How much it costs to immigrate to Singapore depends on your route. If you are only applying for a pass or permanent residency, official fees start at S$100. If you take the Global Investor Programme (GIP), the investment threshold starts at S$10 million. Day-to-day living costs fall outside the scope of the official pages listed in this resource pack; verify the latest details on the relevant agency’s page before you apply.
Official application fees listed item by item
Below are the application and issuance fees that appear in this resource pack, listed by pass and permanent-resident category. All amounts are shown exactly as published on the official pages.
| Item | Application fee | Issuance fee | Publishing agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent resident (PR) application | S$100 (per application) | Entry permit S$20; 5-year Re-Entry Permit S$50; NRIC S$50 | Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) |
| Employment Pass (EP) application | S$105 | S$225 per pass; multiple-entry visa S$30 (if applicable) | Ministry of Manpower (MOM) |
| S Pass application | S$105 | S$100 per pass issued | Ministry of Manpower (MOM) |
| Dependant’s Pass (DP) application | S$105 (per pass) | S$225 per pass; multiple-entry visa S$30 (if applicable) | Ministry of Manpower (MOM) |
ICA states that all the PR-related fees above are non-refundable. MOM charges application and issuance fees for each pass on a per-item basis.
For confirmation of the actual fees at the point of application, refer to the relevant MOM or ICA page. Items not listed in this table are not necessarily free; they are simply not provided in this resource pack.
Salary thresholds for the Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass
An EP applicant must first meet the qualifying salary, then pass the COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) scoring framework. The current qualifying salary for an EP (excluding financial services) starts at S$5,600 and rises with age, reaching S$10,700 at age 45 and above. The current qualifying salary for financial services starts at S$6,200, reaching S$11,800 at age 45 and above.
From 1 January 2027, the qualifying salary for new EP applications (excluding financial services) will rise to start at S$6,000, reaching S$11,500 at age 45 and above. New applications in financial services from the same date will start at S$6,600, reaching S$12,700 at age 45 and above. Renewals that expire on or after 1 January 2028 will be subject to the new thresholds.
COMPASS requires a pass mark of 40 points. The four foundational criteria — C1 salary benchmark, C2 qualification, C3 diversity and C4 support for local employment — each carry a maximum of 20 points. A fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 exempts the applicant from COMPASS.
The application fee for an S Pass is S$105, and issuance is S$100 per pass. This resource pack does not list the qualifying salary for the S Pass; refer to the MOM page for details. An S Pass applicant’s passport must be valid for at least 7 months.
Investment thresholds for the Global Investor Programme (GIP)
The GIP is managed by Contact Singapore, under the Economic Development Board (EDB). This resource pack shows the document was last updated on 5 May 2025. An applicant must qualify under one of four profiles and choose one investment option.
The four profiles target different backgrounds. Established Business Owners must have at least 3 years of entrepreneurial and business track record, with the company’s most recent year’s revenue at least S$200 million and average annual revenue of at least S$200 million over the preceding three years; private shareholding must be at least 30%, and the company must operate in an industry listed in Annex B. Next Generation Business Owners must have an immediate family member holding at least 30% of the company or be the largest shareholder, with the company’s annual revenue at least S$500 million, and the applicant must be part of the management. Founders of Fast Growth Companies must be founders of a non-listed company and one of its largest individual shareholders, with the company valued at at least S$500 million and backed by reputable venture capital or private equity investment. Family Office Principals must have at least 5 years of entrepreneurial, investment or management track record, with net investable assets of at least S$200 million.
The three investment options have clearly defined amounts. Option A requires setting up a new business in Singapore or expanding an existing one, with an investment of at least S$10 million. Option B requires investing S$25 million in a GIP-approved fund. Option C requires establishing a single-family office (SFO) with assets under management of at least S$200 million, of which at least S$50 million must be moved to Singapore and invested in EDB-designated investments.
