Singapore has grown into one of the world’s leading family office domiciles, driven by MAS’s Section 13O and 13U tax incentive schemes, the 2026 notification regime that provides a clear regulatory framework for single family offices, and the city-state’s position as a hub for wealth structuring across the Asia-Pacific. As the number of family offices in Singapore has expanded rapidly — MAS-approved funds administering the 13O and 13U schemes exceeded 1,400 as at end-2024 — so has demand for investment professionals, chief investment officers, compliance officers, and family office executives, many of whom require Employment Pass (EP), Personalised Employment Pass (PEP), or ONE Pass sponsorship.
Hiring for a Singapore family office is not the same as hiring for a corporate employer. The MAS investment professional requirements, the COMPASS framework applied by MOM, the interaction between the family office’s tax incentive status and its local hiring obligations, and the sensitivity around principals and family members holding passes all create a distinct HR landscape. This guide covers the key pass options, the eligibility criteria that apply, and the practical hiring considerations for Singapore family offices in 2026.
Pass Options for Family Office Professionals
Family offices operating in Singapore can sponsor work passes for professional staff through the standard MOM framework. The choice of pass type depends on the candidate’s salary, track record, and role, and each carries different COMPASS implications.
Employment Pass (EP)
The EP is the standard work pass for professionals earning at or above MOM’s qualifying salary thresholds. As at 25 July 2026, the qualifying salary for a new EP application is SGD 5,600 per month for most sectors and SGD 6,200 per month for the Financial Services sector, per the Ministry of Manpower. From 1 January 2027, these thresholds rise to SGD 6,000 (most sectors) and SGD 6,600 (Financial Services).
For a family office hiring investment professionals, portfolio managers, or CIOs, the Financial Services sector salary benchmark applies — the relevant Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) code for a family office fund management company maps to the Financial Services sector for COMPASS purposes. This means investment professionals must earn at least SGD 6,200 per month for a new EP application, rising to SGD 6,600 from January 2027.
Family members of the principal who are hired as investment professionals into the family office must meet the same COMPASS criteria as any other EP applicant. MOM does not apply a different standard for family members — the pass application is assessed on the individual’s qualifications, salary, and the firm’s COMPASS profile. For full details of the EP application framework, see the Complete Singapore Employment Pass Guide 2026.
Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)
The PEP is particularly well-suited to senior family office executives — CIOs, head of investments, and principals who have a track record of employment in Singapore or overseas. The PEP is issued to the individual, not tied to any employer, and does not require COMPASS scoring. To be eligible, a candidate must either:
- Be an existing EP holder in Singapore earning at least SGD 22,500 per month; or
- Be an overseas professional who earned at least SGD 270,000 in fixed salary in the year immediately preceding the application.
The PEP is valid for three years and allows the holder to switch roles — including roles within the family office and between different family entities — without cancelling and re-applying for a new EP. It cannot be renewed, but holders may apply for a new EP after the PEP expires if they continue to meet EP eligibility criteria. For family office principals who are not managing investments themselves but whose children or other family members are the active investment professionals, the PEP may be a cleaner structural option than an employer-sponsored EP. See the Singapore PEP 2026: Complete Guide for the full eligibility and application walkthrough.
ONE Pass
The Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass is designed for individuals with an established record of senior leadership or exceptional achievement — those earning SGD 30,000 per month or above, or those with outstanding achievements in the arts, sports, academia, or business. For family office principals or CIOs with a global track record at this salary level, the ONE Pass provides the most flexibility: it allows concurrent directorships and employment arrangements and is valid for five years. See ONE Pass Singapore: Who Actually Qualifies in 2026 for the detailed eligibility criteria.
MAS Investment Professional Requirements and Their Interaction with EP
Family offices operating under the Section 13O or 13U tax incentive schemes administered by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) must employ a minimum number of investment professionals (IPs) to maintain their incentive status. Under the current MAS framework as at 25 July 2026:
- Section 13O (Onshore Fund Tax Exemption): At least two IPs must be employed by the family office, with at least one being a non-family member. A one-year grace period is available to hire the second IP after fund approval.
- Section 13U (Enhanced Tier Fund Tax Exemption): At least three IPs are required, with at least one being a non-family member.
An investment professional, in MAS’s definition, is a portfolio manager, research analyst, or trader who earns more than SGD 3,500 per month and spends more than 50% of working time on qualifying investment activity. In practice, IPs are almost always employed on EPs, since the qualifying salary profile of a genuine investment professional — typically SGD 8,000 to SGD 30,000+ per month — sits well above the EP threshold.
MAS also requires the family office to be able to demonstrate that at least one IP has relevant qualifications and experience. The CFA charter, an MAS-recognised degree in finance or economics, or equivalent demonstrated work experience in investment management are the typical evidential bases. This is distinct from the EP COMPASS assessment but serves a similar gatekeeping function.
