Employment Pass (Singapore)
is Singapore’s work pass for foreign professionals: a qualifying salary (from SGD 5,600 for 2026 applications, higher with age and for financial services) plus a pass through COMPASS — the points framework scoring salary, qualifications, diversity and local-hiring profile.
Getting EPs approved under COMPASS
COMPASS scores four core criteria — salary against local benchmarks, degree qualifications, firm nationality diversity, and support for local employment — with bonus points for shortage occupations and strategic programmes. Forty points pass; strong salary and accredited degrees carry most cases.
Employers plan around it: benchmark the offer, verify degrees through recognised checks, and mind firm-level scores that individual hires cannot fix. Official framework: mom.gov.sg.
FAQ
What salary does an Employment Pass need?
The floor for new applications is SGD 5,600 (from 2026 intakes; financial services higher), rising with age so that mid-career applicants need materially more — and COMPASS separately scores salary against sector benchmarks, so floor-level offers may still lose points. Benchmark by role and age, not the headline minimum.
Is there a quota for Employment Passes?
No numerical quota — EPs are gated by salary and COMPASS instead. Quotas and levies apply to the S Pass and work-permit tiers below EP. Firm-level COMPASS criteria function as a soft cap for companies with weak localisation profiles.