Employment Pass (EP)

The qualifying salary depends on your age and sector. For younger applicants before the 1 January 2027 increase, the floor is SGD 5,600 per month in most sectors and SGD 6,200 in financial services. New applications from 1 January 2027 move to SGD 6,000 and SGD 6,600 respectively. Older and more experienced candidates must meet progressively higher salary thresholds.

COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) is a points-based scoring system introduced in September 2023 for most new EP applications. It scores you on four criteria: salary relative to local benchmarks, qualifications, employer diversity, and support for local employment — plus bonus points for skills in shortage occupations or strategic economic priorities. You need 40 points to pass. Some EP holders are exempt (e.g. those earning SGD 22,500+/month, or intra-corporate transferees).

The EP itself is temporary, but EP holders can apply for Permanent Residence (PR) through ICA. There is no automatic conversion — PR applications are assessed on salary, qualifications, time in Singapore, sector, and other factors. Most successful PR applicants have held an EP for at least 6–12 months, though ICA does not publish minimum thresholds.

If you earn SGD 6,000 or more per month, your spouse and children can apply for a Dependant's Pass. If you earn SGD 12,000 or more, your parents can apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass. These thresholds are set by MOM and may change — verify the current figures.

Yes. Your new employer must submit a fresh EP application before you start work. You cannot work for the new employer until the new EP is approved. Your old EP is cancelled when the new one is issued. There is no need to leave Singapore between jobs if you hold a valid pass.

Yes. The Employment Pass requires a job offer from a Singapore-registered employer, and the employer (or an appointed employment agent) — not you — submits the application via MOM's EP Online portal. You cannot self-apply for an EP without a sponsoring employer. Confirm the current process on MOM.

For an online EP application, MOM says the application is processed, or you receive an update, within 10 business days. Overseas companies without a Singapore-registered office can take up to 6 weeks. The government fees are SGD 105 for application and SGD 225 for issuance, plus SGD 30 for a Multiple Journey Visa if required.

On first issuance the EP is valid for up to 2 years, and it is renewable for up to 3 years at a time. Verify current validity periods on MOM, as these can change.