Singapore's Work Visa System : What You Need to Know About the Employment Pass and COMPASS
What Is the Employment Pass?
The Employment Pass is Singapore's flagship work visa for foreign professionals, managers, and executives (PMEs). It's issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and requires a Singapore-registered company to sponsor the application. Unlike the S Pass or Work Permit, the EP comes with more flexibility — holders can bring dependents into the country and face fewer restrictions when switching jobs.
To qualify in 2026, an applicant generally needs to meet two separate bars:
1. A minimum qualifying salary, and
2. A minimum score of 40 points under COMPASS.
Both must be satisfied — a high salary alone won't guarantee approval, and neither will a strong COMPASS score if the salary threshold isn't met.
Current Salary Thresholds
As it stands in 2026, the minimum qualifying monthly salary for new EP applicants is:
• S$5,600 for most sectors
• S$6,200 for financial services
• Salary requirements rise progressively with age, reaching up to S$10,700 (general) or S$11,800 (financial services) for candidates aged 45 and above
Looking ahead, Singapore has already flagged further increases. From January 2027 (and for renewals from 2028), the general sector minimum will rise to S$6,000, and financial services to S$6,600, with age-adjusted ceilings climbing to S$11,500 and S$12,700 respectively. If you're planning a move or a hire over the next year or two, it's worth budgeting for these higher benchmarks now.
Breaking Down COMPASS
COMPASS assesses every EP applicant across six criteria — four foundational, two bonus:
Foundational criteria:
• C1 – Salary: How the offered salary compares to local market benchmarks for the role and sector
• C2 – Qualifications: The applicant's degree or professional credentials, weighted by the standing of the awarding institution
• C3 – Diversity: Whether the applicant's nationality would add or reduce diversity within the company's existing foreign workforce
• C4 – Support for Local Employment: How the sponsoring firm's track record on hiring and developing local talent stacks up against its industry peers
Bonus criteria:
• C5 – Shortage Occupation List (SOL): Extra points if the role falls under an officially recognised skills shortage
• C6 – Strategic Economic Priorities: Extra points if the hire supports a nationally prioritised initiative, such as being part of an approved company under an economic development partnership
An applicant needs a combined score of at least 40 points to pass. It's a genuinely holistic system — a candidate weak on one criterion (say, a mid-tier salary) can offset it by scoring well on others, like qualifications or a shortage-listed role.
What Changed for 2026
MOM reviews COMPASS annually, and this year's updates focus on two criteria:
Qualifications (C2): MOM refreshed its list of top-tier institutions whose graduates automatically earn 20 points, and expanded the list of professional qualifications recognised as degree-equivalent (earning 10 points) to cover more sectors.
Shortage Occupation List (C5): Two new healthcare roles — including clinical psychologists and diagnostic radiographers — were added to the SOL, while several tech-related roles (cyber risk specialist, cybersecurity operations specialist, and digital product manager) were removed as those skill gaps have eased. Applicants in SOL roles can earn up to 20 bonus points, and selected infocomm technology roles meeting both SOL and salary criteria may even qualify for a five-year EP instead of the usual two.
These changes apply to both new and renewal applications from 1 January 2026, so even existing EP holders due for renewal need to reassess where they stand.
Why This Matters for Employers
For companies hiring from abroad, COMPASS has shifted the calculus. Salary alone no longer carries an application — credential verification, workforce diversity, and a company's own record on local hiring all factor into whether a candidate clears the bar. MOM's Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) lets employers pre-check likely outcomes before formally submitting, which is worth using given how the criteria interact.
Practically, this means:
• Reviewing compensation structures against updated salary benchmarks
• Double-checking whether a candidate's institution or qualification is still on the recognised list
• Considering whether a role might now qualify — or no longer qualify — under the SOL
• Factoring in a company's foreign-to-local hiring ratio when assessing approval odds
The Bigger Picture
Singapore's approach reflects a broader trend across immigration systems globally: points-based, criteria-driven frameworks that reward skills and qualifications while giving governments more precise levers to manage the local labour market. The trade-off is complexity — a system that used to hinge mainly on salary now demands attention to institution rankings, occupation lists, and company-level diversity metrics.
For professionals considering Singapore, the takeaway is straightforward: check the current SOL and qualification lists before you assume you'll qualify, because they change annually. For employers, building COMPASS literacy into your hiring and renewal process isn't optional anymore — it's the cost of doing business with foreign talent in Singapore.
If operating a business here while working is more your goal, the ONE Pass or EntrePass may be worth exploring instead of the standard EP — both sit outside the COMPASS framework and serve founders and high-earning professionals differently.
