A foreign founder planning to relocate to Singapore faces a fundamental work pass decision: apply for an EntrePass — Singapore’s dedicated entrepreneur pass — or secure an Employment Pass (EP) by joining the company as an employee-director. Both paths are legally viable but they serve very different founder profiles. Choosing the wrong one wastes months and money.
This guide explains both options in detail, sets out the key eligibility criteria, and provides a practical decision framework for founders in 2026. All eligibility requirements are drawn from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
What is the EntrePass?
The EntrePass is a work pass issued by MOM specifically for foreign entrepreneurs who want to start and operate a business in Singapore. Unlike the Employment Pass — which is tied to employment by a Singapore employer — the EntrePass allows the holder to be the sole or majority owner of a Singapore-registered company and draw a salary from it.
Key features of the EntrePass in 2026:
- Issued for 1 year initially; renewable for 2 years at a time if the company meets progressive business benchmarks
- No minimum salary threshold (unlike the EP which requires SGD 5,600/month for most sectors as of 2025)
- Tied to the specific company the founder registered — changing businesses requires a new application
- Assessed against three profiles: entrepreneur (venture-backed or patent-holding), innovator (in partnership with a Singapore research institution), or investor (establishing a new business with substantive investment)
EntrePass Eligibility: The Three Profiles
1. Entrepreneur Profile
You qualify under the entrepreneur profile if your company is venture-backed or has intellectual property. Specifically, MOM requires one of the following:
- Funding of at least SGD 100,000 from a Singapore government-recognised venture capital firm or business angel; or
- Ownership of intellectual property registered with a recognised national IP institution in Singapore or abroad; or
- A proprietary technology — a product or service underpinned by technology that you have developed
2. Innovator Profile
Aimed at founders conducting R&D in partnership with a Singapore research institution (Agency for Science, Technology and Research / A*STAR, or a local university such as NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD). A formal collaboration agreement with the institution is required. This profile is less commonly used by commercial founders and more relevant to deep tech and academic spinouts.
3. Investor Profile
For founders establishing a new business and committing substantive investment capital. MOM assesses the business plan, the founder’s track record, and the viability and impact of the proposed business. There is no published minimum investment amount, but successful applications under this profile typically involve businesses with clear commercial traction and significant capital deployment.
What is the Employment Pass for a Founder?
An Employment Pass is a work pass issued to foreign professionals employed by a Singapore-registered company. There is nothing preventing a founder from being both a director and an employee of their own company — and drawing a salary — provided the salary meets the EP qualifying threshold.
For EP applications submitted from 1 January 2025 onwards, the minimum qualifying salary is:
- Most sectors: SGD 5,600/month for applicants up to age 40; higher for older applicants under the age-graduated structure introduced in 2024
- Financial services sector: SGD 6,200/month for most applicants
For founders applying via EP, the company itself applies to MOM on behalf of the founder-employee. The company must be incorporated (registered with ACRA) and must be able to demonstrate it is a genuine operating business. A single-director startup that has just been incorporated and has no revenue is not automatically disqualified, but MOM scrutinises such applications carefully.
EntrePass vs Employment Pass: Key Differences
| Factor | EntrePass | Employment Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Who applies | The entrepreneur personally (via myMOM Portal) | The company applies on behalf of the employee |
| Minimum salary | None | SGD 5,600/month (most sectors, under-40) |
| Ownership of company | Required — founder must own a stake in the company | Not required — EP does not depend on shareholding |
| Company age at application | Must be incorporated within the last 6 months | No restriction |
| Business validation required | Yes — must meet one of three eligibility profiles | Assessed as standard EP — genuine employment, salary compliance, COMPASS |
| Validity (initial) | 1 year | 1–2 years |
| Renewal benchmarks | Progressive business benchmarks (employees hired, revenue, investment raised) | Continued employment and salary meeting threshold |
| Eligible for PR? | Yes — EntrePass holders can apply for PR | Yes — EP holders can apply for PR |
| Dependants (DP/LTVP) | Stricter thresholds: must hire local employees and meet spending benchmarks | Standard DP threshold (SGD 6,000+/month) |
Which Should a Founder Choose?
Choose EntrePass if:
- You have received venture capital funding (even at pre-seed) from a Singapore government-recognised VC or angel investor
- You hold registered intellectual property or have a proprietary technology underpinning the business
- You cannot yet pay yourself SGD 5,600/month — typical at pre-revenue stage
- You are incorporating a new company in Singapore specifically to build and operate a startup
Choose EP if:
- You are joining an existing Singapore company (even as a co-founder with equity) and the company can pay you SGD 5,600+ per month
- Your business does not fit EntrePass profiles (e.g. a service business, consulting firm, or traditional trade that is not venture-backed and has no IP component)
- You want a faster, simpler process — EP applications via the online system are generally faster and have a higher baseline approval rate than EntrePass for commercially straightforward businesses
- You are an experienced executive founder with a clear employment role and salary in an established or Series A+ company
EntrePass Renewal: Progressive Business Benchmarks
EntrePass renewal is not automatic. MOM applies progressive benchmarks that increase with each renewal cycle. For renewal after Year 1, the company must demonstrate progress — typically evidenced by local employees hired, revenues generated, and/or investment raised. Founders who have not yet hired a local employee by the first renewal often face difficulties. The specific benchmarks vary depending on the business category and are assessed by MOM on a case-by-case basis.
EP renewal, by contrast, simply requires continued employment at or above the qualifying salary threshold and satisfactory COMPASS assessment (for renewals). This is materially easier for founders who have reached revenue-generating stage and can sustain their own salary.
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1 — Pre-seed founder, VC-backed: A founder who has closed a pre-seed round from a Singapore-recognised angel investor and is relocating to build the product should apply for EntrePass under the entrepreneur profile. The VC backing satisfies the core eligibility criterion.
Scenario 2 — Bootstrapped service business: A foreign consultant who is incorporating a Singapore entity to offer management consulting services with no VC, no IP, and no R&D partnership should apply for EP as an employee-director of the company, provided the company can pay the qualifying salary.
Scenario 3 — Series A founder moving operations to Singapore: A founder with an established business already operating offshore who is moving the entity to Singapore and can pay themselves the qualifying salary should apply via EP. The EP process is faster and renewal is more predictable.
Getting Help with Your Application
Both EntrePass and Employment Pass applications are assessed by MOM. Errors in documentation, incorrect profile selection, or weak business narratives are the most common reasons applications are rejected or delayed. See also our guide on COMPASS Assessment and EP Eligibility for the scoring framework that applies to EP applications.
Singapore Employment Agency (Little Big Employment Agency) is a MOM-licensed employment agency that assists with EntrePass and EP applications for founders and professionals. For company incorporation, corporate secretarial services, and Singapore business setup advice, visit Raffles Corporate Services.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency