Employment Pass Eligibility: Qualifying Salary, COMPASS Points and Qualifications

Employment Pass (EP) eligibility runs through a two-stage framework set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Stage 1 is the EP qualifying salary, benchmarked to the top one-third of local PMET salaries by age. Stage 2 is the points-based Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS), which an application passes at 40 points. Candidates who fail Stage 1 are not eligible for an EP no matter what they would score under COMPASS, and some candidates are exempted from COMPASS altogether.

How the two-stage framework works

MOM requires EP candidates to clear both stages. Stage 1 tests fixed monthly salary against the qualifying salary. Stage 2 tests the application against COMPASS, unless the candidate is exempted.

An employer or appointed employment agent applies on behalf of the candidate. An overseas company without a Singapore-registered office applies through a local sponsor.

MOM states on both its eligibility page and its C1 salary benchmark page that candidates who do not meet the qualifying salary are not eligible for an EP, regardless of their COMPASS points. Meeting Stage 1 does not by itself produce a pass.

Employers must also continue to meet the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertising requirement before submitting new EP applications. The legislation MOM lists for the pass is the Conditions of Work Pass and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

Stage 1: the EP qualifying salary

The qualifying salary starts at S$5,600 for all sectors except financial services, and increases progressively with age from age 23 up to S$10,700 at age 45 and above. Financial services starts at S$6,200 and rises to S$11,800 at age 45 and above.

From 1 Jan 2027, new applications must meet S$6,000, rising to S$11,500 at age 45 and above. The same figures apply to renewals of passes expiring from 1 Jan 2028.

For financial services, the scheduled figures are S$6,600 and S$12,700. MOM states that these qualifying salary requirements apply to both new applications and renewals.

The table above covers all sectors except financial services. MOM publishes a second age schedule for the financial services sector on the same page.

What counts as fixed monthly salary

MOM defines fixed monthly salary as basic monthly salary plus fixed monthly allowances. Basic monthly salary is payment that does not vary from month to month, regardless of employee or company performance and regardless of medical or personal leave.

Fixed monthly allowances are monthly allowances that do not vary from month to month. MOM gives fixed food and housing allowances as examples.

Fixed monthly salary does not include the following:

• Variable allowances
• Overtime payment, bonus, commission or annual wage supplements
• Fees from sitting on the Board, or stock options or dividends
• In-kind payments
• Any form of reimbursements, including for expenses incurred in the course of employment
• Productivity incentive payments
• Contributions payable by the employer to any pension or provident fund, including contributions made on the employee’s behalf
• Gratuity payable on discharge, retrenchment or retirement

This definition governs the Stage 1 test and the C1 benchmark. An offer built on variable pay does not change the figure MOM tests.

Stage 2: how COMPASS is scored

COMPASS is a points-based system that MOM describes as transparent, to give businesses greater clarity and certainty for manpower planning. Your application needs to earn 40 points to pass COMPASS.

Four foundational criteria carry the score: C1 Salary, C2 Qualifications, C3 Diversity and C4 Support for local employment. Two bonuses can add points: C5 Skills bonus (Shortage Occupation List) and C6 Strategic Economic Priorities bonus.

MOM publishes worked examples. Example A-1, a business manager at a marketing consultancy, scores 40 points and passes on the four foundational criteria alone.

MOM notes that most applications will fall into this category. Example B shows compensation across criteria: a management associate at a commercial bank with salary at the 60th percentile scores 0 on salary, and the application still scores 40 points and passes because the candidate’s nationality forms 3% of the organisation’s PMETs.

Candidates without degree-equivalent qualifications can still pass by earning a total score of at least 40 points from other criteria. A weak criterion does not decide the outcome on its own.

The four foundational criteria

C1. Salary

This criterion benchmarks the candidate’s fixed monthly salary against local PMET salaries in the sector. MOM states it is different from the EP qualifying salary, which is the minimum bar for the pass.

The benchmarks are derived from MOM’s Manpower Research and Statistics Department’s annual Comprehensive Labour Force Survey. They are updated once a year to reflect the latest market conditions.

Benchmarks released in Aug 2025 apply to new EP applications from 1 Jan 2026 to 31 Dec 2026, and to renewals of EPs expiring from 1 Jul 2026 to 30 Jun 2027. Benchmarks released in Aug 2026 apply to new EP applications from 1 Jan 2027, and to renewals of EPs expiring from 1 Jul 2027.

C2. Qualifications

This criterion awards 20 points for degree-equivalent qualifications from the institutions MOM lists. These include the leading 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings, other highly-reputed universities in Asia, Singapore’s Autonomous Universities, and institutions highly recognised in a particular field and endorsed by a relevant agency.

Ten points are awarded for other degree-equivalent qualifications. MOM determines equivalence with reference to international recognition bodies such as the UK National Information Centre for recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills (UK ENIC).

Professional qualifications well recognised by the industry and endorsed by a relevant sector agency fall in the 10-point band. Foreign qualifications awarded by local private education institutions may also be considered.

Qualifications with no degree-equivalent earn 0 points, and MOM says not to submit them. If you need points from this criterion, you must submit verification proof together with the candidate’s qualifications in the EP application.

C3. Diversity

This criterion awards more points where the candidate’s nationality forms a small share of the firm’s PMET employees. If the organisation employs fewer than 25 PMETs, the application scores 10 points by default.

Nationality, including that of Permanent Residents, is based on the nationality indicated on the passport in the Singapore Government’s records. The Workforce Insights tool on myMOM Portal shows this share.

