The Singapore EntrePass is the only work pass designed specifically for foreign entrepreneurs who want to found, own, and operate a startup in Singapore. It sits apart from the Employment Pass in two important ways: the applicant must hold at least 30% of the company’s shares and take an active role in daily operations, and the pass is assessed not under the COMPASS framework but through a joint evaluation by MOM and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG). This makes the EntrePass simultaneously more demanding and more rewarding than a conventional EP: the rejection rate is higher, but the approved holder gets to build a company from the ground up in Singapore.
This walkthrough covers the eligibility criteria, application process, renewal milestones, and the practical considerations that founders often miss — including the hiring obligations that apply long before you reach a meaningful revenue level.
Who the EntrePass Is For
Per the Ministry of Manpower’s EntrePass eligibility page, the pass is intended for serial entrepreneurs, high-calibre innovators or experienced investors who want to operate a business in Singapore that is either venture-backed or owns innovative technologies. This framing is deliberate: MOM and EnterpriseSG are not looking to issue the EntrePass to lifestyle businesses, franchise operators, or service companies without a technology or innovation component.
Certain business types are explicitly excluded from EntrePass eligibility, including coffee shops, hawker centres, bars, nightclubs, karaoke lounges, massage parlours, traditional Chinese medicine or herbal dispensing businesses, and employment agencies. If your business model falls into any of these categories, the EntrePass is not available to you regardless of your entrepreneurial track record.
EntrePass Eligibility: The Two-Part Test
You must meet both of the following conditions to qualify for an EntrePass:
Condition 1: Company Requirements
- The business must be incorporated (or intended to be incorporated) as a Singapore private limited company registered with ACRA
- You must hold at least 30% of the issued shares
- The company must be no more than 12 months old at the date of application; if older, you will be assessed under the renewal criteria instead
- The company must be venture-backed or own innovative technologies — defined as having raised funding from VCs/government investment vehicles/corporates/family offices/business angels, having developed or commercialised tech products, having a registered patent, or having an ongoing research collaboration with a Singapore IHL or research institute
Condition 2: Applicant Profile — At Least One of the Following
- Raised funding — at least SGD 100,000 from a single funding round for any past or current business. Eligible investors include SEEDS Capital, Vertex Ventures, Startup SG Equity partners, internationally renowned VCs, and business angels
- Supported by a recognised incubator or accelerator — including Enterprise Singapore’s Startup SG Accelerator / Startup SG Founder partners, or internationally recognised programmes such as Y Combinator, MassChallenge, or Alchemist Accelerator
- Founded and sold a technology business — must have founded the company, demonstrated that it was venture-backed or tech-driven, and sold it under your management (supported by a Sale and Purchase Agreement)
- Holds registered intellectual property — the business holds IP registered with an approved national IP institution (see WIPO members) that provides significant competitive advantage and cannot be easily replicated
- Ongoing research collaboration — with a Singapore IHL (e.g. NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIT) or A*STAR research institute, relevant to the business, with your personal involvement
An applicant without a track record of raising at least SGD 100,000 should approach the EntrePass application with care. Options 3, 4, and 5 require substantive documentation and are harder to establish at the initial application stage. Options 1 and 2 are the most common successful application profiles. If you intend to start a tech business in Singapore without having raised any external funding yet, consider approaching Enterprise Singapore’s Startup SG Founder programme first — acceptance into the programme via an accredited mentor partner satisfies Option 2.
EntrePass vs EP vs ONE Pass: Choosing the Right Pass
Many founders are uncertain whether they need an EntrePass or an Employment Pass. The key difference: the EP is a salary-based pass for an employee of a company, while the EntrePass is an equity-and-operations pass for a founding owner. If you are moving to Singapore as a salaried employee of your own company, you may qualify for an EP under COMPASS and avoid the more complex EntrePass assessment. However, if you do not take a salary (or take a below-EP-threshold salary) while reinvesting in the business, the EntrePass is the appropriate route. For a side-by-side comparison, see our guide on EP vs PEP vs ONE Pass: Which Visa Fits Your Career Stage.
The ONE Pass is a separate category for top-tier talent with a fixed monthly salary of S$30,000 or more. Founders with this income level should also consider the ONE Pass, which has no quota, no COMPASS assessment, and allows concurrent employment — though the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track launching January 2027 offers additional pathways for tech founders from large tech companies. For full details on the ONE Pass and Tech.Pass options, see our guide on the ONE Pass Singapore: Who Actually Qualifies in 2026.
The EntrePass Application Process
Applications are submitted online through the MOM eServices portal. EnterpriseSG evaluates the business plan and innovation criteria in parallel with MOM’s pass assessment. Processing time is typically 8 weeks. If approved, you receive an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter valid for 6 months, within which you must enter Singapore and complete pass issuance. If your company is not yet incorporated, you must register with ACRA within 30 days of receiving the IPA.
A credible, specific, and well-researched business plan is non-negotiable. MOM and EnterpriseSG look for evidence that the business model is genuinely innovative and commercially viable in Singapore, that you personally have the skills to execute it, and that there is a clear path to creating local employment. A generic business plan that could apply to any country will not satisfy the assessors.
