Employers and employment agents can use the enhanced
Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)
to check a candidate’s eligibility before they apply.
Employers must continue to meet the
Fair Consideration Framework (FCF)
job advertising requirement before submitting new EP applications.
EP qualifying salary (Stage 1)
The following EP qualifying salary requirements apply to new applications and renewals:
Sector
Minimum qualifying salary for renewal of passes expiring from 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
Minimum qualifying salary for new applications from 1 Jan 2025, and for renewals of passes expiring from 1 Jan 2026
(except financial services)
$5,000
(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $10,500 at age 45 and above)
$5,600
(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $10,700 at age 45 and above)
Financial services
$5,500
(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $11,500 at age 45 and above)
$6,200
(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $11,800 at age 45 and above)
EP qualifying salary for renewals expiring from 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
EP qualifying salary for new applications from 1 Jan 2025 and renewals expiring from 1 Jan 2026
23 or below
$5,000
$5,600
$5,250
$5,832
$5,500
$6,064
$5,750
$6,295
$6,000
$6,527
$6,250
$6,759
$6,500
$6,991
$6,750
$7,223
$7,000
$7,455
$7,250
$7,686
$7,500
$7,918
$7,750
$8,150
$8,000
$8,382
$8,250
$8,614
$8,500
$8,845
$8,750
$9,077
$9,000
$9,309
$9,250
$9,541
$9,500
$9,773
$9,750
$10,005
$10,000
$10,236
$10,250
$10,468
45 or above
$10,500
$10,700
EP qualifying salary for renewals expiring from 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
EP qualifying salary for new applications from 1 Jan 2025 and renewals expiring from 1 Jan 2026
23 or below
$5,500
$6,200
$5,773
$6,455
$6,045
$6,709
$6,318
$6,964
$6,591
$7,218
$6,864
$7,473
$7,136
$7,727
$7,409
$7,982
$7,682
$8,236
$7,955
$8,491
$8,227
$8,745
$8,500
$9,000
$8,773
$9,255
$9,045
$9,509
$9,318
$9,764
$9,591
$10,018
$9,864
$10,273
$10,136
$10,527
$10,409
$10,782
$10,682
$11,036
$10,955
$11,291
$11,227
$11,545
45 or above
$11,500
$11,800
Fast-growing tech companies that are newly expanding to Singapore and the region may be eligible for the
Tech@SG Programme
.
COMPASS (Stage 2)
COMPASS is a transparent points-based system that gives businesses greater clarity and certainty for manpower planning. It enables employers to select high-quality foreign professionals, while improving workforce diversity and building a strong local core.
How to pass COMPASS
Your application needs to
earn 40 points
to pass COMPASS.
Criteria details
This criterion benchmarks your candidate’s salary against the
local
PMET
salaries in your sector.
It is different from the
EP qualifying salary
, which is the minimum bar that candidates need to pass to obtain an EP.
Candidates who do not meet the EP qualifying salary will not be eligible for an EP, regardless of the points they would have scored under the C1 salary benchmark.
How to earn points
Candidate's fixed monthly salary compared to
salary benchmarks by sector
Points
90
th
percentile and above
65
th
to less than 90
th
percentile
Below 65
th
percentile
This criterion awards points to candidates based on their qualifications.
If you do not need points from this criterion, you do not need to submit your candidate’s qualifications and verification proof.
How to earn points
Candidate’s qualifications
Points
Degree-equivalent qualifications
from the following institutions:
Top 100 universities based on QS World University Rankings, and other highly-reputed universities in Asia
Singapore’s Autonomous Universities
Institutions that are highly-recognised in a particular field and endorsed by a relevant agency
Other degree-equivalent qualifications
:
Foreign qualifications that are assessed to be comparable to a bachelor’s degree in the UK system. MOM determines this with reference to international recognition bodies, such as the UK National Information Centre for recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills (UK ENIC).
Professional qualifications
that are well-recognised by the industry and endorsed by a relevant sector agency.
No degree-equivalent qualifications:
These qualifications will not earn any points under COMPASS. Do not submit them.
Candidates without degree-equivalent qualifications can still
pass COMPASS
by earning a total score of at least 40 points from other criteria.
Verification proof requirements
If you need points from this criterion, you have to submit
verification proof
together with your candidate’s qualifications in your EP application.
Otherwise, you do not need to submit your candidate’s qualifications and verification proof.
This criterion awards more points to applications where the candidate’s nationality forms a small share of the firm’s PMET employees. A diverse mix of nationalities enriches firms with new ideas and networks, and contributes to a more inclusive and resilient workforce.
How to earn points
If your organisation employs:
Fewer than 25
PMETs
, your application will score 10 points by default.
At least 25 PMETs
, your points will depend on the share of your candidate’s nationality among your organisation’s PMETs.
You can use the
Workforce Insights tool
on
myMOM
Portal to check the share of nationalities among your organisation’s PMETs.
Share of candidate’s nationality
among organisation’s PMETs
Points
Less than 5%
5% to less than 25%
25% or more
The
nationality of your organisation’s employees
(including Permanent Residents) is based on the nationality indicated on their passport in the Singapore Government’s records.
Related questions:
How are PMETs counted under the Diversity (C3) and Support for Local Employment (C4) criteria for COMPASS?
How is my candidate's nationality or citizenship share among an organisation’s PMETs calculated under COMPASS?
How often will my organisation’s COMPASS workforce profile be updated?
View all COMPASS-related questions
This criterion recognises organisations that create opportunities for the local workforce and build complementary teams comprising both local and foreign professionals.
How to earn points
If your organisation employs:
Fewer than 25
PMETs
, your application will score 10 points by default.
At least 25 PMETs
, your points will depend on your organisation’s local PMET share relative to its sector.
You can use the
Workforce Insights tool
on
myMOM
Portal to check your organisation’s
sector classification
and local PMET share relative to its sector.
If your organisation’s local PMET share is at least 70% (pegged to the 20th percentile of organisations economy-wide), your application will score
at least 10 points.
This is regardless of where your organisation stands within its sector. In this way, we do not disadvantage organisations in sectors which have a relatively high share of local PMET employees.
Related questions:
How are PMETs counted under the Diversity (C3) and Support for Local Employment (C4) criteria for COMPASS?
How is my candidate's nationality or citizenship share among an organisation’s PMETs calculated under COMPASS?
How does COMPASS calculate my organisation’s local PMET share relative to my organisation’s sector?
How often will my organisation’s COMPASS workforce profile be updated?
View all COMPASS-related questions
This bonus recognises jobs that require highly specialised skills, which are in shortage in the local workforce. The SOL is determined by a robust evaluation process that takes into account industry needs and local workforce development efforts.
How to earn points
Skills bonus
Points
Job on the
Shortage Occupation List (SOL)
Share of candidate’s nationality
among your organisation’s PMETs is
less than 1/3
Job on the SOL
Share of candidate’s nationality among your organisation’s PMETs is
1/3 or more
You can use the
Workforce Insights tool
on
myMOM
Portal to check the share of your candidate's nationality among your organisation's PMETs.
To obtain the C5. Skills bonus:
Your candidate needs to perform the job duties listed for the specific shortage occupation.
You need to select one of the eligible job titles in your EP application.
Your candidate needs to meet checks on additional job requirements if they fall into either of these categories:
They need the SOL bonus points to pass COMPASS.
They are applying for a
5-year duration EP
for a specific tech occupation on the SOL.
Refer to the
SOL Employer Guide
to understand the additional requirements for EP candidates who require the SOL bonus points to pass COMPASS.
We will check the candidate’s job duties, past work experience and qualifications or industry accreditation for the declared occupation.
Redeployment to another occupation
Candidates who needed SOL bonus points to pass COMPASS or obtain a longer duration EP can only be employed in the specific shortage occupation. This will be clearly stated in the in-principle approval (IPA) letter’s “Important” note.
