Employment Pass (EP) Singapore: The Complete 2026 Guide for Employers and Foreign Professionals

Short answer: The Employment Pass (EP) is Singapore’s main work pass for foreign professionals, managers and executives. A candidate needs a job offer from a Singapore employer, a fixed monthly salary of at least S$5,600 (S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age to S$10,700 (S$11,800) at 45 and above, and at least 40 points under COMPASS. The employer advertises the job on MyCareersFuture for 14 days, then applies online. The application fee is S$105 and MOM aims to process online applications within 10 business days. From 1 January 2027 the minimum salary rises to S$6,000 (S$6,600 in financial services).

Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.

This guide is the overview: what the EP is, who qualifies, what it costs, how the application runs from job advert to pass card, and what changes in 2027. It is written for employers hiring foreign professionals, and for foreign founders who set up a Singapore company and want the company to employ them. Where a topic needs more depth, we link to the detailed guide.

Last reviewed on 29 October 2026 against Ministry of Manpower (MOM) guidance.

What is the Employment Pass?

The Employment Pass is issued by MOM to foreign professionals, managers, executives and specialists who have a job with a Singapore employer. The pass is tied to that employer: the holder may work only for the company named on the pass, in the job it was approved for.

Some features set the EP apart from the S Pass and Work Permit:

• No quota and no levy. There is no cap on how many EP holders a company may employ and no monthly foreign worker levy.
• Two-stage assessment. The candidate must meet the qualifying salary and pass COMPASS, unless exempt.
• Family passes. EP holders earning at least S$6,000 a month can apply for passes for their family.
• Medical insurance is the employer’s choice. Unlike the S Pass and Work Permit, MOM does not require it for EP holders.

Who qualifies: the two-stage test

MOM assesses every new EP application in two stages. The candidate must pass both.

Stage 1: the qualifying salary

The candidate’s fixed monthly salary must meet the minimum for their age. The minimum starts at age 23 or below and rises each year of age to a cap at 45 and above. Financial services has a higher scale. Selected points from MOM’s table:

The “now” figures apply to new applications submitted before 1 January 2027 and to renewals of passes expiring before 1 January 2028. The 2027 figures apply to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028. The full year-by-year table is on MOM’s EP eligibility page. For budgeting the increase, see our guide to EP and S Pass salary increases from January 2027.

The qualifying salary is a floor, not a target. A salary that just meets it will usually earn no points under COMPASS criterion C1, which compares the salary with what local professionals of the same age earn in the same sector.

Stage 2: COMPASS

COMPASS, the Complementarity Assessment Framework, scores the application on four foundational criteria and two bonus criteria. The application needs 40 points.

Firms with fewer than 25 professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) employees automatically receive 10 points each for C3 and C4. That matters for small companies, as the founder example below shows.

A candidate is exempt from COMPASS if any of these applies: a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500, an application as an overseas intra-corporate transferee, or a role lasting one month or less. The qualifying salary still applies.

For a full explanation of each criterion, read our guide to the COMPASS framework. To score a particular candidate, use the worked examples in our COMPASS points calculator guide, or MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool.

Before you apply: advertising the job

Under the Fair Consideration Framework, the employer must advertise the job on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days before submitting a new EP application, and should consider local candidates fairly before making an offer.

MOM exempts some cases from advertising, including firms with fewer than 10 employees, jobs paying a fixed monthly salary of S$22,500 or more, roles lasting one month or less, and certain transfers of existing employees between related companies. Check the current conditions on MOM’s fair consideration page before relying on an exemption. Advertising late, or making an offer during the 14 days, is a common reason for delay.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check eligibility. Use MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool to check the qualifying salary and a likely COMPASS score.
2. Advertise the job on MyCareersFuture for 14 days, unless exempt.
3. Collect the candidate’s consent and documents. The candidate signs a written consent and completes the candidate’s form. If the application relies on C2 points, include the qualification certificate and proof of verification.
4. Submit online through EP eService. The employer, or an employment agent it appoints, applies. The candidate does not need to be in Singapore. The application fee is S$105.
5. Wait for the outcome. MOM aims to process online applications, or give an update, within 10 business days. Overseas companies without a Singapore entity apply through a local sponsor using the EP (Sponsorship) form, which takes up to 6 weeks for most cases.
6. Receive the In-Principle Approval (IPA). The IPA letter works as a single-entry visa. The candidate has 6 months to enter Singapore and have the pass issued. It also says whether a medical examination is needed. See our guide to the IPA letter.
7. Request the pass. Once the candidate is in Singapore, the employer requests issuance in EP eService and pays S$225 per pass, plus S$30 for each Multiple Journey Visa if needed.
8. Register and collect the card. If MOM requires it, the candidate registers fingerprints and a photo at the Employment Pass Services Centre within 2 weeks of the pass being issued. The card is delivered within 5 working days of registration, and a digital pass is available in the SGWorkPass app.

What an EP costs

The real cost is the salary, which must meet both the qualifying salary and, usually, the C1 benchmark. For a small company’s full first-year budget, including agency fees, see our guide to Employment Pass costs for a small company in 2027.

Foreign founders: incorporating, then applying for your own EP

A common route for a foreign founder relocating to Singapore is to incorporate a Singapore private limited company first, then have that company apply for an EP for the founder as its employee. Three separate questions are involved, and approval of one does not decide the others:

• Owning the company. A foreigner can own 100% of a Singapore company. Incorporation does not give any right to live or work in Singapore.
• Running the company locally. The company needs at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. Until the founder holds an EP, that is often a nominee director.
• Working in Singapore. The founder needs a work pass, assessed by MOM on the same salary and COMPASS criteria as any other candidate.

A worked example shows how COMPASS treats a new company. Suppose a newly incorporated company with no other staff applies for its founder, aged 35, who holds a degree from a university that is not on the top-tier list, at a salary between the 65th and 90th percentile for the sector:

The salary must still meet the qualifying salary for a 35-year-old (S$8,382 now, S$9,000 from 2027), and MOM looks at whether the company has a genuine business that can pay it. A score of exactly 40 also leaves no margin if one assumption is wrong, for example if the salary falls below the 65th percentile benchmark. This illustration is not a prediction of any outcome: MOM decides every application and approval is never guaranteed.

For the incorporation steps, see our company incorporation guide. For founders who already hold an EP with another employer, read incorporating a Singapore company while on an Employment Pass first. Founders building an innovative venture may also compare the EntrePass.

How long the pass lasts, and renewal

A first EP is issued for up to 2 years. A renewed EP lasts up to 3 years, counted from the expiry of the current pass. Experienced tech professionals in shortage occupations who meet a higher salary bar may be eligible for a 5-year EP; the conditions are on MOM’s page for experienced tech professionals.

The employer can apply to renew up to 6 months before the pass expires, and must apply before it expires. At renewal the candidate must still earn the qualifying salary for their age at that time and pass COMPASS, unless earning at least S$22,500 a month. Renewal is not automatic. Because the qualifying salary rises with age, and the 2027 scale applies to passes expiring from 1 January 2028, a salary that was enough at the first application may not be enough at renewal. Our EP renewal guide covers the documents and common renewal problems.

Bringing your family

EP holders with a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000 can apply for family passes. The threshold is based on the EP holder’s own salary, not household income.

Families of EP holders who applied as overseas intra-corporate transferees under certain trade agreements are generally not eligible for these passes. Since May 2021, a Dependant’s Pass holder who wants to work generally needs their own work pass; our Letter of Consent guide explains the limited cases where a letter of consent applies. More detail is in our Dependant’s Pass guide.

Changing jobs, leaving, and cancelling the pass

An EP cannot be transferred. If the holder moves to a new employer, the new employer must make a fresh application, and the old pass is cancelled. Our guide to switching jobs as an EP holder covers the timing.

When employment ends, the employer must:

• seek tax clearance (Form IR21) from IRAS at least one month before the employee’s last day;
• cancel the EP within one week after the last day of notice, or within one week of the employee leaving Singapore for good; and
• if the former employee needs time to wrap up their affairs, request a Short-Term Visit Pass, which can allow a stay of up to 90 days.

Once the EP is cancelled, the holder cannot work.

EP compared with other passes

For the full comparison with the S Pass and Work Permit, read key differences for employers; for higher earners, see EP vs ONE Pass vs PEP. Details of the S Pass are in our S Pass guide.

Why EP applications are rejected

• COMPASS score below 40, often because the salary is below the C1 benchmark for the candidate’s age and sector.
• Salary below the qualifying salary for the candidate’s age, or a salary made up of allowances rather than fixed pay.
• Qualifications that cannot be verified when the application relies on C2 points.
• A job that does not look like a professional role, or a job description that does not match the salary or the business.
• Job advertising not done properly, such as an advert shorter than 14 days.
• Doubts about the employer, for example a newly incorporated company with no clear business activity or ability to pay the salary.

A rejected application can be appealed if you can address the reasons for rejection. See our guide to appealing an EP rejection.

From EP to permanent residence

EP holders can apply to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for Singapore permanent residence. ICA does not publish a points system or a minimum period, and many applications are refused, so an EP should be planned as a work pass in its own right rather than a route with a guaranteed end. Our PR application guide explains what ICA looks at.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for an Employment Pass myself?

No. The employer, or an employment agent it appoints, applies on the candidate’s behalf. A founder can have their own Singapore company apply for them, as described above.

Is there a minimum qualification for an EP?

There is no fixed minimum. Qualifications earn points under COMPASS criterion C2, and a candidate without a degree can still pass if other criteria score enough.

How long does an EP application take?

MOM aims to process online applications, or give an update, within 10 business days. Applications needing more checks can take longer. Allow at least 14 days before that for job advertising.

Does the 2027 salary increase affect a pass I already hold?

Not until renewal. The higher scale applies to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028.

Can an EP holder set up or work for another company?

The EP covers work for the named employer only. Before taking on a role in another business, check the rules in our guide to incorporating while on an EP.

MOM’s criteria change regularly. Check the current requirements on the MOM website before applying. Nothing in this guide guarantees that an Employment Pass or permanent residence will be approved.

Tech companies hiring foreign specialists may also benefit from Tech@SG Employment Pass support for tech companies.