COMPASS and the Family Office Hiring Profile
COMPASS — the Complementarity Assessment Framework applied to all new and renewal EP applications — is a practical constraint for family offices hiring investment professionals. The five COMPASS criteria are salary (C1), qualifications (C2), nationality diversity (C3), local PMET support (C4), and the Shortage Occupation List bonus (C5).
For a family office, the COMPASS challenge is typically at C3 (nationality diversity) and C4 (local PMET support). A family office that employs only professionals of the principal’s home nationality — a common pattern in single-family offices established by Southeast Asian or Indian ultra-high-net-worth families — will score zero on C3 if that nationality’s share of the firm’s PMETs exceeds 25%. This can be offset by strong scores on C1 (salary well above the sector median) and C2 (strong qualifications), but the COMPASS score must still reach 40 points for EP approval.
Family offices should run a COMPASS pre-check before submitting any EP application. MOM’s SAT (Self-Assessment Tool) provides an indicative score. The COMPASS Framework Explained: Earning Your 40 Points for a Singapore EP (2026) guide covers the scoring mechanics in full.
The Financial Services sector is listed on MOM’s Shortage Occupation List for several investment-management roles, which provides a C5 bonus of 20 points for qualifying candidates. This bonus substantially eases COMPASS compliance for genuine investment professionals and makes the EP route more straightforward for well-qualified CIO, portfolio manager, and fund analyst candidates.
Sensitive Roles: Principals, Trustees, and Authorised Representatives
Family offices frequently employ — or seek to employ — individuals in roles that carry regulatory or governance sensitivity: authorised representatives under MAS’s Securities and Futures Act licensing exemption, trustees, protectors of family trusts, and company directors of the fund management entity. The work-pass and immigration status of these individuals interacts with their regulatory roles in ways that require careful planning.
- Directors of the fund management company: A family office principal who is a director of the Singapore-incorporated fund management entity can be sponsored on an EP by that company if they are actively involved in investment management. The EP application must show a genuine PMET role in Singapore with a real salary paid by the Singapore entity. Nominee directors or directors who are only nominally employed face a higher scrutiny bar.
- Authorised representatives: Under the MAS licensing exemption framework for family offices, at least one authorised representative of the company must be a resident in Singapore. In practice, this means the authorised representative must hold a valid pass (EP, PR, or citizenship) allowing them to work and reside in Singapore.
- Family members in the office: There is no MAS or MOM rule that prevents family members from being employed as investment professionals, provided they are genuinely performing the IP function and meet the standard EP qualifications and salary criteria. The key risk is the appearance of a nominee or inflated-salary arrangement, which MOM identifies in COMPASS renewals and MAS identifies in its IP reviews.
Local Business Spending and the Singapore Commitment
Both the 13O and 13U incentive schemes require minimum annual local business spending in Singapore. As at 2026, the minimums are SGD 200,000 per year for 13O and SGD 500,000 per year for 13U. Qualifying local business spending includes staff salaries paid from the Singapore entity (including IP salaries), Singapore office costs, professional service fees (legal, accounting, fund administration, audit), and local infrastructure costs.
Staff salaries paid to EP holders working in Singapore count as qualifying local business spending. This creates a structural link between the EP headcount — and the salary levels at which those EPs are employed — and the family office’s ability to satisfy its MAS incentive conditions. Family offices that employ IPs at below-market salaries to minimise costs may find that this creates both a COMPASS scoring problem (C1 penalty) and an MAS local spending shortfall.
For the tax incentive framework in full, including the 2026 MAS notification regime for new single family offices, see the Singapore Family Office Tax Incentives 2026: Section 13O vs 13U Compared guide.
Practical Hiring Steps for Singapore Family Offices
- Confirm MAS incentive status and IP headcount requirements before advertising roles — the number and profile of IPs required depends on whether the office is under 13O or 13U.
- Run a COMPASS pre-check for each EP candidate before submission, using the SAT. For candidates at or near the COMPASS borderline, consider whether salary adjustment or role re-titling can improve the score.
- Confirm that the candidate’s qualifications and experience satisfy MAS IP criteria, not just MOM COMPASS criteria — both frameworks must be satisfied independently.
- For senior roles, assess whether the PEP or ONE Pass is more appropriate than an employer-sponsored EP — the additional flexibility of those passes may be valuable in a family office context where roles and entities evolve over time.
- Ensure all EP applications comply with the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) — the 14-day MyCareersFuture advertising requirement applies to family offices as much as to corporate employers, and FCF violations attract MOM scrutiny.
For assistance with EP, PEP, or ONE Pass applications for family office hires, Singapore Employment Agency — Little Big Employment Agency Pte Ltd (MOM Licence 19C9790) — provides immigration advisory services for the family office and financial services sector. For family office structuring, MAS notification, and corporate secretarial support, our related firm Raffles Corporate Services provides end-to-end family office set-up and ongoing compliance support in Singapore.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency