Tech.Pass Is Being Retired — and Its Replacement Is More Powerful
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced at the Committee of Supply (COS) debate on 3 March 2026 that the Tech.Pass will be discontinued and replaced by a new track under the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass — the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) — from 1 January 2027. For founders, senior engineers, and AI specialists weighing Singapore as a base, this is the most significant work-pass policy change since the ONE Pass itself launched in 2023.
The existing Tech.Pass five-criteria framework served Singapore well as a bespoke pass for technology leaders who did not fit the standard Employment Pass mould. But MOM concluded that the overlap between Tech.Pass and the standard ONE Pass had grown unwieldy, and that the strongest tech talent deserved longer, more stable tenure. The AI and Tech track consolidates the best features of both passes while adding an important concession: equity compensation now counts toward the salary threshold.
This article explains exactly who qualifies, how the salary criterion works with ESOP and ESOW, what the transition means for current Tech.Pass holders, and how the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) compares with the existing ONE Pass and the Employment Pass for hiring decisions from 2027 onward.
ONE Pass AI and Tech Track: Core Eligibility Criteria
Per MOM’s ONE Pass eligibility page, applicants for the AI and Tech track must satisfy the following conditions as at May 2026 (subject to MOM’s final published criteria ahead of the January 2027 launch):
1. Salary Threshold: SGD 30,000 per Month (Cash + Equity)
The headline criterion is a monthly remuneration of at least SGD 30,000. What is new and strategically important is that this threshold can be met by combining a fixed monthly cash salary of at least SGD 22,500 with vested non-cash components — specifically Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) or Employee Share Ownership (ESOW) schemes — subject to MOM’s assessment of the vesting schedule and valuation.
This mirrors the salary-assessment framework that applied to Tech.Pass (where the SGD 22,500 cash floor excluded bonuses and variable pay) but extends it into the broader ONE Pass structure. For a senior machine-learning engineer at a Series C company earning SGD 25,000 in cash plus SGD 12,000 per month in vested restricted stock units, the combined SGD 37,000 would comfortably satisfy the threshold. If you hold a purely cash package of SGD 30,000 or more, the calculation is straightforward and mirrors the standard ONE Pass salary criterion.
2. Experience: Five Cumulative Years in a Qualifying Role
Applicants must have at least five cumulative years within the past ten years in one of the following capacities:
- A founder or C-suite role at a qualifying technology organisation; or
- A senior technical specialist role — such as principal engineer, distinguished engineer, AI/ML research scientist, or equivalent senior technical contributor.
The “cumulative” framing is important: it permits experience spread across multiple employers. Continuous employment at a single firm is not required. What matters is demonstrable seniority and technical depth over the five qualifying years.
3. Employer Qualification: Technology-Sector Organisation
The applicant must be currently or recently employed by a qualifying organisation in the technology sector. MOM has indicated the organisation must meet one of two financial benchmarks: a valuation or market capitalisation of at least USD 500 million, or total funding raised of at least USD 30 million.
This employer-qualification gate is the element that will screen out applicants from smaller or less-capitalised firms — including some who would have qualified under the more permissive Tech.Pass framework. Early-stage founders at pre-Series A companies will generally not satisfy this criterion unless they personally meet the salary threshold from a prior employer’s vested equity.
ONE Pass (AI and Tech) vs Current ONE Pass vs Employment Pass: A Comparison
Understanding where the new track sits in the pass hierarchy helps hiring managers and candidates choose the right route. For a broader comparison of Singapore’s professional-level passes, see Raffles Corporate Services’ comparison of EP, ONE Pass and PEP.
| Feature | ONE Pass (Standard) | ONE Pass (AI & Tech) | Employment Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary threshold | SGD 30,000/month (fixed cash) | SGD 30,000/month (cash + vested equity; min. SGD 22,500 cash) | SGD 5,600–6,200/month (sector and age-adjusted) |
| Pass validity | 5 years, renewable | 5 years, renewable | 2 years initially, then 3-year renewals |
| Multiple employers | Yes | Yes | No — tied to sponsoring employer |
| COMPASS framework | Exempt | Exempt | Required (40 points to pass) |
| Sector restriction | None | Technology sector only | None (financial-services salary premium applies) |
| Employer threshold | None | USD 500M valuation or USD 30M raised | None |
| Available from | January 2023 | January 2027 | Now |
Why MOM Is Sunsetting Tech.Pass
Tech.Pass, administered by the Economic Development Board (EDB), was designed to attract technology leaders who could not be sponsored by a single employer — early-stage founders, serial entrepreneurs, independent technologists, and researchers. Over three years it attracted senior talent in fintech, deep tech, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. However, the two-year validity cycle created friction: holders had to compile extensive evidence portfolios for each renewal, and the five-criteria structure was perceived as complex relative to the ONE Pass’s binary salary test.
MOM’s decision to consolidate the two frameworks reflects Singapore’s broader strategy of simplifying the pass architecture while raising the quality bar at the top tier. Critically, the new AI and Tech track retains the equity-counting feature of Tech.Pass precisely because MOM recognises that top AI and deep-tech talent at growth-stage companies is heavily equity-compensated. This removes a long-standing structural disadvantage relative to jurisdictions such as the UAE and the United Kingdom, where equity and deferred compensation count more explicitly toward immigration thresholds.
Transition Timeline for Current Tech.Pass Holders
MOM has communicated the following transition schedule per the COS 2026 Foreign Workforce Policies factsheet:
- 1 January 2027: New applications open under the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track.
- January 2028 onwards: Renewals of existing Tech.Pass holdings switch to the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) criteria.
- Before January 2028: Current Tech.Pass holders whose pass expires before the renewal switchover date may renew once more under existing Tech.Pass rules.
If you hold a Tech.Pass expiring in, say, September 2027, assess now whether you will satisfy the new track’s employer-qualification gate by your renewal date. If your current employer does not meet the USD 30M funding or USD 500M valuation benchmark, explore alternatives — including the Personalised Employment Pass if your fixed salary meets its SGD 22,500 minimum, or a standard Employment Pass if you are joining a sponsoring employer. The standard ONE Pass eligibility guide also sets out whether the non-sector-specific cash-only route is viable for your package.
Strategic Implications for Hiring AI and Tech Talent
For start-ups and scale-ups recruiting internationally, the employer-qualification gate is the key variable to model. If your company has not yet raised USD 30 million and is valued below USD 500 million, candidates cannot qualify for the AI and Tech track regardless of seniority or salary. In that scenario, the available routes are:
- Employment Pass + COMPASS: For candidates earning SGD 5,600–29,999 per month. The Complete Singapore Employment Pass Guide 2026 covers COMPASS scoring in detail, including the diversity and local-employment-ratio components that often determine pass-or-fail at the threshold.
- Standard ONE Pass: If the candidate’s fixed monthly cash salary reaches SGD 30,000, the employer does not need to meet any threshold — the standard ONE Pass has no employer-qualification gate.
The five-year validity of the AI and Tech track also changes the relocation calculus. Longer tenure reduces administrative burden for HR teams and provides stability for decisions such as enrolling children in school or applying for Dependant’s Passes for family members. When modelling the full cost of a senior tech hire, the reduction in renewal overhead is a meaningful saving — explored in more detail in our analysis of who actually qualifies for the ONE Pass in 2026.
How to Prepare Before January 2027
Companies competing for global AI and tech talent should take the following steps before the AI and Tech track launches:
- Audit your funding and valuation position. Confirm whether your Singapore entity or parent group clears the USD 30M raised or USD 500M valuation benchmark. If your valuation is borderline, consult with MOM or a licensed employment agency on how the assessment is applied.
- Map your senior tech hire pipeline. Identify candidates whose compensation structure — particularly vested ESOP and ESOW — means they could qualify under the equity-counting mechanism even if cash salary falls between SGD 22,500 and SGD 29,999.
- Advise current Tech.Pass holders. Communicate the January 2028 renewal switchover clearly. Some holders may prefer to plan a transition to a standard Employment Pass or PEP if the new employer gate creates complications.
- Brief your legal and HR teams on the ESOP valuation methodology. MOM will assess vested equity by reference to the company’s valuation and the vesting schedule — the documentation requirements are likely to mirror what Tech.Pass applicants have already been providing under existing criteria.
For end-to-end support with Employment Pass, ONE Pass, and future AI and Tech track applications, the team at Singapore Employment Agency — operated by Little Big Employment Agency Pte Ltd (MOM Licence 19C9790) — provides licensed assistance for companies and individuals navigating Singapore’s work-pass framework. For corporate structuring of qualifying technology entities in Singapore, Raffles Corporate Services assists with incorporation, registered-address, and secretarial services.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency