Employment Pass (EP) Eligibility and Salary Thresholds
EP applications follow a two-stage eligibility framework: stage one requires meeting the EP qualifying salary, and stage two requires passing the COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) points-based assessment, with exemptions.
The employer or appointed agency must apply on the candidate’s behalf; an overseas company without a Singapore entity must apply through a local sponsor.
Initial approval is granted for up to 2 years, and renewal for up to 3 years; senior technical professionals on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) may receive a pass valid for up to 5 years.
The EP carries no foreign worker levy or quota requirement; employers decide at their discretion whether to buy medical insurance.
EP Qualifying Salary (Stage One)
Salary thresholds rise with age, benchmarked against the top 1/3 of local PMET (professionals, managers, executives and technicians) salaries.
Non-financial services: currently from S$5,600 (age 23 and below), rising to S$10,700 at age 45 and above; from 1 January 2027, new applications will be adjusted to from S$6,000, rising to S$11,500 at age 45 and above.
Financial services: currently from S$6,200, rising to S$11,800 at age 45 and above; from 1 January 2027, new applications will be adjusted to from S$6,600, rising to S$12,700 at age 45 and above.
Specific amounts for each age band are in the official salary table; renewals apply the relevant threshold by pass expiry date, and renewals expiring from 1 January 2028 apply the new thresholds.
Anyone who fails to meet the stage one salary threshold is not eligible for an EP regardless of COMPASS score.
COMPASS Exemptions
COMPASS is waived upon meeting any one condition:
- Fixed monthly salary ≥ S$22,500 (aligned with the Fair Consideration Framework advertising exemption threshold, in effect since 1 September 2023)
- Intra-corporate transferee from an overseas group
- Employment period ≤ 1 month
Employers should first use the MOM Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) to pre-assess eligibility before submitting a formal application.
COMPASS Scoring System Explained
COMPASS is a transparent points-based system; an application needs 40 points to pass.
The four foundational criteria (C1–C4) each award 0/10/20 points, the bonus criterion C5 can award 10 or 20 points, and C6 can award 10 points.
Employers can view their firm’s live C3 and C4 scores and industry benchmarks via the “Workforce Insights” tool in the myMOM Portal.
C1 Salary Benchmark
Points are awarded by the candidate’s fixed monthly salary percentile against same-age local PMETs in the same industry:
- ≥ 90th percentile: 20 points
- 65–90th percentile: 10 points
- < 65th percentile: 0 points
This benchmark differs from the EP qualifying salary; those who fail the qualifying salary are disqualified outright and C1 is not scored.
C2 Qualifications
- Top-tier institution degree-equivalent qualification (top 100 QS, Singapore autonomous universities, top-tier institutions in a field endorsed by a relevant body): 20 points
- Other degree-equivalent qualification (overseas bachelor-equivalent recognised by UK ENIC, industry-recognised professional qualification, eligible local private institution degree): 10 points
- No degree-equivalent qualification: 0 points (can still reach 40 points through other criteria)
Where points are claimed, supporting certification must be submitted; where no points are claimed, educational documents need not be submitted.
C3 Diversity
Points are awarded by the candidate’s nationality share among the firm’s PMETs:
- Firm PMETs < 25: default 10 points
- PMETs ≥ 25: share < 5% earns 20 points, 5%–25% earns 10 points, ≥ 25% earns 0 points
Nationality is determined by the nationality shown on the passport in Singapore government records (including PR).
C4 Support for Local Employment
Points are awarded by the firm’s local PMET share percentile within the same industry:
- Firm PMETs < 25: default 10 points
- PMETs ≥ 25: ≥ 50th percentile earns 20 points, 20–50th percentile earns 10 points, < 20th percentile earns 0 points
- If the firm’s local PMET share is ≥ 70% (corresponding to the 20th percentile economy-wide), it earns at least 10 points regardless of industry ranking
C5 Skills Bonus (Shortage Occupation List SOL)
- Role on the SOL and candidate’s nationality share < 1/3: +20 points
- Role on the SOL but candidate’s nationality share ≥ 1/3: +10 points
Requirements: the candidate performs an SOL-listed job, the employer selects an eligible job title in the application, and the candidate passes additional checks (required when relying on SOL points to pass COMPASS or applying for the 5-year tech EP).
Those who pass with SOL bonus points will have their In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter annotated to work only in that shortage occupation; a role change requires prior notification to MOM for re-assessment.
C6 Strategic Economic Priorities (SEP) Bonus
Participation in an eligible programme backed by an economic agency, or recognition by the National Trades Union Congress as a transformation benchmark partner: +10 points.
The bonus is valid for up to 3 years or the programme participation period (whichever is shorter).
Renewal requires both: C3 and C4 each maintained at ≥ 10 points for the preceding 3 months.
EP Key Facts: Validity, Dependant’s Pass, No Quota
Initial candidates are granted up to 2 years, renewal up to 3 years; senior tech shortage talent up to 5 years.
Renewable; Dependant’s Pass (DP): a fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 allows application for a DP for spouse and children.
No foreign worker levy, no quota; pass holders must handle their own individual income tax residency status.
Relevant statutes: Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, Work Permit conditions.
S Pass Eligibility, Salary and Quota Levy
The S Pass is for foreign associate professionals and technicians (APT) with a Singapore job offer, with salary thresholds benchmarked against the top 1/3 of local APT salaries.
The employer or appointed agency applies; a job switch requires a new application by the new employer.
Initial is up to 2 years, renewal up to 3 years (limited by passport validity, at most to 1 month before passport expiry).
S Pass Qualifying Salary
Non-financial services: currently from S$3,300 (age 23 and below), rising to S$4,800 at age 45 and above; from 1 January 2027, new applications will be adjusted to from S$3,600, rising to S$5,100 at age 45 and above.
Financial services: currently from S$3,800, rising to S$5,650 at age 45 and above; from 1 January 2027, new applications will be adjusted to from S$4,000, rising to S$5,650 at age 45 and above.
Specific amounts for each age band are in the official salary table.
Qualification Declaration
Declaring qualifications is optional; if declared, the employer must ensure the qualification is genuine and the awarding institution is in the drop-down list in the application form.
Quota (Dependency Ratio Ceiling DRC)
The foreign worker (Work Permit + S Pass) share of total workforce is capped by sector:
- Construction, process: 83.3%
- Marine shipyard: 75%
- Manufacturing: 60%
- Services: 35%
S Pass sub-quota: services at 10% of total workforce, other sectors 15%.
Local workforce count is the 3-month average of CPF contribution records; the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) determines the number of local workers that count toward quota.
Quota balance updates every Saturday and is queryable on WP Online the next working day.
Levy
From 1 September 2025, the S Pass levy is uniformly S$650/month across all sectors.
For partial months, charged daily: S$21.37/day (monthly levy × 12 ÷ 365, rounded to the cent).
Levy liability runs from the pass issue date to its cancellation/expiry date; payment must be by GIRO.
Medical Insurance and Primary Care Plan (PCP)
Employers must buy medical insurance for each S Pass holder.
Workers in dormitories of 7 or more, or in construction/marine/process (CMP) sectors, require additional PCP cover, declared in the myMOM Portal before issuance/renewal.
Dependant’s Pass
A fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 allows application for a DP for spouse and children, together with the S Pass or separately afterwards.
Permanent Resident (PR) Eligibility and Application Process
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) accepts applications from:
- Spouses of Singapore citizens/PR
- Unmarried children under 21 born within a legal marriage/legally adopted
- Parents of Singapore citizens aged 21 and above
- Employment Pass or S Pass holders
- Students who have passed at least one national exam in Singapore (PSLE, N/O/A levels) or are in the Integrated Programme
- Foreign investors (via the Economic Development Board (EDB) Global Investor Programme (GIP))
Applicants submit via ICA e-Service with Singpass; the sponsor (spouse/parent/child) also logs in with Singpass to sponsor.
Those under 15 without Singpass may use the non-Singpass channel; all are advised to complete Singpass registration first (2–5 working days).
Assessment Factors
ICA considers holistically: family ties with Singaporeans, economic contribution, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residence, to judge integration capacity and intent to settle.
The authorities publish no specific weightings or scoring model for each factor; there are no “approval rate” or “quota” figures.
National Service (NS) Obligation
All male citizens/PR (except those exempted) must serve; after full-time service they move to the reserves, with officers discharged at 50 and other ranks at 40.
Males who obtain SC/PR as students or through parental sponsorship register at 16 and a half, enlist at 18; deferment is allowed at most until pre-university/polytechnic graduation or age 18 (whichever is later), not deferred for university.
Renouncing PR without serving NS will seriously affect the applicant’s and family’s future long-term pass applications.
Required Documents
Certified true copies of originals and official English translations (for non-English documents) must be provided.
Accepted translation sources: embassy of the issuing country, Singapore/issuing-country notary public, embassy authentication or privately translated documents witnessed by a notary.
ICA endorses no private translation company; incomplete documents will result in the application not being accepted.
The detailed checklist is in the ICA website PR document checklist.
Fees
- On submission: S$100/person
- On completion: entry permit S$20, 5-year Re-Entry Permit S$50, identity card S$50
All fees are non-refundable; Visa/Mastercard, AMEX, local bank internet banking and PayNow are accepted.
Processing Time
With complete documents, processing takes up to 6 months; some cases may take longer.
Outcomes are notified by email or post (for submissions before 26 June 2024); status can be checked on MyICA or e-Service.
Approved applicants receive In-Principle Approval (IPA), and obtain formal PR status after completing formalities.
