C6 is the Strategic Economic Priorities (SEP) bonus under COMPASS, Singapore’s points-based framework for Employment Pass (EP) applications. It is worth 10 points, and a firm earns it by participating in, or meeting the criteria for, at least one eligible programme. Those 10 points can decide whether an application reaches the 40-point COMPASS pass mark. This article covers what C6 recognises, who awards it, how long the points last, and what must hold at renewal.
C6 only matters after Stage 1 is met
EP eligibility has two stages. Stage 1 is the qualifying salary: a fixed monthly salary benchmarked to the top one-third of local PMET (professional, manager, executive, technician) salaries by age. Outside financial services it starts at $5,600 and rises progressively to $10,700 at age 45 and above; financial services starts at $6,200 and rises to $11,800. For new applications from 1 January 2027, and renewals expiring from 1 January 2028, those figures become $6,000 to $11,500, and $6,600 to $12,700 for financial services.
A candidate who misses Stage 1 is not eligible for an EP at all, no matter how many COMPASS points the firm would have scored. C6 points only count once the salary bar is cleared.
C6 adds 10 points to a 40-point framework
COMPASS requires 40 points to pass. Four foundational criteria carry up to 20 points each: C1 Salary (benchmarks the candidate’s fixed monthly salary against sector PMET salaries), C2 Qualifications (20 points for listed top-tier degrees, 10 for other degree-equivalent qualifications), C3 Diversity (20 points when the candidate’s nationality is under 5% of the firm’s PMETs, 10 points at 5% to under 25%, 0 at 25% or more), and C4 Support for local employment (20 points at or above the 50th percentile of local PMET share within the sector, 10 points at the 20th to under 50th, 0 below the 20th). Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs score 10 points by default on both C3 and C4.
Two bonuses sit on top. C5 is the Skills bonus for jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, worth 10 or 20 points. C6 is the SEP bonus, worth a flat 10 points.
What C6 recognises
MOM awards the C6 bonus to organisations that do one of two things:
- Undertake ambitious investment, innovation and internationalisation activities in partnership with economic agencies.
- Are endorsed by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) as strong partners on company and workforce transformation activities.
The mechanism is programme-based. An organisation earns the 10 points if it participates in, or meets the criteria for, at least one eligible programme. MOM publishes the list of eligible programmes on its site.
The supporting agency decides, not the applicant
The award is at the discretion of the supporting agency that runs the relevant programme. MOM notifies your organisation when the bonus has been awarded, and the points then appear in the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT). Employers and employment agents can run the SAT before lodging an application to see the current score.
Practically, this means you do not assemble a document bundle and claim C6 yourself. Your position is to confirm that your organisation qualifies under a programme, then let the supporting agency and MOM determine the award.
The points expire
C6 points apply for up to 3 years, or for the duration of your organisation’s participation in the eligible programme, whichever is shorter. Treat the bonus as time-limited, not permanent.
Renewal depends on C3 and C4
At the end of the validity period, the supporting agency reassesses whether to keep supporting the bonus. Renewal requires all of the following:
- Continued participation in an eligible programme.
- At least 10 points on C3 Diversity for each of the 3 months before renewal.
- At least 10 points on C4 Support for local employment for each of the 3 months before renewal.
For firms with fewer than 25 PMETs, the default 10 points on C3 and C4 satisfy condition two and three automatically. Larger firms need to watch two numbers: the share of the candidate’s nationality among PMETs, and local PMET share relative to the sector. On C4, a local PMET share of at least 70% guarantees at least 10 points regardless of where the firm stands within its sector.
When C6 is irrelevant
Some candidates are exempt from COMPASS entirely: those with a fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500, overseas intra-corporate transferees, and roles filled for one month or less. If an exemption applies, the C6 bonus adds nothing.
Suggested checks before you submit
These are practical suggestions, not MOM requirements. Run the SAT first to see your current score. Ask your supporting agency whether your organisation’s participation meets the programme criteria. Use the Workforce Insights tool on the myMOM Portal to monitor your C3 and C4 standing. If renewal is approaching, check your C3 and C4 scores early, since MOM looks at the 3 months before renewal.