From January 2025, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has applied stricter review standards to the Strategic Priorities Bonus under the COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) framework. Under the Employment Pass Framework Guidelines updated by MOM in December 2024, this 10-point bonus is no longer an automatic add-on for scale-qualifying companies. MOM requires employers to prove that the applicant’s role directly serves a national economic priority area, and that the employer itself has a traceable record of participation in that area. In the first half of 2025, the rejection rate for Employment Pass (EP) applications that relied on this bonus without sufficient proof rose by about 40% compared with 2023. For applicants from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia, this means: if your employer cannot produce a registration certificate or project participation letter from agencies such as the Economic Development Board (EDB) or Enterprise Singapore, the Strategic Priorities Bonus cannot be used. In 2026, this trend will only tighten.
The Nature of the Strategic Priorities Bonus: A Supplementary, Not Substitutive, Bonus
Strategic Priorities Bonus is one of the two bonus components among the six COMPASS scoring items, with a maximum of 10 points. It cannot replace the qualifying requirements of the four base criteria (salary C1, qualification C2, employee diversity C3, and support for local employment C4). Its function is to lift the base score to the EP minimum pass mark of 40 points, allowing otherwise non-qualifying applications to pass.
MOM lists the economic priority areas recognised in 2025 in the 2024 Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Industry Transformation Maps:
- Advanced manufacturing (precision engineering, aerospace, semiconductor equipment)
- Digital economy (cybersecurity, financial technology, artificial intelligence, quantum computing)
- Green economy (carbon services, renewable energy infrastructure, sustainable finance)
- Healthcare (biomedicine, pharmaceutical manufacturing, clinical research)
- Logistics and supply chain (regional hub management, cold chain, maritime services)
- Professional services (headquarters functions, legal, accounting, consulting, requiring regional coverage)
Key distinction: belonging to one of the above sectors does not automatically earn the bonus. MOM examines two dimensions: the applicant’s role and responsibilities, and the employer’s actual participation in relevant government programmes.
Employer-Level Hard Threshold: Must Be Registered with the Relevant Agency
Employers must be registered with at least one of the Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) or Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and the registered area must correspond to the applicant’s role.
- EDB: advanced manufacturing, digital economy, green economy, professional services
- Enterprise Singapore: logistics and supply chain, SMEs within priority areas
- MAS: financial technology, sustainable finance
If the employer is not registered with any of these agencies, the bonus is directly unavailable. During review, MOM cross-checks the employer’s Unique Entity Number against each agency’s database. The EP Circular 2024-05 issued by MOM in 2024 states clearly: relying solely on the employer’s self-declaration without an agency registration record will lead to automatic rejection of the bonus.
Role-Level Matching Requirement: Job Title and Duties Must Clearly Point to the Sector
MOM provides a non-exhaustive list of job titles in the COMPASS Applicant Guide (2024 Edition). Examples:
- Advanced manufacturing: “Process Engineer”, “Quality Assurance Manager (Semiconductor)”, “Supply Chain Planner (Precision Engineering)”
- Digital economy: “Cybersecurity Analyst”, “AI/ML Engineer”, “Blockchain Developer (Fintech)”
- Green economy: “Carbon Analyst”, “Sustainability Manager”, “Renewable Energy Project Lead”
Generic job titles such as “Manager” or “Consultant” have a very low chance of approval if not accompanied by a sector qualifier. Taking “Business Development Manager” as an example: if the employer operates in the green economy, the applicant must clearly reflect the connection to green economy activities in the duties description, for instance “responsible for partnership development for carbon credit projects in Southeast Asia”.
Document Requirements for Proving the Link: Three Essential Items
Employers must issue a supporting letter that must include:
- The employer’s registration number with the relevant agency (e.g. EDB registration ID)
- The applicant’s job title and a 3-5 line duties description
- A clear statement that the role directly serves a priority area
- A citation of the specific government programme the employer participates in (e.g. “our company is a recognised participant in the EDB Research & Innovation Scheme (RIS)”)
MOM also accepts supplementary evidence:
- A copy of the funding letter or incentive agreement between the employer and EDB
- Project briefs showing the applicant’s participation in priority-area projects
- An employer eligibility confirmation letter issued by the relevant agency
Important warning: if the employer cannot provide any of the above documents, do not claim this bonus. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (Chapter 91A), false declarations constitute misrepresentation, punishable by a fine of up to S$20,000 or imprisonment of 12 months.
