Employment Pass vs ONE Pass vs PEP: Which Singapore Work Visa Do You Need?

Employment Pass vs ONE Pass vs PEP: Which Singapore Work Visa Do You Need?

Singapore offers a tiered range of professional work passes, and choosing the right one is more consequential than most applicants realise. Pick the wrong pass and you may overpay on minimum salary, lock yourself to a single employer when you needed flexibility, or miss out on a longer renewal term. Pick the right one and you can structure a multi-employer career, support a family on a Dependant’s Pass, and start the clock toward Permanent Residency.

This guide compares the three professional-tier passes most often considered by mid-career and senior foreign professionals in 2026: the Employment Pass (EP), the Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass), and the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP). It does not cover the S Pass (associate professionals) or Tech.Pass (which we treat separately in our Tech.Pass guide). For founder-track passes, see our note on the EntrePass.

Quick Decision Framework

Before diving into the rules, three questions will tell you which pass to apply for. First, do you have a confirmed Singapore employer willing to sponsor you? If yes, an EP is the default. Second, are your fixed monthly earnings at least S$30,000 — and has that been the case for at least one of the last twelve months? If yes, the ONE Pass becomes available, and is usually the better long-term play. Third, are you already in Singapore on an EP earning at least S$22,500 per month, or last earned at least S$22,500 monthly in Singapore in the last six months? If yes, you may be eligible to convert to a PEP.

If none of those apply, the EP is the right starting point. We discuss EP-specific mechanics in our COMPASS Framework guide and the points-scoring detail in the COMPASS Points Calculator.

The Employment Pass (EP)

The EP is Singapore’s flagship work visa for foreign professionals, managers, executives and specialists earning a qualifying salary. As at January 2026 the qualifying salary minimum is S$5,600 for most sectors and S$6,200 for the financial services sector, escalating with age. Applicants must also pass the COMPASS points-based assessment introduced in September 2023, which evaluates the candidate’s profile and the hiring firm’s diversity and local-hire profile.

EPs are tied to a specific Singapore-incorporated sponsoring employer. Switching employers requires a fresh EP application by the new sponsor. The first EP is typically issued for two years and renewed for three years thereafter. After two years on an EP, holders are generally eligible to apply for permanent residency through the regular ICA route — see our Singapore PR application 2026 guide.

EP holders who earn at least S$6,000 fixed monthly may sponsor a spouse for a Dependant’s Pass and unmarried children under 21 for Dependant’s Passes. Below that threshold, only Long-Term Visit Passes are available, with more limited working rights for the spouse.

The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass)

Launched in January 2023, the ONE Pass was MOM’s response to global competition for top-tier talent. It is the most generous Singapore work pass: a five-year duration, no employer sponsorship required, and the freedom to concurrently start, operate or work for multiple companies in Singapore.

To qualify, applicants must meet one of two limbs. The salary limb requires fixed monthly earnings of at least S$30,000 in the last twelve months from a single established employer (defined as a public-listed company or a private company with a market cap or valuation of at least US$500 million, or annual revenue of at least US$200 million). The achievement limb is open to applicants with outstanding achievements in arts, sports, science and technology, academia or research — even if their salary does not meet the threshold.

The ONE Pass is renewable for further five-year terms based on continued earnings or business activity in Singapore. From a strategic standpoint, this is the most versatile pass: founders can build a Singapore business while drawing salary from a global parent; portfolio executives can sit on multiple boards without a fresh EP per company; and family members get Dependant’s Pass eligibility on the same generous terms as a high-earning EP.

The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)

The PEP is a legacy pass that has narrowed considerably in scope since the ONE Pass arrived. It still exists, but is now generally most useful for foreign professionals who are already in Singapore on an EP and want to transition to a more flexible arrangement without meeting the ONE Pass’s S$30,000 threshold.

Eligibility (current to 2026) requires fixed monthly earnings of at least S$22,500 — either as a current EP holder or, for an overseas applicant, in the last six months in Singapore. The PEP is issued for a single, non-renewable three-year term, after which the holder must move to another pass type or leave Singapore. It is not tied to a specific employer, so the holder can switch jobs without re-applying. However, the holder must remain employed; up to six months of unemployment is permitted.

