The Tech.Pass is a work pass that is administered by the Economic Development Board (EDB). It is a relatively new work pass which was announced at the end of 2020. Singapore opened applications for Tech.Pass at the beginning of 2021. The Singapore Tech.Pass scheme was introduced with the intention to recruit foreign tech expertise to Singapore.
Do note that this pass is industry specific. It is aimed at attracting talent to the tech sector.
Eligibility:
The applicant will need to have met at least two of the following three requirements
- Have a last drawn fixed monthly salary of at least SGD$20,000. This last drawn salary must be within the last 1 year at the point of application.
or
Have an annual income of at least SGD$240,000.
- Have at least 5 years (cumulative) of experience in a leading role in a tech company with a valuation or market capitalisation of at least USD$500 million or at least USD$30 million of funding and beyond.
- Have at least 5 years (cumulative) of experience in a leading role in the development of a tech product that has at least 100,000 monthly active users or at least USD$100 million revenue.
You do not need to secure employment in Singapore in order to obtain a Tech.Pass. There is no requirement for a prospective employer to sponsor the pass application. Applications are subject to EDB’s approval. The pass is issued for 2 years and can be renewed once for another 2 years.