Common Mistake One: Group-Level Claims
Some multinational companies attempt to claim the bonus using the registration record of a parent company (a non-Singapore entity). MOM does not accept group-level claims. The registration must be held by a Singapore-incorporated legal entity. Applicants should confirm with HR whether the local entity is registered, rather than relying on the parent company’s credentials.
Common Mistake Two: Claims Based on Future Projects
Do not claim the bonus based on projects the employer has applied for but not yet been approved. MOM requires a currently valid participation record. If the project is still under review, wait until approval before submitting the EP application.
Strategic Use of the Bonus: Two Most Favourable Scenarios
Scenario One: Base Score Between 30 and 39
This is the most common scenario. A base score of 30-39 points plus the 10-point bonus reaches the total of 40 points, clearing the EP minimum threshold. Without the bonus, the application would be rejected. Applicants should first use the COMPASS self-assessment tool on the MOM website to calculate the base score (salary C1, qualification C2, employee diversity C3, support for local employment C4). If the base score falls in the 30-39 range, priority should be given to securing the Strategic Priorities Bonus rather than the Skills Bonus (the latter requires the applicant’s occupation to be on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL)).
Scenario Two: When a Longer EP Validity Period Is Needed
EP validity periods are: up to 2 years for first-time applications, and up to 3 years for renewals; experienced tech professionals with in-demand skills may qualify for up to 5 years. If the base score already meets the EP minimum pass mark of 40 points, adding the 10-point Strategic Priorities Bonus pushes the total further above the threshold. This is especially valuable for applicants planning to apply for Singapore permanent resident (PR) status within 2-3 years — a longer EP validity period reduces renewal anxiety and signals stability to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
Note: the bonus does not directly affect the PR application. PR applications are assessed under the separate Permanent Residence Evaluation System (PRE-S) framework. However, a longer EP validity period is practically advantageous for PR review.
When the Bonus Does Not Apply: Base Score Already Above 40
If the base score already exceeds 40 points, do not claim the bonus unless documents are fully in order. A failed bonus claim triggers MOM’s manual review of the entire application, and processing time may be extended accordingly. Where the base score already meets the threshold, the bonus yields no additional benefit.
2026 Practical Guides by Sector
Advanced Manufacturing
EDB’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) 2025 programme requires participating companies to submit progress reports quarterly. If the employer is already registered for this programme, the bonus process is relatively straightforward. Positions in semiconductor manufacturing, precision tooling and aviation maintenance have the highest approval rates.
Digital Economy
Under the Digital Economy Framework for Action (2025), MAS imposes the strictest registration requirements on financial technology companies. Applicants should confirm the employer’s registration status, especially for companies involved in cryptocurrencies, payment processing and digital banking. AI/ML engineer roles require a specific project description, such as “developing machine learning models for fraud detection”, rather than a vague “working on AI-related matters”.
Green Economy
Carbon services, renewable energy and sustainable finance are the three sub-sectors. Carbon analyst roles must demonstrate that duties involve carbon accounting, carbon credit trading or carbon footprint assessment. Sustainable finance roles must align with MAS’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.
Conclusion: Three Actionable Recommendations
- Before submitting the EP application, require the employer to provide the agency registration number and government project participation letter; if the employer cannot provide these, abandon the bonus and shift to raising the base score (e.g. through salary adjustment or qualification assessment).
- The job title must include a sector qualifier (e.g. “Process Engineer (Semiconductor)” rather than “Process Engineer”), and the duties description must be specific to the project level, avoiding generic phrasing.
- Applicants whose base score already exceeds 40 points should not claim the bonus; if documents are complete and the employer strongly advises claiming it, confirm that it will not trigger a manual review causing delay.