How the Complementarity Assessment Framework Affects Your Employment Pass Application

Understanding the COMPASS Framework for Employment Pass Applications

Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) introduced the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) to create a more transparent and merit-based system for evaluating Employment Pass (EP) candidates. As of 2026, the framework applies to all new EP applications and renewals, fundamentally altering how employers and foreign professionals approach work pass eligibility. According to MOM’s 2025 annual report, over 180,000 EP holders were assessed under COMPASS criteria in its first full year of implementation, with approximately 72% meeting the required 40-point threshold on their initial submission.

The COMPASS framework Employment Pass evaluation moves beyond the previous model that relied almost exclusively on a fixed qualifying salary. It now requires applicants to score points across four foundational criteria and two bonus categories. This shift reflects Singapore’s strategic priority: ensuring that foreign manpower complements the local workforce rather than simply filling vacancies. Employers must demonstrate that each EP holder brings a combination of skills, diversity, and economic value that strengthens the broader ecosystem.

For HR professionals and prospective applicants, understanding the EP application points system is not optional—it is the gateway to successful work pass approvals. The framework assigns points based on the candidate’s salary relative to local benchmarks, qualifications, diversity contribution, and support for local employment, with bonus points available for shortage occupation roles and strategic economic priorities.

The Four Foundational Criteria: How Points Are Awarded

The Singapore work pass COMPASS evaluation rests on four pillars, each contributing up to 20 points. An applicant must accumulate at least 40 points in total to pass. Let us examine each criterion in detail.

C1: Salary compares the applicant’s fixed monthly salary against the EP qualifying salary benchmark, which is tiered by sector and age. As of 2026, the minimum qualifying salary stands at SGD 5,600 for most sectors, with financial services requiring SGD 6,200. However, earning the minimum alone does not guarantee points. Candidates scoring 10 points typically earn between the 65th and 90th percentile of local PMET salaries in their sector. To secure 20 points, the applicant must surpass the 90th percentile. This structure incentivises employers to offer competitive compensation packages that reflect genuine demand for specialised expertise.

C2: Qualifications rewards candidates with strong academic credentials. A degree from a top-tier institution—defined by MOM’s list of internationally recognised universities—earns 20 points. Degree-equivalent qualifications, including certain professional certifications assessed alongside relevant work experience, may yield 10 points. MOM updated its recognised institution list in January 2026, adding 12 universities across Asia and Europe, which expanded the pool of applicants eligible for top marks. Employers should verify that degree certificates are properly authenticated, as unverified claims result in zero points for this criterion.

C3: Diversity measures whether the applicant’s nationality improves the diversity of the firm’s PMET workforce. If the candidate’s nationality accounts for less than 5% of the employer’s existing PMET employees, they receive 20 points. A share between 5% and 25% earns 10 points, while exceeding 25% yields zero. This criterion encourages companies to maintain a multinational composition, reducing over-reliance on any single nationality group. MOM data from early 2026 indicates that firms with highly concentrated nationality profiles face increasing difficulty securing EP approvals unless candidates excel in other criteria.

C4: Support for Local Employment assesses the employer’s commitment to developing a local workforce. Companies where local PMET employees constitute at least 50% of the total PMET headcount—and where the firm’s local PMET share meets or exceeds its sector average—earn 20 points. Those meeting only one of the two conditions receive 10 points. Small firms with fewer than 25 PMET employees are exempt from C4 and automatically receive 10 points. This exemption acknowledges the disproportionate impact that individual hires have on small business metrics.

Bonus Criteria: Shortage Occupation List and Strategic Economic Priorities

Beyond the foundational pillars, the employment pass eligibility 2025 framework—still current in 2026—offers bonus points that can tip an application from borderline to successful. These bonus criteria recognise contributions that align with Singapore’s long-term economic goals.

