Singapore · Employment
Employment Pass (COMPASS framework)
Open. Qualifying salaries confirmed by MOM: current bands apply to 31 December 2027, with an announced increase effective 1 January 2027 for new applications.
For a UHNW principal, the practical route into Singapore is often an EP issued by their own Singapore holding or family-office entity — cheaper and faster than GIP, and it starts the PR clock. But COMPASS made the self-sponsored EP substantially harder: a one-person company scores badly on diversity and local employment support.
Qualifying routes
Minimum fixed monthly salary from age 23 or below, rising with age to SGD 10,700 at age 45+. Rises to SGD 6,000 / SGD 11,500 from 1 January 2027
Minimum SGD 6,200 rising to SGD 11,800 at age 45+. Rises to SGD 6,600 / SGD 12,700 from 1 January 2027
The facts
- Qualifying figure
- 5.6k SGD
- Total landed cost
- SGD 105 application fee plus SGD 225 issuance fee, borne by the employer
- Timeline
- 1–2 months — Typically within 3 weeks for straightforward cases
- Physical presence
- Employment-based; you are expected to work in Singapore
- Family
- spouse and children under 21 via Dependant's Pass if salary is at least SGD 6,000parents via Long Term Visit Pass if salary is at least SGD 12,000
- Permanent residency
- no fixed rule; PR applications are commonly made after around 2 years of EP employment and are discretionary
- Citizenship
- via PR only; discretionary
- Language test
- none
- Dual citizenship
- Not permitted — you would have to renounce
- Requirements
- Job offer from a Singapore-registered employerMeet the age-adjusted qualifying salary for the sectorScore at least 40 COMPASS points (some exemptions apply, including for salaries at or above the COMPASS exemption threshold)Acceptable qualifications from a recognised institution
- COMPASS requires at least 40 points across salary, qualifications, firm-level nationality diversity and local employment support. Small foreign-owned entities with no local staff routinely fail on the two firm-level criteria regardless of how high the principal's salary is.
- Meeting the qualifying salary is necessary but not sufficient — COMPASS is a second, independent gate.
- Salary thresholds have ratcheted upward repeatedly and are already legislated to rise again on 1 January 2027. Model the 2027 numbers, not today's.
- Renewals from 1 January 2027 are assessed against the new thresholds on a lagged basis — check MOM's transition table before assuming an existing pass is safe.