Singapore’s EntrePass is one of the few work passes in the world designed specifically for founders — not employees. While the Employment Pass requires a salary and an employer, the EntrePass Singapore 2026 lets entrepreneurs self-sponsor, own and operate their own company, and access Singapore’s startup ecosystem without needing anyone to vouch for their salary. The tradeoff is a more demanding qualification threshold and meaningful renewal milestones that test whether the business is actually generating economic activity.
This walkthrough covers who qualifies, how to build a credible application, what the renewal milestones look like, and what founders should know about bringing their families to Singapore. All figures and rules reflect the position as at 27 June 2026, per the Ministry of Manpower.
Who the EntrePass Is Designed For
Per the Ministry of Manpower, the EntrePass is intended for three profiles:
- Serial entrepreneurs — founders with a track record of building and scaling ventures, ideally at least one of which was venture-backed or exited.
- High-calibre innovators — technologists, researchers, or IP holders who can demonstrate that their intellectual property is central to a commercially viable business.
- Experienced investors — individuals with a track record of investing in early-stage companies who intend to set up an investment vehicle in Singapore with active portfolio management.
The pass is not designed for consultants, freelancers, or people who want to incorporate a company as a vehicle for doing employed work on a self-employed basis. MOM and Enterprise Singapore assess applications against that intended profile, and applications that amount to “I want to do the same job I did as an employee, but as a sole proprietor” are typically rejected.
Company Registration Requirements
The EntrePass is tied to a specific Singapore company. The applicant must own at least 30% of the issued shares of that company. If the company has already been incorporated, it must have been registered no more than six months before the EntrePass application date — if the company is older than six months, the applicant should apply for an Employment Pass instead.
The company must be incorporated as a private limited company (Pte Ltd) in Singapore. Sole proprietorships, partnerships, and branches of foreign companies do not qualify. If the company has not yet been incorporated at the time of application, MOM allows applicants to apply before incorporation, provided they intend to complete registration upon approval.
There is no minimum paid-up capital requirement, but the business plan must reflect a credible capitalisation plan consistent with the proposed business activities. Undercapitalised businesses with no plausible path to the renewal milestones are flagged during assessment.
The Four Innovation Criteria: You Only Need One
This is the core threshold that separates the EntrePass from a standard EP. The applicant (or the company) must meet at least one of the following criteria:
1. Venture Capital or Angel Funding
The applicant must have raised at least S$100,000 from a recognised venture capital firm, business angel, or government-linked fund for the current venture or a previous venture. The funding must come from a single round — splitting S$100,000 across multiple smaller friends-and-family cheques generally does not qualify. The fund or investor must be officially recognised; MOM maintains a list of qualifying investors and funds.
2. Intellectual Property
The applicant or company holds a patent (granted or filed) or other intellectual property that is central to the company’s value proposition. Registered trademarks and copyright alone do not qualify — the IP must be technological or novel in nature and genuinely foundational to the business. A software patent filed in a jurisdiction other than Singapore can qualify, provided it is active and material.
3. Incubator or Accelerator Backing
The company has been accepted into and is actively operating within a government-supported business incubator or accelerator programme recognised by Enterprise Singapore. Well-known qualifying programmes include BLOCK71 (managed by NUS Enterprise), Antler Singapore, and others officially listed by EnterpriseSG. Acceptance alone is not enough — the company must still be operating within the programme at the time of application, or have completed a recognised programme cohort.
4. Research Collaboration with a Singapore Institution
The company has an ongoing research collaboration with a recognised Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) or Research Institution (RI) in Singapore — such as NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, A*STAR, or similar. The collaboration must be documented, material, and connected to the company’s core business activities.
Founders with a particularly strong track record of founding and scaling highly successful businesses — including those who have founded and sold a venture-backed company — may qualify under a fifth pathway based on entrepreneurial track record. This path is discretionary and assessed holistically.
No Salary Requirement — But a Rigorous Business Plan
The EntrePass carries no minimum salary requirement. This is its principal advantage over the Employment Pass for founders at an early stage, where drawing a salary in the conventional sense is often impractical. However, the absence of a salary floor means MOM and EnterpriseSG look harder at the business plan to assess whether the applicant’s business will generate real economic value.