Renewal Milestones: The Progressive Scale
The EntrePass renewal structure is unique among Singapore work passes. Every renewal cycle, MOM and EnterpriseSG assess whether the business has demonstrated sufficient Total Business Spending (TBS) and a growing Local Workforce (LWF). The milestones escalate with each renewal:
| Renewal Cycle | Min Annual TBS | Min Local Workforce (LWF) | PME Salary Threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st renewal | — | — | S$3,900/month |
| 2nd renewal | S$100,000 | 1 | S$3,900/month |
| 3rd renewal | S$200,000 | 2 | S$3,900/month |
| 4th renewal | S$300,000 | 3 | S$3,900/month |
| 5th renewal | S$400,000 | 4 | S$3,900/month |
| 6th renewal | S$700,000 | 5 | S$4,700/month |
| 7th renewal | S$750,000 | 6 | S$4,700/month |
| 10th renewal | S$1,000,000 | 9 | S$4,700/month |
| 11th renewal | S$1,150,000 | 10 | S$4,700/month |
TBS is calculated by deducting from the company’s total operating expenses: (a) royalties and franchise fees paid to overseas entities, (b) expenses outsourced overseas, and (c) the EntrePass holder’s own total remuneration. This last point is critical: your own salary does not count towards TBS. A founder paying themselves S$200,000 per year while spending nothing else has zero TBS for renewal purposes.
The Local Workforce (LWF) formula is: LWF = (Number of PMEs) + (Number of LQS employees / 3), with a cap of 12 LQS employees in the calculation. For the 2nd renewal, the minimum LWF of 1 requires either one PME earning at least S$3,900 per month, or three LQS employees. Only employees on the company’s direct payroll (not contractors or agency workers) count.
For the 1st renewal, there are no TBS or LWF requirements. This is deliberately designed to give a newly established startup a full year to demonstrate business activity without meeting financial milestones. However, you must still show ongoing business activity and progress through documents such as customer referral letters, recent invoices, contracts, or partnership agreements.
Dependant Passes for EntrePass Holders
EntrePass holders face more restrictive Dependant Pass rules than EP holders. You cannot bring a spouse or children on Day 1. You must clear the first renewal milestones and demonstrate that your business is growing before you can sponsor dependants. Specifically:
- Spouse and children (DP): available after clearing the 2nd renewal milestones — SGD 100,000 TBS and at least one local employee
- Parents (LTVP): available after clearing the 3rd renewal milestones — SGD 200,000 TBS and at least two local employees
Founders relocating with a family should build these milestones into their business plan timeline. A startup that cannot demonstrate SGD 100,000 in qualifying TBS after two years will be unable to bring family members to Singapore. For a full guide on Dependant’s Pass eligibility and entitlements, see the Dependant’s Pass Singapore 2026 Guide.
Founders setting up their Singapore entity alongside relocation will also need to register the company with ACRA. Our related company Raffles Corporate Services provides incorporation services and can coordinate the ACRA registration that must accompany an EntrePass IPA.
Common Reasons EntrePass Applications Are Rejected
Based on the structure of the eligibility requirements, common rejection reasons include:
- Business plan is insufficiently specific or innovative — a business plan that could apply to any market, or that describes a service business without a technology differentiator, will fail the innovation assessment
- Funding evidence is weak — the S$100,000 funding threshold requires a single funding round from an eligible investor; multiple small top-ups from friends and family do not satisfy this
- No incubator or accelerator support — if the applicant relies on Option 2 without formal acceptance into a programme, informal mentoring relationships will not satisfy the criteria
- Shareholding dilution — if the applicant holds below 30% due to earlier investor dilution, the application fails the basic company test; restructuring the cap table may be necessary before applying
- Applying on a company older than 12 months — companies older than 12 months are assessed against renewal criteria, which require demonstrated TBS and local hiring from the outset
If your initial application is rejected, you can appeal within 3 months. Successful appeals typically involve substantively addressing the specific concern raised and providing additional documentation — not simply resubmitting the same materials. For guidance on the pass appeal process, see our overview of how to appeal a work pass rejection in Singapore.
Conclusion
The EntrePass is Singapore’s most demanding work pass, and intentionally so. It asks founders to demonstrate that their business genuinely adds value to Singapore’s innovation ecosystem — through technology, local job creation, and progressive business milestones that escalate with every renewal cycle. Founders who succeed with the EntrePass build companies that are integrated into Singapore’s startup ecosystem from their first year of operation.
If you need help assessing your EntrePass eligibility, reviewing your business plan, or navigating the application process, Singapore Employment Agency — the consumer brand of Little Big Employment Agency Pte Ltd (Licence No. 19C9790) — provides MOM-licensed employment agency services and can assist with the application process. For company incorporation, secretarial services, and ACRA registration alongside your EntrePass application, our related company Raffles Corporate Services offers end-to-end support for founders setting up in Singapore.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency