An Employment Pass (EP) application is not assessed on qualifications alone. The candidate must first meet the EP qualifying salary. Then, unless exempted, the application must pass the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) with at least 40 points. Qualifications are one criterion inside COMPASS. If you need points from that criterion, you submit verification proof with the qualification documents. If you do not need those points, MOM’s eligibility page says you do not need to submit the candidate’s qualifications and verification proof for that criterion.
Stage 1 salary is checked before qualifications
The EP eligibility framework has two stages. Stage 1 is the EP qualifying salary. Stage 2 is COMPASS, unless the candidate is exempted.
For all sectors except financial services, the current minimum qualifying salary is $5,600. It increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $10,700 at age 45 and above.
For financial services, the current minimum qualifying salary is $6,200. It increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $11,800 at age 45 and above.
For new applications from 1 January 2027, and for renewal of passes expiring from 1 January 2028:
- All sectors except financial services: minimum $6,000, up to $11,500 at age 45 and above.
- Financial services: minimum $6,600, up to $12,700 at age 45 and above.
A candidate who does not meet Stage 1 is not eligible for an EP, regardless of the points they would have scored under COMPASS. Salary is the first barrier.
Where qualifications fit in COMPASS
COMPASS is a points-based system. An application needs 40 points to pass. Qualifications are not the only route to those points.
The criteria include:
- C1 Salary: 20 points at the 90th percentile and above, 10 points from the 65th to less than the 90th percentile, and 0 points below the 65th percentile.
- C2 Qualifications: 20 points for a top-tier degree-equivalent qualification, 10 points for another degree-equivalent qualification, and 0 points for no degree-equivalent qualification.
- C3 Diversity: points depend on the share of the candidate’s nationality among the organisation’s professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
- C4 Support for local employment: points depend on the organisation’s local PMET share relative to its sector.
- C5 Skills bonus: for jobs on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).
- C6 Strategic Economic Priorities (SEP) bonus: 10 points for at least one eligible programme.
For C3 and C4, if an organisation employs fewer than 25 PMETs, the application scores 10 points by default. For C4, if the organisation’s local PMET share is at least 70%, the application scores at least 10 points.
The C1 salary benchmark is different from the EP qualifying salary. C1 compares the candidate’s fixed monthly salary against local PMET salaries in the sector. Stage 1 is the minimum bar for an EP at all.
What counts as a top-tier or other degree-equivalent qualification
C2 separates qualifications into three outcomes.
A top-tier degree-equivalent qualification earns 20 points. This includes degree-equivalent qualifications from:
- Top 100 universities based on QS World University Rankings, and other highly-reputed universities in Asia.
- Singapore’s Autonomous Universities.
- Institutions that are highly-recognised in a particular field and endorsed by a relevant agency.
Other degree-equivalent qualifications earn 10 points. This includes:
- Foreign qualifications assessed to be comparable to a bachelor’s degree in the UK system. MOM determines this 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 that are well-recognised by the industry and endorsed by a relevant sector agency.
- Foreign qualifications awarded by local private education institutions may also be considered.
No degree-equivalent qualification earns 0 points under C2. MOM says not to submit such qualifications. The lists are updated once a year.
When verification proof is required
If you need points from C2, you have to submit verification proof together with the candidate’s qualifications in the EP application. If you do not need points from C2, you do not need to submit the candidate’s qualifications and verification proof for that criterion.
MOM’s Documents required page sets out the current verification proof requirements. The eligibility page links to it under the C2 criterion.
This is the key practical point: verification proof is tied to claiming C2 points. It is not a separate universal step for every EP candidate.
You can pass COMPASS without a degree-equivalent qualification
C2 can score 0, but COMPASS can still be passed. A candidate without degree-equivalent qualifications can pass COMPASS by earning at least 40 points from other criteria. Salary, diversity, support for local employment, and bonus criteria can all contribute.
That does not mean qualifications are irrelevant. It means the scoring system allows other criteria to carry the application.
Exemptions from COMPASS
Candidates are exempted from COMPASS if they meet any of these conditions:
- Fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500.
- Applying as an overseas intra-corporate transferee.
- Filling the role for 1 month or less.
Exemption removes Stage 2. It does not remove Stage 1, the EP qualifying salary.
S Pass qualifications are optional
The S Pass is for foreign employees with a job offer in Singapore. The current minimum qualifying salary is $3,300 for all sectors except financial services, increasing with age up to $4,800 at age 45 and above. For financial services, the current minimum is $3,800, increasing up to $5,650 at age 45 and above.
For new applications submitted from 1 January 2027, and renewal of passes expiring from 1 January 2028:
- All sectors except financial services: minimum $3,600, up to $5,100 at age 45 and above.
- Financial services: minimum $4,000, up to $5,650 at age 45 and above.
Declaring qualifications is optional for S Pass. If the employer declares a candidate’s qualification, the employer is responsible for ensuring it is authentic and was awarded by an accredited institution in the application form’s drop-down list.
S Pass employers are also subject to a quota and levy. Since 1 September 2025, the S Pass levy rate has been harmonised to $650 across all sectors and levy tiers. The daily levy rate is $21.37 for S Pass holders who did not work for a full calendar month.
The S Pass quota caps S Pass holders at 10% of the company’s total workforce in the services sector and 15% in the construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard and process sectors.
PR does not use COMPASS
An EP or S Pass holder can apply for permanent residence (PR). The PR assessment is not a COMPASS points exercise.
ICA considers factors such as family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency. ICA does not publish a COMPASS-style points table or weights for PR.
At submission, the fee is S$100 for each application. At completion of formalities, the fees are S$20 for an Entry Permit, S$50 for a 5-year Re-Entry Permit, and S$50 for a Singapore Identity Card. All fees are non-refundable.
Applications will be processed within 6 months, provided all required documents are submitted and in order. Some applications may take longer. ICA states it has no affiliation with any external migration agency or commercial entity.
Practical preparation sequence
These steps are organisational advice, not official rules.
- Check the current EP qualifying salary for the candidate’s sector and age.
- Decide whether the application needs C2 qualification points.
- If C2 points are needed, prepare verification proof with the qualification documents.
- If C2 points are not needed, confirm that the other COMPASS criteria can reach 40 points.
- Use MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) before applying.
- Check the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertising requirement before a new EP application.
- For S Pass, treat qualification declaration as optional, but ensure any declared qualification is authentic.
- For PR, prepare certified true copies and official translations where documents are not in English.