If they need to be redeployed to a different job, we will need to reassess if the candidate qualifies for an EP in the new job. You should
notify MOM
first, and we will then advise you on the next steps.
Candidates who did not need SOL bonus points to pass COMPASS are not subjected to this restriction, but will still need to
notify MOM
.
This bonus recognises organisations that are either:
Undertaking ambitious investment, innovation and internationalisation activities in partnership with economic agencies
Endorsed by National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) as strong partners on company and workforce transformation activities
Singapore seeks to anchor and grow firms that can contribute to the innovative capacity of our economy, enhance our global linkages, and strengthen our economic competitiveness. Such firms should also have the scale or potential to provide good jobs for locals.
How to earn points
Strategic Economic Priorities (SEP) bonus
Points
Participate or meet the criteria for at least one of the
eligible programmes
The award of the SEP bonus will be at the discretion of the supporting agencies running the relevant programme. MOM will notify your organisation if it has been awarded the SEP bonus and the points will be reflected in the
Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)
. You may approach the relevant supporting agency if you have any queries.
Validity of SEP bonus points
The bonus points will apply for up to 3 years, or for the duration of your organisation's participation in an eligible programme, whichever is shorter.
Renewal eligibility for SEP bonus points
At the end of the validity period, your supporting agency will reassess whether to continue supporting your organisation for the SEP bonus for a further duration. This renewal will be subject to your organisation’s continued participation in an
eligible programme
and meeting
both of the following criteria:
Earn at least 10 points for
C3. Diversity
for each of the 3 months before renewal
Earn at least 10 points for
C4. Support for local employment
for each of the 3 months before renewal
These criteria ensure that organisations eligible for the SEP bonus points make efforts to diversify and improve their workforce profile.
Exemptions from COMPASS
Candidates are exempted from COMPASS if they meet
any
of these conditions:
Have a
fixed monthly salary
of at least $22,500 (similar to the prevailing
Fair Consideration Framework (FCF)
job advertising exemption from 1 September 2023)
Are applying as an
overseas intra-corporate transferee
Are filling the role for 1 month or less
The
COMPASS guidebook
provides:
An overview on the EP eligibility framework
Tips on navigating the EP framework and submitting an application
You can use the
Workforce Insights tool
on
myMOM
Portal to:
Check your organisation's workforce profile and industry benchmarks for salary and non-monetary benefits based on MOM survey data
Find out your organisation’s scores in the following COMPASS criteria:
C3. Diversity
C4. Support for local employment
Get benchmarking insights for workforce planning and hiring decisions
Get resources for better human capital practices
The
Workforce Insights tool infographic
explains how to access and use the tool in more detail.
Employers and employment agents can use the enhanced
Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)
to check a candidate's eligibility before applying.
Learn more about
how to use the SAT
.
COMPASS case studies
Here are some examples of how EP applications may be scored on COMPASS:
Scenario:
The organisation is a marketing consultancy in the professional services sector.
Firm-related attributes:
The organisation has a local PMET share at the 40
th
percentile of their sector. The candidate’s nationality currently forms 15% of the organisation’s PMET employees.
Candidate attributes:
The candidate is a business manager and holds a bachelor’s degree from a foreign university (not in the top-tier list). The candidate's salary is at the 70
th
percentile compared to local PMET salaries in this sector.
Outcome:
The application meets expectations on all four foundational criteria and scores 40 points. Most applications will fall into this category.
The table explains the points scored for each criterion.
Criteria
Explanation
Points
Salary
Candidate’s fixed monthly salary is within
the 65
th
to less than 90
th
percentile
compared to local PMET salaries for sector by age
Qualifications
Candidate holds a
degree-equivalent qualification
(not top-tier)
Diversity
Share of candidate’s nationality among organisation’s PMETs is within
5% to less than 25%
Support for local employment
Organisation’s local PMET share relative to its sector is within the
20
th
to less than 50
th
percentile
Total
40 (Pass)
Scenario:
The organisation is a small medical technology start-up in the biomedical sciences sector.
