Employment Pass (EP)
What is an Employment Pass (EP)?
An Employment Pass (EP) is a Singapore work visa for foreign professionals, managers and executives taking up a role with a Singapore-registered company. It is issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and is not subject to a quota, unlike the S Pass or Work Permit. Foreigners who intend to start and operate their own business (an ACRA registered PTE LTD Company) or foreign employees who intend to work with a company in Singapore can consider applying for the EP.
To qualify, a candidate must earn a fixed monthly salary that meets MOM's current qualifying salary benchmark (Stage 1), hold acceptable qualifications, and clear MOM's points-based COMPASS assessment at 40 points (Stage 2).
Requirements for an Employment Pass (from 1 Jan 2027)
The candidate generally should:
- Have a formal job offer from a Singapore-registered employer.
- Earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000 (non-financial services) or S$6,600 (financial services). The threshold rises with age, up to roughly S$11,500–S$12,700 for candidates aged 45 and above.
- Note: the qualifying salary must be a fixed monthly pay — variable payments such as bonuses, commissions and allowances do not count towards it.
- Work in a managerial, executive or specialised role.
- Hold appropriate academic qualifications (a recognised university degree, or professional/specialised qualifications ideally relevant to the proposed role).
- Score at least 40 points on MOM's COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework), which weighs salary, qualifications, workforce diversity, and the employer's local hiring support, alongside the salary criteria.
Employers (with access to MyMOM Portal) can use MOM's Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) to check likely eligibility before applying.
How to apply for an EP?
Usually, the employer applies on behalf of the candidate.
- Once all required documents and information are ready, apply via MOM's myMOM Portal (online)
- Processing typically takes on average of 3 weeks.
- Once approved, an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter is issued, allowing the employee to start travelling into Singapore to issue the EP and complete the EP formalities.
- The employee completes the card registration process at MOM EPSC and the EP card will be issued about 1 week later.
Documents required for Employment Pass
- Personal particulars page of the candidate’s passport.
- Candidate’s verification proof for the qualification (from MOM approved background check agencies).
- Company’s latest business profile or instant information registered with ACRA.
What if the Employment Pass application is rejected?
If your EP application is rejected, you or your employer have three months to appeal the decision by offering further clarifying information to MOM.
You can find more information here:
Why is My Employment Pass rejected, and How to Appeal?
5 Key Factors in a Successful Employment Pass Application
If you want to increase your chances of approval, Sleek is happy to help!
