Eligibility & suitability
Who can qualify
- Foreign professionals, managers and executives with a genuine Singapore job satisfying the age-adjusted salary test.
- Applicants scoring at least 40 COMPASS points unless exempt under the current rules.
Restrictions & unsuitable cases
- Candidates below the qualifying salary even if their hypothetical COMPASS points are high.
- Company owners assuming incorporation alone supplies an employment entitlement.
- Applicants relying on unverified qualifications for points or a role different from the work actually performed.
Application process & timeline
Separate employer preparation, MOM assessment and post-approval issuance. A published update target is not a guarantee of approval.
01Assess candidate and companyBefore recruitment commitments and application.
Use the age and sector salary schedule and assess COMPASS, including employer-level criteria. Budget for the announced January 2027 salary changes and the subsequent renewal application dates. Evaluate whether the proposed responsibilities justify the salary and business location.
Documents & evidence
- Role description
- Salary forecast
- SAT result
- Using only the youngest age-band minimum
02Complete fair-consideration recruitmentWhere required, the applicable advertising period precedes filing.
Meet the Fair Consideration Framework advertising rules or document a valid exemption. The employer must genuinely consider applicants; an advertisement is not merely an administrative attachment to a predetermined visa decision.
Documents & evidence
- Job advertisement
- Recruitment records
- Exemption evidence if relevant
- Assuming a founder-owned company is automatically exempt
03Verify and submitDocument preparation varies; normal online update target is ten business days.
The authorised employer or employment agent submits the application with consent and supporting records. Supply verified qualifications when needed for points and accurate employer information. Pay the application fee and monitor requests through the relevant channel.
Documents & evidence
- Passport
- Employment information
- Qualification verification
- Counting the update target as final approval
- Confusing normal and sponsorship application channels
04Use the in-principle approvalNormally within six months of IPA, subject to its instructions.
Arrange entry after approval, confirm medical requirements and prepare the Singapore address and declarations. The IPA is not the physical pass and does not remove the requirement to complete issuance.
Documents & evidence
- IPA
- Medical evidence if requested
- Residential address
- Entering too early and relying on extensions of a visit pass
05Issue and register the passIssuance and registration follow MOM instructions.
With the candidate present, request issuance and pay the issuance fee. Use the notification letter for the permissions it explicitly provides. Complete photo/fingerprint registration if requested and arrange authorised receipt of the card.
Documents & evidence
- Issuance declaration
- Contact details
- Registration appointment
- Starting work before permission is effective
06Maintain employment and prepare renewalThroughout employment; review well before expiry.
Update material changes, ensure salary and duties remain genuine and assess the rules applying at renewal. Plan personal tax filings and the employer’s tax-clearance obligations if the employee leaves Singapore or ceases employment.
Documents & evidence
- Payroll
- Role-change records
- Tax records
- Treating the first approval as permanent eligibility
Document checklist
Track your preparation in this browser. Final requirements depend on the route and filing authority.
Who qualifies
An Employment Pass is for eligible foreign professionals, managers and executives in a genuine role. MOM applies a qualifying salary and, unless exempt, the COMPASS framework. The salary floor rises with age and differs for financial services. Before 1 January 2027 new applications start at S$5,600 in other sectors and S$6,200 in financial services; these are minimums for the youngest age band, not universal qualifying salaries.
The scheduled 2027 change
MOM states that new applications from 1 January 2027 have base minimums of S$6,000 and S$6,600 respectively, with age-related increases. The new scale applies to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028. A business hiring now should budget for the future renewal test rather than use the entry threshold as a permanent salary assumption.
Process and documents
The employer should use MOM’s assessment tools, meet applicable fair-consideration advertising requirements and prepare the candidate’s identity, employment and qualification information. Verification may be needed for qualifications relied upon. Submit the application through the authorised employer or agent process, respond to additional requests, and complete issuance and registration steps after approval. Family passes follow separate applications.
Exclusions and costs
Owning a company is not an exemption from the normal employment and employer tests. A paper salary unsupported by a genuine role or business is not a sound application strategy. Budget government application and issuance fees, qualification verification, payroll, insurance and the real cost of the employee’s role separately from incorporation services.
Renewal and tax
Track expiry and material changes to employment, salary, address and role. Confirm renewal requirements before assuming continued permission. Income from duties performed in Singapore needs tax analysis, and the employer may have tax-clearance obligations on departure. The founder’s work location can also affect the residence of foreign companies they manage.
The salary test and COMPASS are different hurdles
First meet the age-adjusted qualifying salary for the sector. A young applicant’s published minimum is not the salary required for a more experienced founder. Then, unless a specified exemption applies, score at least 40 points under COMPASS. Its assessment includes candidate salary and qualifications as well as employer-level workforce diversity and support for local employment. A degree can help the score but is not an absolute requirement if sufficient points arise elsewhere.
An owner applying through their own Singapore company should assess the company side honestly. The role needs credible responsibilities and an employer capable of paying the declared salary. Funds temporarily transferred to produce one attractive bank statement do not establish a sustainable operating business. Use MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool before spending on verification and filing.
Plan around a decision, then issuance
For a normal online application, MOM’s published processing standard is a decision or update within ten business days; cases needing more evidence take longer. Overseas-company sponsorship follows a different channel and timetable. The application fee is S$105 and issuance is S$225, with a separate multiple-journey visa charge where applicable. These government charges exclude recruitment, qualification checks and professional assistance.
An in-principle approval is an intermediate document. It normally allows six months to enter Singapore and have the pass issued, and identifies whether a medical examination is required. The candidate must be in Singapore for issuance. Card registration and delivery follow their own instructions. Employment should start only when the issued permission allows it, not when the application is merely submitted.
How Offshore Capitalist can help
Share your current residence, nationality, business activities and intended changes through the inquiry form or WhatsApp. We can assess the cross-border issues, explain the work required and coordinate the agreed implementation. For this jurisdiction, local regulated work and government decisions remain with the relevant qualified providers and authorities. We confirm scope and fees before starting.
Sources & research notes7 references
Sources supporting this guide. Research draft awaiting editorial review.