C5: Skills Bonus – Shortage Occupation List (SOL) grants up to 20 bonus points for candidates whose roles appear on MOM’s published list of occupations facing acute talent shortages. As of the 2026 update, the SOL includes roles in artificial intelligence engineering, cybersecurity analysis, green finance, biomedical research, and specialised nursing. To qualify, the applicant must hold a job offer in a listed occupation and meet any specified experience or credential requirements. The SOL is reviewed every six months, so employers should consult the latest version before submitting an application. A candidate who secures 20 points from C5 can often pass COMPASS even with weaker performance in other criteria, making this the most powerful lever available.

C6: Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus awards 10 points to applicants whose employers participate in specific government-backed initiatives. Eligible programmes include the Research and Innovation Scheme, the Scale-up SG programme for high-growth enterprises, and certain Economic Development Board partnership projects. This bonus rewards firms that actively contribute to Singapore’s innovation ecosystem and industrial transformation. Unlike the SOL bonus, which attaches to the individual applicant, C6 points depend entirely on the employer’s strategic alignment. Companies approved for these schemes receive a letter of eligibility that must be referenced in the EP application.

How the Points System Works in Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide

Navigating the COMPASS scoring guide requires a systematic approach. The process begins with the employer submitting an EP application through MOM’s online portal, where the system automatically calculates scores based on data provided and information already held by government agencies. Here is how a typical assessment unfolds.

First, the employer enters the candidate’s salary details. MOM cross-references this figure against sector-specific benchmarks derived from the Comprehensive Labour Force Survey and administrative data. The system calculates the percentile ranking and assigns points accordingly. Next, the employer uploads qualification documents. MOM verifies these against its database of recognised institutions and may request additional verification for degrees from unlisted schools. The diversity criterion is assessed automatically using the firm’s existing PMET nationality data, which MOM already tracks through prior work pass records. For C4, MOM calculates the firm’s local PMET share and compares it to sector averages published annually.

If the candidate claims bonus points under C5 or C6, the employer must provide supporting evidence. For SOL claims, this includes a detailed job description demonstrating alignment with the listed occupation’s scope. For strategic priorities, the employer references their programme participation number. MOM typically processes straightforward applications within three weeks, though requests for additional documentation can extend this timeline.

Strategies to Strengthen Your COMPASS Score

Given the competitive nature of the EP application points system, employers and candidates should adopt proactive strategies to maximise their chances. These practical steps address each criterion.

Optimising C1 Salary: Employers should benchmark salaries against sector-specific data rather than relying on the general qualifying minimum. Tools such as MOM’s Salary Comparison Tool provide granular percentile information. In sectors like technology and finance, where competition for talent drives wages upward, offering a package in the 75th percentile or above often proves decisive. For candidates with niche expertise, structuring compensation to include fixed allowances that count toward the qualifying salary can improve the C1 score without inflating base pay unnecessarily.

Strengthening C2 Qualifications: Candidates holding degrees from institutions not on MOM’s recognised list should consider obtaining a credential evaluation from an approved agency. In some cases, professional certifications such as CFA, ACCA, or PMP, combined with substantial relevant experience, can substitute for a formal degree. Employers should document this equivalency clearly in the application. For future applicants, pursuing a postgraduate qualification from a recognised university remains the most reliable path to 20 points.

Managing C3 Diversity: Companies with heavily concentrated nationality profiles can improve their diversity standing by strategically hiring from underrepresented nationalities in subsequent recruitment rounds. While this does not retroactively fix an existing application, it strengthens the firm’s overall profile for future EP renewals and new applications. Employers operating in niche markets where specific language skills or cultural knowledge are essential should document these requirements thoroughly, as MOM may consider business necessity when evaluating borderline diversity cases.

Improving C4 Local Employment: Firms falling short of the sector average for local PMET share should invest in local hiring and development programmes. Initiatives such as the Career Conversion Programme and the SGUnited Traineeships scheme demonstrate commitment to building a local talent pipeline. MOM tracks these efforts and may view them favourably during manual reviews. Companies should also ensure accurate reporting of their PMET headcount, as misclassification can unfairly depress C4 scores.