C4. Support for local employment

This criterion recognises organisations that build complementary teams of local and foreign professionals. If the organisation employs fewer than 25 PMETs, the application scores 10 points by default.

If the organisation’s local PMET share is at least 70%, pegged to the 20th percentile of organisations economy-wide, the application scores at least 10 points. This applies regardless of where the organisation stands within its sector.

The two bonuses

C5. Skills bonus (Shortage Occupation List)

The bonus is 20 points where the job is on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) and the candidate’s nationality forms less than 1/3 of the organisation’s PMETs. It is 10 points where the job is on the SOL and that share is 1/3 or more.

To obtain the bonus, the candidate must perform the job duties listed for the specific shortage occupation. You must select one of the eligible job titles in the EP application.

Candidates need additional checks if they need the SOL bonus points to pass COMPASS, or if they are applying for a 5-year duration EP for a specific tech occupation on the SOL. MOM checks job duties, past work experience, and qualifications or industry accreditation.

Candidates who needed SOL bonus points to pass COMPASS or to obtain a longer duration EP can only be employed in that specific shortage occupation. The restriction appears in the in-principle approval letter’s “Important” note, and you should notify MOM first if redeployment is needed.

C6. Strategic Economic Priorities bonus

The bonus is 10 points for participating in, or meeting the criteria for, at least one eligible programme. It covers organisations undertaking ambitious investment, innovation and internationalisation activities with economic agencies, or endorsed by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) as strong partners on company and workforce transformation.

Award of the bonus is at the discretion of the supporting agencies running the programme. MOM notifies the organisation if the bonus is awarded, and the points appear in the Self-Assessment Tool.

Bonus points apply for up to 3 years, or for the duration of participation in an eligible programme, whichever is shorter. At the end of that period, renewal requires at least 10 points for C3 and at least 10 points for C4 for each of the 3 months before renewal.

Exemptions from COMPASS

Candidates are exempted from COMPASS if they meet any of these conditions:

• Have a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500, similar to the prevailing FCF job advertising exemption from 1 September 2023
• Are applying as an overseas intra-corporate transferee
• Are filling the role for 1 month or less

MOM repeats the S$22,500 exemption threshold on its C1 salary benchmark page. Exemption from COMPASS does not remove the Stage 1 qualifying salary test.

Before you apply: advertising and the SAT

Employers submitting EP applications must first advertise the job on MyCareersFuture and consider all candidates fairly. The advertisement must be open for at least 14 consecutive days, and you should not make a job offer during that period.

You must post a new advertisement if you change any details, including the unique entity number of the hiring organisation, occupation, salary or number of vacancies, and keep it open for at least another 14 consecutive days. Advertisements expired for more than 3 months or closed for more than 3 months cannot be used.

The salary range advertised must be visible to all candidates and cannot be too broad. The maximum salary cannot exceed two times the minimum salary: if the minimum is S$4,500, the maximum should not exceed S$9,000. The range must contain the salary offered to the EP candidate.

Advertising exemptions apply where the company has fewer than 10 employees, the fixed monthly salary is S$22,500 and above, the role is not more than 1 month, the role is filled by a local transferee, the role is filled by an existing employee within the company, or the candidate applies as an overseas intra-corporate transferee.

Employers and employment agents can use the enhanced Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) to check eligibility before applying. An EP eService account, formerly EP Online, is needed to use the enhanced SAT.

The SAT is free and available 24 hours. MOM states that the SAT does not guarantee the actual outcome of an application, because other checks such as the candidate’s history are not considered, and the actual COMPASS score may differ from the score in the SAT.

Duration, family and other key facts

First-time candidates receive a pass of up to 2 years. Renewals run up to 3 years. Experienced tech professionals with skills in shortage may be eligible for a longer 5-year duration pass.

The pass is renewable. After arrival, the candidate receives a notification letter stating whether registration is required, and the pass card arrives at the address provided 5 working days after registration or document verification.

MOM lists availability of passes for eligible family members as a feature of the EP. MOM also states that no foreign worker levy or quota is required for the pass.

Employers can choose whether to provide medical insurance for EP holders. Notify MOM if company or pass holder information changes, and cancel the pass if the holder no longer works for you.

What to read next

• Employment Pass hub — the full set of EP pages, from eligibility through renewal and cancellation.
• 2026 Employment Pass COMPASS Framework: C1 to C6 Scoring Breakdown, Bonus Points and Simulated Scores for Common Professions — criterion-by-criterion scoring detail beyond the summary here.
• 2026 EP Salary Benchmark: How COMPASS Evaluates Fixed Monthly Pay Across Sectors — how the C1 percentile bands work sector by sector.
• Employment Pass Minimum Qualifying Salary in Singapore: How the 2026 Threshold Applies to Your Offer — the Stage 1 threshold and the scheduled 2027 change.
• Employment Pass Application Guide: Fair Consideration, Eligibility, Documents and the EP Online Steps — the advertising step, documents and submission sequence.
• Dependant’s Pass Guide: Who Qualifies, How to Apply and What Family Members Can Do — the family pass route that follows an approved EP.

Official sources

• Eligibility for Employment Pass (MOM)
• Key facts on Employment Pass (MOM)
• COMPASS C1. Salary benchmarks (MOM)
• What is a fixed monthly salary? (MOM)
• Employment / S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) (MOM)
• Consider all candidates fairly before you apply for an Employment Pass (MOM)

These pages were retrieved on 2026-10-07, and salary benchmarks, thresholds and criteria change, so confirm the current figures on the MOM page before you act. Pass & Permit Desk is not an immigration agent: we do not file applications or represent applicants, and this article gives general information only, not immigration or legal advice.