PEP holders cannot start their own business — they must remain in employment. PEPs are also not available to sole proprietors, partners, directors of their own companies, journalists, editors, sub-editors or producers.

Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

Feature	EP	ONE Pass	PEP
Minimum monthly fixed salary	S$5,600 (S$6,200 finance)	S$30,000	S$22,500
Initial duration	Up to 2 years	5 years	3 years (non-renewable)
Renewal	Up to 3 years	5-year renewals	Not renewable
Tied to employer?	Yes	No	No
Multiple concurrent jobs?	No	Yes	One employer at a time
Start own business?	Restricted	Yes	No
COMPASS points required?	Yes	No	No
Dependant’s Pass eligible?	S$6,000+	Yes	Yes
PR pathway?	Yes (after ~2 yrs)	Yes	Yes

(Salary thresholds and rules current to January 2026 per Ministry of Manpower; verify against the latest MOM Employment Pass and ONE Pass pages before applying.)

Which Should You Choose?

For most professionals starting their Singapore journey with a confirmed job offer, the EP is the right answer. It is well-understood by employers, processed quickly (typically two to eight weeks), and converts naturally to PR after roughly two years.

For executives at major multinationals, founders of well-funded growth companies, partners in private equity or venture capital firms, or senior bankers earning above S$30,000 monthly, the ONE Pass is now almost always the better choice. The five-year duration eliminates the renewal cycle, the lack of employer sponsorship means you can change jobs without paperwork, and the freedom to concurrently work for multiple Singapore companies is invaluable for portfolio careers.

For mid-senior professionals between S$22,500 and S$30,000 monthly who already have Singapore EP history, the PEP fills a niche use case — typically when transitioning between roles or evaluating Singapore employers. Once the ONE Pass threshold is in reach, a PEP holder will usually want to upgrade.

For founders specifically (where building a Singapore business is the goal), see our guide on incorporating a Singapore company while on an EP, which discusses the EP-vs-EntrePass-vs-ONE-Pass trade-off in depth.

Application Process and Documents

EP applications are lodged by the sponsoring Singapore employer through MOM’s myMOM Portal. Standard supporting documents include the candidate’s passport, education certificates (with verification by an MOM-recognised verifier such as Dataflow or DataCheck for non-Singapore qualifications), CV, proof of salary history, and the firm’s UEN. Processing takes two to eight weeks, with COMPASS scoring assessed alongside.

ONE Pass applications are lodged by the candidate directly through MOM’s portal, with proof of salary (last 12 months’ payslips, employer letter, tax filings) and, if relying on the achievement limb, supporting evidence such as awards, publications, or league records. Processing typically takes four to eight weeks.

PEP applications are similarly lodged by the candidate directly. Once issued, the PEP holder must notify MOM whenever they change employers and must remain employed throughout the pass duration.

Family Considerations

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of EP holders earning S$6,000+ monthly, ONE Pass holders, and PEP holders are eligible for Dependant’s Passes. Parents of EP holders earning S$12,000+ and ONE Pass holders earning S$30,000+ may be sponsored on Long-Term Visit Passes. Working rights for Dependant’s Pass holders changed in 2021 — they no longer have automatic right-to-work and must obtain their own work pass. This matters for two-career couples and should be planned for.

Common Mistakes

The most common mistake is applying for an EP at the minimum salary threshold without understanding COMPASS. Even if salary qualifies, COMPASS may fail the application. The second most common mistake is undervaluing the PEP’s three-year non-renewable nature — applicants treat it like a five-year pass and are caught short when renewal is unavailable. The third is misreading the ONE Pass’s “established employer” definition: a small unfunded startup, no matter how innovative, will not qualify.

How Raffles Corporate Services Can Help

Raffles Corporate Services, working with our associated MOM-licensed employment agency, prepares and lodges EP, ONE Pass and PEP applications on behalf of clients. We also coordinate the underlying corporate setup — Singapore company incorporation, registered office, corporate secretary, payroll and CPF — so the entire move-to-Singapore workflow runs from a single point of contact.

If you are weighing up which pass to apply for, contact Raffles Corporate Services for an initial conversation. We can assess your eligibility against current MOM criteria, model the cost and timeline, and prepare the application package end-to-end.

— The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services