🌐Global• 10 min read • Updated Aug 2026
Employment Pass (EP) & COMPASS Criteria Guide 2026
Complete guide to Singapore Employment Pass qualifying salaries, COMPASS 40-point rubric, exemption thresholds, and Dependant Pass rules for 2026.
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Quick Facts Snapshot — Global to Singapore
Minimum Qualifying Salary
$5,600/mo (General) / $6,200/mo (Financial Services)
COMPASS Passing Mark
40 points across C1–C6 criteria
Exemption Threshold
$22,500/mo fixed salary or Intra-Corporate Transferee
Dependant Pass Salary Floor
$6,000/mo (Spouse & Children) / $12,000/mo (Parents LTVP)
CPF Contribution
0% for EP holders (Exempt)
Singapore's points-based Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) sets transparent, objective benchmarks for Employment Pass (EP) candidates across salary, qualifications, workplace diversity, and local hiring support.
1. Minimum Qualifying Salary Thresholds (2026 MOM Rules)
To qualify for an Employment Pass, candidates must meet progressive salary benchmarks that increase with age and sector. For general sectors, the baseline minimum salary starts at $5,600/month for young candidates and scales progressively up to $10,700/month for experienced applicants aged 45 and older. For the Financial Services sector, the minimum qualifying salary starts higher at $6,200/month, scaling up to $11,800/month for seasoned senior candidates.
Key Action Steps & Considerations:
- General Sectors: Minimum $5,600/mo at entry level, rising progressively with age up to $10,700/mo (age 45+).
- Financial Services: Minimum $6,200/mo at entry level, rising progressively with age up to $11,800/mo (age 45+).
- Candidates must also pass the COMPASS points rubric unless specifically exempt.
2. The COMPASS 40-Point Framework Breakdown
COMPASS assesses candidates across 4 foundational criteria and 2 bonus criteria. Applications must score a combined total of at least 40 points to pass:
Key Action Steps & Considerations:
- C1 Salary (Individual): Up to 20 pts based on fixed monthly salary compared against local PMET salary percentiles for the specific sector and age group.
- C2 Qualifications (Individual): 20 pts for degrees from top-tier global universities (Top 100 QS/THE or national flagships); 10 pts for other accredited degrees.
- C3 Diversity (Firm-level): Up to 20 pts if your nationality represents a lower percentage of the hiring company's PMET workforce.
- C4 Support for Local Employment (Firm-level): Up to 20 pts if the hiring employer maintains a healthy proportion of local Singaporean/PR PMET employees.
- C5 Skills Shortage Bonus: Up to 20 bonus pts if your occupation is listed on the official MOM Shortage Occupation List (SOL), including AI engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and maritime tech experts.
- C6 Strategic Economic Priorities: Up to 10 bonus pts if the hiring firm participates in approved government innovation and investment programmes (EDB/Enterprise Singapore).
3. COMPASS Exemption Thresholds
Candidates are fully exempt from the COMPASS point-scoring system if they earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500/month, or if they are entering Singapore as an Intra-Corporate Transferee (ICT) under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services or an applicable Free Trade Agreement.
4. Family Visas: Dependant Pass (DP) & LTVP
Employment Pass holders can sponsor eligible family members to join them in Singapore subject to specific monthly salary minimums:
Key Action Steps & Considerations:
- Dependant Pass (DP): Requires minimum fixed monthly salary of $6,000/mo. Covers legally married spouse and unmarried children under age 21.
- Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) for Parents: Requires minimum fixed monthly salary of $12,000/mo.
- LTVP for Common-law spouse or step-children: Requires minimum fixed monthly salary of $6,000/mo.
- DP holders who wish to work in Singapore can obtain a Letter of Consent (LOC) if they are business owners/sole proprietors, or secure their own separate work pass (EP, S-Pass, or Work Permit).
5. Application Process & Background Verification
EP applications are submitted online by the hiring employer or an authorized employment agency via the MOM myMOM portal. All academic qualifications must be verified via approved third-party background screening agencies (such as Dataflow, Veremark, or Sterling RISQ) before application submission. Standard processing time typically takes 10 to 20 business days.
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Recommended Financial Tool: Take-Home Pay Estimator
Calculate your net landing salary after progressive IRAS tax and 0% CPF foreigner exemptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Practical questions for Global citizens relocating to Singapore
No. Standard Employment Passes must be sponsored and submitted by an employer registered in Singapore. If you are an exceptional senior global executive, you may consider the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass or Tech.Pass, which allow individual self-sponsorship without a prior local job.
At a Glance
Country:🌐 Global
Reading Time:10 min read
Policy Status:Verified for 2026