one week after the last day of the notice period, or within one week of departure if the holder has already left Singapore permanently. Cancellation can be requested up to 14 days in advance.

Before cancelling, the employer must give reasonable notice of repatriation, seek tax clearance from IRAS at least one month before the last day of employment, settle any outstanding salary and employment matters, and provide a return air ticket with check-in luggage and onward transport unless the holder agrees in writing to bear that cost.

All family passes are cancelled automatically when the EP is cancelled and cannot be reinstated. A Short-Term Visit Pass giving up to 90 days of lawful stay can be requested at the point of cancellation.

How the EP compares with other passes

Table 7. Singapore work passes compared

Pass	Who it is for	Salary basis	Quota and levy	COMPASS
Employment Pass	Professionals, managers, executives	From S$5,600, rising with age	None	Yes, unless exempt
S Pass	Skilled employees	From S$3,300, rising with age	Quota and levy apply	No
Work Permit	Migrant workers in eligible sectors	Sector-specific	Quota and levy apply	No
Personalised EP	High earners wanting employer flexibility	S$22,500 fixed monthly	None	No
ONE Pass	Top talent across fields	Salary or achievement route	None	No
EntrePass	Founders of innovative businesses	Not salary-based	None	No

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum salary for an Employment Pass in 2026?

S$5,600 a month for a candidate aged 23 or below outside financial services, rising with age to S$10,700 at 45 and above. Financial services roles start at S$6,200. The figure is fixed monthly salary, not total package.

What changes on 1 January 2027?

The entry figure rises to S$6,000 in the general sector and S$6,600 in financial services, with the whole age curve moving up. The new figures apply to new applications from that date and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028.

How many COMPASS points are needed to pass?

Forty points. Four foundational criteria score 20, 10 or 0 each, and two bonus criteria can add 20 and 10 respectively.

Does COMPASS apply when I renew?

Yes, for passes expiring from 1 September 2024 onwards, unless the candidate earns at least S$22,500 in fixed monthly salary.

How much does an Employment Pass cost?

MOM charges S$105 to apply and S$225 to issue the pass. Our fee for handling a new application is S$1,400, which includes the MOM fees and one appeal if the application is rejected. Renewals are S$200 excluding MOM fees.

How long does an EP application take?

MOM processes most online applications, or provides an update, within 10 business days. EP (Sponsorship) applications for overseas companies usually take up to six weeks.

Can a founder sponsor their own Employment Pass?

Not directly. The company applies, so the company has to exist and be able to support the application. Founders should also consider EntrePass.

Does the employee need a degree?

Not strictly, but C2 awards zero points without a degree-equivalent qualification, which makes reaching 40 points considerably harder.

Can my family join me on an Employment Pass?

An EP holder earning at least S$6,000 may sponsor a spouse and children under 21 on a Dependant’s Pass. Parents require at least S$12,000 under the Long-Term Visit Pass.

What happens if the application is rejected?

The employer or the agency that filed it may appeal within three months. The appeal needs to address the specific reason for refusal rather than repeat the application.

What is the five-year Employment Pass?

Experienced technology professionals filling shortage infocomm occupations may be granted a pass of up to five years rather than the usual two.

Can the candidate start work before the pass is issued?

No. An In-Principle Approval is not permission to work. Employment may only begin once the pass has been issued.

How we can help

Little Big Employment Agency Pte Ltd is an employment agency licensed by the Ministry of Manpower, EA Licence 19C9790. We prepare and file Employment Pass applications for Singapore employers, and we handle renewals, appeals and cancellations.

What we do, and what stays with you

We assess the candidate against the salary floor and COMPASS before anything is filed, tell you honestly where the application is weak, prepare and check the documents, run the MyCareersFuture advertising sequence, file the application, and manage the exchanges with MOM through to issuance. The employment decision, the salary and the employment terms stay with you, because they are yours to make.

What we will not do

We do not promise approvals. MOM decides every application on its merits and no agency controls that. Where we think an application is unlikely to succeed as it stands, we will say so and tell you what would need to change. Where a matter needs legal advice we refer it to an independent Singapore law firm under a separate engagement.

Talk to our team about an Employment Pass application, or read our step-by-step application workflow.

Official sources

• MOM: Employment Pass eligibility and COMPASS
• MOM: COMPASS C1 salary benchmarks
• MOM: C5 Skills Bonus and Shortage Occupation List
• MOM: Apply for an Employment Pass
• MOM: Renew an Employment Pass
• MOM: Cancel an Employment Pass
• MOM: Appeal against a rejected application
• MOM: Consider all candidates fairly

Figures checked against MOM guidance on 15 September 2026. Eligibility and approval depend on the individual application, and the Ministry of Manpower decides every case. This page is general information and not legal advice. See our legal and referral information.