The application requires a detailed business plan (typically 8–12 pages) covering:
- Product or service description and technology differentiation
- Market analysis and competitive positioning
- Revenue model and financial projections (three years)
- Ownership and equity structure
- Hiring plan for Singapore-based employees, with a clear timeline for local job creation
- Capitalisation plan: how much funding has been raised or committed, and from whom
Business plans that are vague, generic, or templates from the internet are a common reason for rejection. The assessment panel at EnterpriseSG includes individuals with startup and venture capital backgrounds who have seen many business plans — a credible plan reads with specificity about the market, the technology edge, and why Singapore is the right base of operations.
Application Process and Timeline
Applications are submitted online via the MOM eServices portal. Processing typically takes eight weeks from the point all documents are in order, though complex cases can take up to twelve weeks. During assessment, both MOM and EnterpriseSG review the application — MOM assesses eligibility and background, EnterpriseSG evaluates the innovation criteria and business plan.
The EntrePass is issued for an initial two-year term. Unlike the Employment Pass (which can be renewed indefinitely subject to COMPASS), the EntrePass is structured around business milestones rather than salary.
Renewal Milestones: Where Most Founders Stumble
This is the section that catches founders off guard. The EntrePass is not a passive residence right — it must be renewed, and each renewal requires demonstrable business progress. The milestones, as at the current MOM framework, are cumulative and increase at each renewal stage:
| Renewal Stage | Total Business Spending | Local Employees |
|---|---|---|
| First renewal (Year 2) | At least S$100,000 | At least 1 (earning ≥S$1,400/month) |
| Second renewal (Year 4) | At least S$200,000 | At least 2 local hires |
| Third renewal and beyond | At least S$200,000 | At least 3 local employees |
“Business spending” includes operational expenditures — salaries, rent, professional services, technology costs — paid from the company’s Singapore bank account. Personal expenses and expenses paid outside Singapore do not qualify. The spending must be documented and verifiable through company accounts.
Founders who build lean, bootstrapped businesses that rely heavily on offshore contractors and hold minimal Singapore-based costs should model their spend carefully against these thresholds before applying. Missing the milestones at renewal results in non-renewal of the EntrePass — which means the founder must leave Singapore unless they qualify for an alternative pass.
Bringing Your Family to Singapore
EntrePass holders cannot sponsor family passes from day one. Family pass eligibility is also tied to the business milestones. Per MOM:
- To sponsor a Dependant’s Pass for a spouse or child under 21: the EntrePass holder must have made at least S$100,000 in total business spending AND hired at least one local employee earning at least S$1,400/month.
- To sponsor an LTVP for parents: the holder must have made at least S$200,000 in total business spending AND hired at least two local employees.
This means families relocating to Singapore together cannot all arrive on Day 1 on an EntrePass-sponsored family pass — the principal founder must first establish the business and hit the minimum threshold. For families who need to move together from the outset, this is an important practical constraint. Our guide to the Dependant’s Pass in 2026 explains the alternative options if the founder’s salary eventually exceeds S$6,000/month.
EntrePass vs Employment Pass vs ONE Pass: Which Is Right for You?
The EntrePass is the right pass if you are founding and operating your own company, have an innovation credential (VC funding, IP, or incubator backing), and want to self-sponsor. It is the wrong pass if you are joining a company as an executive (in which case an Employment Pass is appropriate) or if you have already established yourself as a senior leader earning S$30,000/month or more (in which case the ONE Pass is more flexible). For a side-by-side comparison, see our EP vs PEP vs ONE Pass comparison guide.
Tech founders specifically should also note that the Tech.Pass is being phased out in January 2027 in favour of a new ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track. Founders considering the Tech.Pass route should check current status directly with EDB before applying.
Conclusion
The EntrePass is a compelling route for genuine founders with a credible innovation credential who want to build their company in Singapore. The pass’s design — no salary floor, self-sponsorship, ecosystem access — reflects Singapore’s commitment to attracting entrepreneurial talent. The renewal milestones equally reflect the government’s focus: the EntrePass is a residency pathway for businesses that actually grow, not a permanent residence holding structure for founders who make only token investments in the Singapore economy.
If you are preparing an EntrePass application or evaluating whether the EntrePass or another pass is the right route for your business, Singapore Employment Agency — a MOM-licensed employment agency — can advise on eligibility, application strategy, and business plan positioning. For company incorporation in Singapore, our colleagues at Raffles Corporate Services provide full Pte Ltd registration and corporate secretarial services to ensure your Singapore entity is correctly structured for the EntrePass application.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency