Singapore’s EntrePass sits at the intersection of immigration policy and startup development. Unlike the Employment Pass — which is tied to a specific employer who sponsors the application — the Singapore EntrePass 2026 allows a qualifying foreign entrepreneur to hold the pass through their own company. They are, in effect, their own sponsor. This creates a fundamentally different application process, a distinct set of eligibility criteria, and renewal requirements that scale with the business over time.
For foreign founders who want to build a venture-backed or technology-driven business in Singapore, the EntrePass is the primary path. But it is not a low-bar option. Per the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Enterprise Singapore, which jointly evaluate applications, the EntrePass is intended for serial entrepreneurs, high-calibre innovators, and experienced investors — not first-time founders without external validation of their business or track record.
This guide covers the Singapore EntrePass 2026 eligibility criteria in full, explains the five qualifying conditions, sets out the renewal benchmarks that apply from the second year onwards, and compares the EntrePass with the other pass options available to entrepreneurial foreigners in Singapore.
Who the Singapore EntrePass Is For
The EntrePass is for three distinct profiles of foreign entrepreneur:
- Serial entrepreneurs with a track record of founding, scaling, and — ideally — exiting businesses in the technology or innovation space.
- High-calibre innovators whose business is built around proprietary technology, registered intellectual property, or significant research collaboration with Singapore institutions.
- Experienced investors who intend to actively operate a Singapore business, not merely provide capital.
The EntrePass is not a vehicle for opening traditional businesses. Coffee shops, hawker centres, food courts, bars, night clubs, karaoke lounges, foot reflexology and massage parlours, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, herbal dispensing businesses, employment agencies, and geomancy businesses are explicitly excluded from EntrePass eligibility.
If you are a tech founder or operator relocating to Singapore, the EntrePass sits alongside the Tech.Pass and ONE Pass as options worth evaluating. See our comparison guide to EP vs PEP vs ONE Pass: which visa fits your career stage and our Tech.Pass Singapore 2026: five criteria reality check to understand where the EntrePass fits relative to those options.
EntrePass Eligibility 2026: The Two Core Conditions
Per MOM’s published EntrePass eligibility criteria (last updated December 2024), you can apply for an EntrePass if you meet both of the following conditions:
Condition 1: A Qualifying Company
You must have started, or intend to start, a private limited company that is registered with ACRA and in which you hold at least 30% of the registered shares. The company must be either venture-backed or own innovative technologies. If the company is more than 12 months old at the time of application, MOM will assess it against the renewal criteria rather than the initial application criteria.
“Venture-backed or owns innovative technologies” is defined by MOM and Enterprise Singapore. Broadly, it covers companies that have received external investment from recognised venture capital sources, or that have a technology product with demonstrable innovation. A traditional services business, retail concept, or distribution company would not typically qualify.
Condition 2: At Least One of Five Qualifying Criteria
Beyond the company requirement, you must demonstrate that you personally meet at least one of the following five criteria:
1. Raised funding. You have raised at least SGD 100,000 from a single funding round from investors for any past or current business. Eligible investors include Singapore-recognised VCs (SEEDS Capital, Vertex Ventures, Enterprise Singapore’s Startup SG Equity partners), and internationally renowned VC firms, corporates, or business angels. A single funding round means a single closing — not the aggregate of multiple small tranches raised at different times.
2. Supported by a recognised incubator or accelerator. Your business is or will be supported by a government-recognised or internationally renowned incubator or accelerator. Examples of eligible programmes include Enterprise Singapore’s Startup SG Accelerator, Startup SG Founder accredited mentor partners, and international programmes such as Y-Combinator, MassChallenge, and Alchemist Accelerator.
3. Founded and sold a technology business. You have founded and sold a business that is venture-backed or owns innovative technologies. MOM requires you to show that you founded the business (via incorporation documents or a letter from current management), that the business is or was venture-backed or owns innovative technologies (via a company business plan), and that the business was sold under your management (via a Sale and Purchase Agreement).
4. Holds intellectual property. Your registered business (or proposed business) holds Intellectual Property registered with an approved national IP institution — typically a patent, registered design, or trademark from a WIPO member institution. The IP must provide a significant competitive advantage that cannot be easily replicated.
5. Research collaboration in Singapore. Your business has a relevant, ongoing research collaboration with at least one Singapore Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) or Research Institution (RI) — such as NUS, NTU, SMU, SIT, SUTD, or an A*STAR research entity. The collaboration must involve your personal participation, be related to your business, and be verified by a contact at the institution. Service contracts do not count.
Key Pass Facts: Duration, Cost, and Features
The Singapore EntrePass 2026 has the following key features:
- Minimum salary: No stipulated minimum. Unlike the EP, there is no qualifying salary floor for the EntrePass.
- Initial pass duration: Up to one year.
- First renewal: Up to one year.
- Subsequent renewals: Up to two years each.
- No foreign worker levy or quota: Unlike the S Pass, no levy applies. The EntrePass also does not count against any Dependency Ratio Ceiling.
- Family passes: EntrePass holders may apply for Dependent’s Passes for a spouse and children if they meet the income threshold.
- Multiple employment: The EntrePass covers work at the registered company. Additional employment arrangements may require a Letter of Consent — see our guide on EP holders and secondary directorships for the parallel rules.
