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Pathway

Singapore Professional Work Visa

Singapore Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

A Singapore employer can apply for an Employment Pass for a qualifying professional role. Your salary must meet the age and industry threshold, and most applications also need 40 COMPASS points and fair-hiring compliance.

Job offer required?
Yes; the employer or appointed agent applies
Required salary
Age-based; starts at SGD 5,600 monthly (SGD 6,200 in finance) through 2026. New-application floors rise to SGD 6,000 / SGD 6,600 in January 2027.
Points assessment
Normally at least 40 COMPASS points; defined exemptions apply

Summary

Singapore’s Employment Pass (EP) lets foreign professionals, managers, executives, and specialists work in an approved job. The employer or its appointed agent applies for you.

Most applications must pass two checks: the salary requirement for your age and industry, and a points assessment called COMPASS. The employer must also follow fair-hiring and job-advertising rules where required.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

A qualifying job and fixed monthly salary

You need a genuine role with a Singapore employer. The required salary rises with age; the starting figure is for people aged 23 or younger, not everyone.

New application date Outside financial services Financial services
Before January 1, 2027 SGD 5,600 at age 23 or younger, rising to SGD 10,700 at age 45 or older SGD 6,200, rising to SGD 11,800
From January 1, 2027 SGD 6,000, rising to SGD 11,500 SGD 6,600, rising to SGD 12,700

The later figures also apply to renewals for passes expiring from January 1, 2028, under the Ministry of Manpower’s transition rules. Use MOM’s exact age, sector, and date table for your application.

The COMPASS points assessment

Unless exempt, the application needs at least 40 points under the Complementarity Assessment Framework, or COMPASS. It looks at your salary compared with local professionals in the employer’s sector, qualifications, the employer’s workforce nationality mix, and its support for local professional employment. Bonus points may be available for listed shortage occupations or qualifying strategic economic programs.

A degree is not always required. It can earn points, but you can qualify without degree-equivalent credentials if the other criteria reach 40 points. Any qualification claimed for points needs the required verification.

Defined exemptions include certain very high fixed salaries, qualifying overseas transfers within a company, and very short assignments. A senior title or experience alone does not establish an exemption.

The employer’s hiring process

Before most new applications, the employer must advertise on MyCareersFuture and fairly consider candidates. Specific exemptions may cover certain high-salary or short-term jobs, small employers, and qualifying company transfers. The employer should document the exact exemption or completed advertisement.

Preparing a Singapore Employment Pass application
  1. Confirm the job and exact salary requirement Check your age, industry, and application or renewal date.
  2. Complete points and hiring checks The employer assesses COMPASS, verifies evidence, and follows advertising rules.
  3. Apply and complete pass issuance Work only when authorized and within the approved employer and role.

The published starting salary is only a floor; age, industry, points, and employer requirements all matter.

Policy watch 1 development we’re tracking
Employment Pass salary floors rise on 1 January 2027
Announced — not currently law

Employment Pass salary floors rise on 1 January 2027

Current official stage: MOM announced the change and published future eligibility tables

For new applications, the starting monthly floor rises from SGD 5,600 to SGD 6,000 outside financial services and from SGD 6,200 to SGD 6,600 in financial services, with higher age-adjusted amounts. The new table applies to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028.

Timing: The new salary tables apply to new applications from 1 January 2027. They apply to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028. Until the relevant date, the current table continues to apply.

Last checked
References
Read the full briefing

What This Route Allows

The pass lets you live in Singapore and work for the approved employer in the approved role. Initial passes can last up to two years, and renewals up to three years. Certain experienced technology professionals in shortage roles may qualify for a five-year EP under separate conditions.

A new employer must make a new application before you change jobs. The old employer must cancel its pass when employment ends, and you must keep lawful status during the transition.

Family applications are separate. The current fixed monthly salary threshold is SGD 6,000 for a spouse and qualifying children’s family passes, and SGD 12,000 for parents’ Long-Term Visit Passes. Family status does not automatically permit work.

An EP holder can separately apply to ICA for permanent residence. ICA assesses that application independently; citizenship is another separate process after the relevant permanent-residence and citizenship conditions are met.

What This Route Is Not

The EP is not an open work permit or a job-search visa. Meeting the starting salary, having a degree, or being experienced does not guarantee approval or remove points and hiring requirements.

The S Pass has a different salary framework and employer quota and levy rules. The ONE Pass offers greater flexibility to a much narrower group. Choose the pass that fits the real job and evidence.

Next Steps

  1. Get a written offer showing the employer, role, fixed salary, location, and start date. Check the exact salary requirement for your age, sector, and filing date.
  2. Have the employer use MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool, calculate COMPASS or document an exemption, and verify any qualifications claimed for points.
  3. Complete the required advertising and fair-consideration process, then have the employer or agent apply with accurate, consistent records.
  4. Follow approval, entry, medical, fingerprint/photo, and issuance instructions. Start work only when authorized, and use a new application before changing employers.

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Sources