Firm-related attributes:
The organisation has a small PMET employment of 15.
Candidate attributes:
The candidate is an Operations Manager and holds a bachelor’s degree from a foreign university (not in the top-tier list). The candidate’s salary is at the 70
th
percentile compared to local PMET salaries in this sector.
Outcome:
The application meets expectations on all four foundational criteria and scores 40 points. Most applications will fall into this category.
The table explains the points scored for each criterion.
Criteria
Explanation
Points
Salary
Candidate’s fixed monthly salary is within
the 65
th
to less than 90
th
percentile
compared to local PMET salaries for sector by age
Qualifications
Candidate holds a
degree-equivalent qualification
(not top-tier)
Diversity
Organisation has
fewer than 25 PMET employees
(Default)
Support for local employment
Organisation has
fewer than 25 PMET employees
(Default)
Total
40 (Pass)
Scenario:
The organisation is a commercial bank in the financial services sector.
Firm-related attributes:
The organisation has a local PMET share at the 40
th
percentile of its sector. The candidate comes from a less represented nationality in the organisation, which currently forms 3% of the organisation’s PMET employees.
Candidate attributes:
The candidate is a management associate and holds a bachelor’s degree from a foreign university (not in top-tier list). The candidate's salary is at the 60
th
percentile compared to local PMET salaries in the sector.
Outcome:
The candidate does not meet expectations on the
salary criterion
, but his nationality improves the
diversity
of the organisation. His application still scores 40 points and passes.
The table explains the points scored for each criterion.
Criteria
Explanation
Points
Salary
Candidate’s fixed monthly salary is
less than the 65
th
percentile
compared to local PMET salaries for sector by age
Qualifications
Candidate holds a
degree-equivalent qualification
(not top-tier)
Diversity
Share of candidate’s nationality among organisation’s PMETs
is less than 5%
Support for local employment
Organisation’s local PMET share relative to its sector is within the
20
th
to less than 50
th
percentile
Total
40 (Pass)
Scenario:
The organisation is a software firm in the Infocomm technology sector.
Firm-related attributes:
The organisation has a local PMET share at the 10
th
percentile of its sector. The candidate’s nationality currently forms 35% of the organisation’s PMET employees.
Candidate attributes:
The candidate’s job is on the
shortage occupation list
and the candidate holds a master’s degree from a foreign university (not in the top-tier list). The candidate’s salary is at the 95
th
percentile compared to local PMET salaries in the sector.
Outcome:
The application does not meet expectations on firm-level criteria, but the candidate is of a higher calibre and fills a shortage occupation. His application doesn't earn enough points on foundational criteria but with the SOL bonus points, the application scores 40 points.
The table explains the points scored for each criterion.
Criteria
Explanation
Points
Salary
Candidate’s fixed monthly salary is
at or above the 90
th
percentile
compared to local PMET salaries for sector by age
Qualifications
Candidate holds a
degree-equivalent qualification
(not top-tier)
Diversity
Share of candidate’s nationality among organisation’s PMETs is
25% or more
Support for local employment
Organisation’s local PMET share relative to its sector is within the
below the 20
th
percentile
Skills bonus
Candidate’s job is on the
Shortage Occupation List
(awarded 10 points instead of 20 as the share of candidate’s nationality among organisation’s PMETs is 1/3 or more)
Total
40 (Pass)
Related questions
How does COMPASS calculate my organisation’s local PMET share relative to my organisation’s sector?
How does COMPASS calculate my candidate’s nationality/citizenship share among my organisation’s PMETs?
How are PMETs counted under the Diversity (C3) and Support for Local Employment (C4) criteria for COMPASS?
How do I check and update my organisation's sector classification?
How do I upgrade my S Pass holder to an Employment Pass?
What if I want to change jobs while I am on an EP?
Must the job in the EP or S Pass application match the job advertised on the MyCareersFuture?
Can an Employment Pass holder be a shareholder of a Singapore-registered company?