EntrePass Renewal Criteria: The Escalating Business Benchmarks
The renewal criteria for the EntrePass are structured to ensure that EntrePass holders are building genuine, growing businesses in Singapore — not simply maintaining a pass with minimal economic activity. The benchmarks escalate across renewal cycles.
At the first renewal (the end of year one), no Total Business Spending (TBS) or Local Workforce (LWF) threshold applies. This gives founders the first year to establish operations. From the second renewal onwards, the benchmarks increase progressively:
| Renewal Cycle | Annual Total Business Spending | Local Workforce (LWF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | – | – |
| 2nd | SGD 100,000 | 1 |
| 3rd | SGD 200,000 | 2 |
| 4th | SGD 300,000 | 3 |
| 5th | SGD 400,000 | 4 |
| 6th | SGD 700,000 | 5 |
| 10th | SGD 1,000,000 | 9 |
Total Business Spending is calculated from total operating expenses, with deductions for royalties and technical know-how fees paid to overseas companies, outsourcing costs paid overseas, and remuneration paid to the company’s own EntrePass holders. Cost of goods sold, personal expenses, and residential property rental are excluded from operating expenses.
The Local Workforce requirement counts Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) who are Singaporeans or PRs earning at or above the salary threshold, plus Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) employees (up to 12 LQS employees, counted as one-third of a unit each). From the 6th renewal cycle, PMEs must earn at least SGD 4,700 per month to qualify. The LWF formula is: LWF = (no. of PMEs) + (no. of LQS employees ÷ 3).
EntrePass vs EP: The Key Differences for Founders
Founders often ask whether to structure their Singapore operations around an EntrePass or an Employment Pass sponsored by their own company. The differences are material:
The Employment Pass requires a qualifying salary (SGD 5,600 per month for most sectors as at July 2026) and scores under COMPASS, which assesses the firm’s overall local hiring record. A founder’s own company can be the EP sponsor — but the EP does not require the company to be venture-backed, and it has no renewal criteria tied to business spending or local job creation. For the complete EP framework, see our Complete Singapore Employment Pass Guide 2026.
The EntrePass has no minimum salary, no COMPASS scoring requirement, and no quota — but requires the company to be venture-backed or own innovative technology, and imposes progressively demanding renewal benchmarks. The EntrePass is the appropriate choice when the company genuinely qualifies as innovative and the founder cannot or does not want to draw the EP qualifying salary in the early years.
The ONE Pass is the alternative for founders or senior executives who earn or will earn SGD 30,000 per month fixed, or who have exceptional achievements. The ONE Pass offers the most flexibility — multiple concurrent employment, no COMPASS, full equity and directorship freedom — but the salary threshold excludes most early-stage founders. See our ONE Pass Singapore: who actually qualifies in 2026 guide for the full criteria.
From EntrePass to Singapore PR: The Business-Track Pathway
EntrePass holders who build a substantive business in Singapore can apply for Singapore Permanent Residency under the Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) scheme. ICA assesses PR applications holistically — economic contribution, qualifications, age, family profile, and genuine intent to settle — and there is no published points formula.
In practice, EntrePass holders with strong renewal metrics (TBS above benchmark, consistent local employment, CPF contributions for staff, growing revenue) present a more compelling PR file than those who just meet the minimum thresholds. Business age matters too: most EntrePass holders apply for PR after three to five years of operation, once they have a demonstrated track record of local economic contribution.
For a full overview of the Singapore PR pathways, including how business owners are assessed under the PTS scheme, see our Complete Singapore PR Pathway Guide 2026.
Application Process: Step by Step
The EntrePass application process is as follows:
- Register the company with ACRA (or have a proposed company ready to register upon approval). You must hold at least 30% of the shares.
- Prepare your business plan: This is mandatory. It must demonstrate the innovative nature of your business and, where applicable, the VC-backing or IP ownership.
- Gather qualifying evidence: For whichever of the five criteria you rely on — funding round documentation, incubator support letter, prior exit documents, IP registration certificates, or research collaboration agreement.
- Submit the application via MOM’s EntrePass online portal: The candidate applies directly (unlike the EP, where the employer applies). Processing typically takes up to eight weeks.
- Receive your In-Principle Approval (IPA): Valid for three months, within which you must get the pass issued by following the IPA instructions.
- Register with ACRA: Once the pass is issued, update ACRA records as necessary and begin operations.
- Register on Startup SG Network: EntrePass holders are required to create a profile on the Startup SG Network (startupsg.gov.sg) and claim their company profile. This is a renewal requirement from the first renewal onwards.
Conclusion
The Singapore EntrePass 2026 is a well-designed instrument for genuine startup founders — but it is not forgiving of companies that do not qualify as innovative or venture-backed, and its renewal benchmarks are designed to ensure that EntrePass holders build substantive local operations rather than maintaining a pass for convenience. Founders who meet the eligibility criteria and are committed to building in Singapore will find it a flexible, cost-effective vehicle for establishing themselves in one of Asia’s leading startup hubs.
If you are evaluating whether the EntrePass, Employment Pass, or ONE Pass is the right structure for your Singapore move, Little Big Employment Agency — MOM Licence 19C9790 — can assess your profile and advise on the optimal pass strategy. For company incorporation, ACRA registration, and secretarial support for your Singapore entity, Raffles Corporate Services provides end-to-end corporate services.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency