Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass — Costs and fees breakdown
The Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass is Singapore’s top-tier work pass for high-earning and high-achieving individuals, allowing the holder to start and run multiple companies and work for several employers at once. It is valid for five years and carries an application fee of S$135 plus a S$225 issuance fee.
Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.
What the Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass offers
The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass, administered by the Ministry of Manpower, is a personalised five-year work pass aimed at the most sought-after global talent. Unlike a standard Employment Pass tied to a single employer, the ONE Pass lets the holder work for, or run, more than one company simultaneously, making it attractive to serial entrepreneurs, senior executives with board portfolios, and exceptional individuals in arts, sports, science and academia. The spouse of a ONE Pass holder can work in Singapore on a Letter of Consent, a meaningful advantage over other pass types.
Employers comparing the ONE Pass against sector-by-sector hiring costs will find our sector hiring guides a useful benchmark.
Eligibility and the salary benchmark
The headline criterion is a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 within the last year, or an offer at that level from an established Singapore-based company. Applicants who do not meet the salary ceiling can still qualify on the strength of outstanding achievements in their field. Foreign manpower in Singapore is regulated under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990, which underpins the conditions attaching to every work pass, including the ONE Pass. Applicants must also satisfy MOM that their employment or business will contribute to Singapore’s economy.
Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass cost and timeline breakdown
Indicative 2026 figures:
- Application fee: S$135.
- Issuance fee on approval: S$225.
- Validity: five years, renewable.
- Processing time: typically four to eight weeks.
- Professional handling and document preparation: S$1,500 to S$4,000 where an agent is engaged.
ONE Pass holders setting up their own ventures often need a corporate vehicle and personal tax planning; see our cross-site notes on 13O to 13U transition mechanics for fund founders and on Singapore bank account opening for the practical banking steps.
Step-by-step: applying for the ONE Pass
Confirm eligibility against the salary benchmark or achievement track; assemble salary evidence, qualifications and a CV; submit the online application to MOM with the S$135 fee; respond to any clarification; on approval, pay the issuance fee and complete formalities including registration of fingerprints and collection of the card. A self-sponsored applicant can apply without a Singapore employer, which is the route most entrepreneurs take.
Common mistakes and gotchas
Common errors: assuming the salary benchmark can be met with variable bonuses rather than fixed monthly salary; weak documentary evidence of past earnings; and overlooking the ongoing requirement to demonstrate economic contribution at renewal. The ONE Pass is renewed on the strength of activity in Singapore, so a holder who never establishes substance here risks a renewal refusal.
ONE Pass versus the Employment Pass
The ONE Pass differs from a standard Employment Pass in three ways that matter to high-end talent. It is not tied to a single employer, so the holder can run or work for several companies at once; it is granted for five years rather than the usual one to three; and it is self-sponsoring, meaning an applicant does not need a Singapore employer to apply. The trade-off is the high salary bar and the expectation of genuine economic contribution, assessed afresh at renewal. For most hires below the salary ceiling, the Employment Pass remains the right pass.
Renewal and economic contribution
At the five-year mark, renewal is not automatic. MOM looks at what the holder did in Singapore: whether they started or grew businesses, employed local staff, or held senior roles. A holder who treated the pass as a flag of convenience, never establishing real activity, risks refusal. Holders should keep records of company formations, employment created, and roles held, so that renewal can be evidenced clearly.
Worked example
A serial founder earning S$35,000 a month abroad applies self-sponsored for the ONE Pass. The application fee is S$135 and, on approval, the issuance fee is S$225, with the pass granted for five years. Over that period she incorporates two Singapore companies and hires a local team. At renewal she presents this track record and the pass is renewed. Her spouse, meanwhile, has worked throughout on a Letter of Consent, an advantage a standard Employment Pass would not have given the family.
Official resources
Authoritative sources for this topic include www.mom.gov.sg, www.ica.gov.sg and www.edb.gov.sg.
FAQs
What salary do I need for the ONE Pass?
A fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 within the last year, or a corresponding offer from an established Singapore company. Exceptional achievers in their field may qualify without meeting the salary ceiling.
Can I work for more than one company on a ONE Pass?
Yes. The ONE Pass allows the holder to work for, or concurrently run, more than one company, which is its defining advantage over the standard Employment Pass.
How long is the ONE Pass valid?
Five years, and it is renewable subject to demonstrating economic contribution in Singapore.
Can my spouse work?
Yes. The spouse of a ONE Pass holder can work in Singapore on a Letter of Consent.
Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Little Big Employment Agency (EA Licence 19C9790) works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.