An Option C applicant must deploy at least S$50 million into designated investments within 12 months of Final Approval. Overall GIP processing takes about 12 months, and complete supporting documents must be submitted at application, together with due diligence.
Processing times and payment methods
A PR application is processed within 6 months where documents are complete and accurate; some applications may take longer. An online EP application is processed or updated within 10 working days; most overseas applications without a Singapore-registered company are processed within 6 weeks. An online S Pass application is processed within 10 working days. Most Dependant’s Pass (DP) applications are processed within 3 weeks; dependants of EP (sponsored), Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) or EntrePass holders are mostly processed within 6 weeks.
Payment methods (for ICA and MOM online applications) include: Visa or Mastercard credit/debit cards, American Express credit cards, internet direct debit (DBS/POSB, OCBC, UOB, Standard Chartered Singapore accounts) and PayNow. ICA also accepts counter NETS and Visa/Mastercard.
Singpass account approval takes 2 to 5 working days. ICA advises applicants to begin the application only after all applicants have successfully registered for Singpass (where eligible).
Are fees refundable?
ICA clearly states that all PR application-related fees are non-refundable. If an error occurs during payment, you may submit a refund request by email through the relevant e-Service, citing ICA’s payment/refund FAQ, and attach the application reference number, payment reference number and supporting evidence (such as an error screenshot).
There are three refund channels. Credit card refunds apply to original Visa/Mastercard/American Express payments and are returned to the original card. PayNow refunds go to the PayNow account linked to the NRIC/FIN. Bank transfers require the Direct Credit Authorisation (DCA) form Part 2 to be completed; approval is subject to ICA verification.
MOM pass fees are also collected separately at application and issuance per MOM’s rules; whether they are refundable is set out on the MOM page. Where an application is rejected and a Dependant’s Pass was submitted together with the main pass but the main pass was not approved, the Dependant’s Pass application fee paid is non-refundable.
Day-to-day costs are outside this resource pack’s scope
The official pages provided in this resource pack cover only pass and permanent-resident application fees, investment thresholds and salary criteria. They do not include specific figures for day-to-day living costs, rent, education or other living expenses. Estimates for these items fall outside the factual scope of this resource pack.
For estimates of living expenses in Singapore, refer to the relevant agency’s page or consult the appropriate official statistics channels. This site does not provide cost-of-living calculations and does not process applications on your behalf.
What to read next
- Complete guide to Singapore immigration — A round-up of each immigration route, its conditions and approximate costs, ideal for building a full picture first.
- Singapore investment immigration: choosing between the Global Investor Programme (GIP) and a family office — An in-depth comparison of the three GIP investment options and the single-family office.
- Types of Singapore work visas — Clarifies the differences between the Employment Pass, S Pass and Work Permit, and who each suits.
- Singapore permanent resident (PR) eligibility and application approach — Explains who can apply for PR, the documents required and processing times.
- Singapore’s ICA and MOM: official entry points and avoiding agent traps — Tells you what each agency handles and where the official portals are.
Official sources
- ICA: Becoming a permanent resident — PR eligibility, fees (S$100 application, S$20 entry permit, S$50 Re-Entry Permit, S$50 NRIC) and processing time.
- ICA: Payment/refund FAQ — Online and counter payment methods, refund channels and required documents.
- MOM: Employment Pass application — EP application fee S$105, issuance fee S$225, processing time.
- MOM: S Pass application — S Pass application fee S$105, issuance fee S$100.
- MOM: Dependant’s Pass application — DP application fee S$105, issuance fee S$225.
- MOM: Employment Pass eligibility — EP qualifying salary table, the 40-point COMPASS framework and exemption conditions.
- EDB: Global Investor Programme (GIP) — GIP eligibility, Option A/B/C investment amounts and application steps, updated 5 May 2025.
This resource pack was captured on 7 October 2026. Rules change; before applying, reconfirm the latest requirements on the agency pages above. This site is not an immigration agency, does not process applications on your behalf, does not represent anyone, provides general information only, and does not constitute immigration or legal advice.