Leveraging Bonus Criteria: Employers in technology, healthcare, and green economy sectors should regularly review the SOL and align job descriptions with listed occupations where possible. For C6, companies on the cusp of qualifying for strategic programmes should engage with Enterprise Singapore or EDB to explore eligibility. Even if the current application does not benefit, securing programme participation strengthens future applications and renewals.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Despite the framework’s transparency, many applications fail due to avoidable errors. The most frequent issue involves salary misclassification. Employers sometimes include variable bonuses or one-off allowances in the fixed monthly salary figure, which MOM excludes from the calculation. Only guaranteed fixed components count toward C1. A 2026 MOM compliance review found that 14% of rejected applications contained salary reporting discrepancies.

Another common pitfall is incomplete qualification verification. Degrees from institutions that share names with recognised universities but are located in different countries often trigger verification delays. Applicants should provide transcripts, degree certificates, and, where available, verification letters from credential evaluation services at the time of submission. MOM does not accept provisional certificates or letters of completion as substitutes for final degree documents.

Employers also underestimate the impact of firm-level data on diversity and local employment scores. A company that recently expanded its PMET headcount through local hires may see improved C4 and C3 metrics, but MOM’s system relies on the most recent quarterly data submission. Employers should ensure that their CPF contribution records and workforce profiles are up to date before submitting an EP application. Discrepancies between submitted information and government records trigger automatic queries that delay processing.

The Future of COMPASS: What to Expect Beyond 2026

MOM has signalled that the COMPASS framework Employment Pass criteria will continue evolving. In a parliamentary statement in March 2026, the Minister for Manpower indicated that the qualifying salary threshold will undergo its next scheduled review in September 2026, with adjustments likely to reflect wage growth and inflation trends. Employers should budget for incremental increases when planning multi-year assignments.

The SOL is expected to expand further into emerging fields such as quantum computing, carbon markets, and advanced manufacturing. MOM has also indicated it is studying the feasibility of introducing a regional diversity criterion for firms with significant ASEAN workforce representation, though no formal proposal has been tabled. For employers and foreign professionals, the key to long-term success lies in viewing COMPASS not as a hurdle but as a framework that rewards genuine complementarity. Those who align their recruitment and development strategies with Singapore’s economic priorities will find the system navigable and predictable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I appeal if my EP application scores below 40 points? A: Yes, employers may submit an appeal within three months of rejection. The appeal must include additional evidence addressing the specific criteria where the application fell short. Successful appeals typically involve salary adjustments, newly verified qualifications, or updated firm-level diversity data.

Q: Does the COMPASS framework apply to EP renewals? A: Yes, all EP renewals submitted on or after 1 September 2023 are assessed under COMPASS. Employers should review their renewal candidates well in advance to identify any criteria where scores may have changed since the initial approval.

Q: How often does MOM update the Shortage Occupation List? A: The SOL is reviewed every six months, with updates typically published in March and September. Employers should consult the latest version before submitting an application that relies on C5 bonus points.

Q: Are intra-corporate transferees subject to COMPASS? A: Intra-corporate transferees under the EP route are assessed under COMPASS. However, those entering under the new Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass) are subject to different eligibility criteria.

Q: What happens if my company’s local PMET share drops after an EP is approved? A: The C4 score is assessed at the point of application or renewal. A subsequent decline in local PMET share does not affect existing EP holders but will impact future applications and renewals.

References

1. Ministry of Manpower Singapore. (2026). COMPASS Framework: Guide for Employers. Retrieved from MOM website.
2. Ministry of Manpower Singapore. (2025). Annual Report on Work Pass Holders 2025. Singapore: MOM Publications.
3. Ministry of Manpower Singapore. (2026). Shortage Occupation List (SOL) – March 2026 Update.
4. Ministry of Manpower Singapore. (2026). Employment Pass Eligibility and COMPASS Scoring Guide.
5. Singapore Department of Statistics. (2025). Labour Force in Singapore 2025: Sectoral PMET Benchmarks.