The EP minimum salary is the first eligibility test HR teams need to consider when hiring foreign professionals in Singapore. In 2026, the minimum starts at S$5,600 a month for most sectors and S$6,200 for financial services, with higher thresholds applying as candidates get older. From 1 January 2027, those starting figures will rise to S$6,000 and S$6,600 respectively for new applications. Meeting the salary threshold is only the first stage. Most candidates must also pass COMPASS.
For recruitment teams, this makes Employment Pass eligibility a workforce planning issue rather than something to check after an offer has been agreed.
The headline EP salary can be misleading
A hiring manager may see the S$5,600 figure and assume that a candidate earning S$6,000 qualifies for an Employment Pass.
That assumption can cause problems.
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) increases the qualifying salary progressively with age from 23 to 45. For new applications submitted before 1 January 2027, a 30-year-old candidate outside financial services must earn at least S$7,223 a month. At age 40, the requirement is S$9,541. Candidates aged 45 and above need at least S$10,700.
Financial services has a higher scale. The corresponding requirements are S$7,982 at age 30, S$10,527 at age 40 and S$11,800 from age 45.
This matters during recruitment because the EP minimum salary should be checked against the individual candidate’s age and sector before compensation is finalised.
An international candidate may appear affordable within the approved salary band for a role, yet fall below the EP requirement. Discovering that after the candidate has accepted an offer leaves HR with limited choices: increase the salary, reconsider the hire or assess whether another appropriate work pass is available.
RMI’s guide to Employment Pass eligibility explains the wider eligibility assessment employers should make before submitting an application.
Salary requirements are rising again in 2027
Recruitment teams planning future headcount also need to account for the next increase.
For new EP applications from 1 January 2027, the qualifying salary will start at S$6,000 for sectors outside financial services and S$6,600 for financial services. These amounts will continue to increase with age.
For example, under the new scale, a 30-year-old candidate outside financial services will need at least S$7,750 a month. At 40, the figure will be S$10,250. Candidates aged 45 and above will need S$11,500.
The higher thresholds will apply to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028.
That distinction matters when HR is forecasting hiring costs. A role recruited in late 2026 may be affected by a different threshold depending on when the application is submitted.
Organisations recruiting internationally should therefore avoid treating work pass eligibility as a fixed salary line in an annual hiring policy. The applicable figure depends on the candidate, sector and application date.
Meeting the EP minimum salary does not guarantee approval
Salary is Stage 1 of the Employment Pass assessment.
Unless an exemption applies, the candidate must then pass the Complementarity Assessment Framework, or COMPASS. An application needs 40 points to pass. COMPASS assesses candidate factors such as salary and qualifications alongside company-level factors including nationality diversity and support for local employment.
The salary assessment within COMPASS is also separate from the basic qualifying salary.
Under the C1 salary criterion, MOM compares the candidate’s fixed monthly salary with local professional, manager, executive and technician salaries for the relevant sector and age. Candidates must reach the 65th percentile benchmark to earn C1 salary points, while those at or above the 90th percentile receive more points. These benchmarks are updated annually.
A candidate can therefore clear the EP minimum salary and still receive no points under COMPASS C1.
That distinction is useful when discussing compensation with hiring managers. Asking whether somebody earns enough to apply for an EP is different from asking how their salary affects the strength of the COMPASS assessment.
RMI’s guide to the COMPASS framework covers the other criteria employers should consider alongside salary.
Check eligibility before making the offer
International recruitment works better when Employment Pass checks happen early.
Before an offer is approved, HR should establish the candidate’s age, employing entity, sector classification and proposed fixed monthly salary. The team can then check the prevailing qualifying salary and run the application through MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool. MOM specifically recommends the tool for employers and employment agents assessing EP eligibility.
Qualifications also deserve attention at this stage. Where educational qualifications are being declared to obtain COMPASS points, employers may need to provide acceptable verification evidence. Candidate names and qualification details should be consistent across the supporting documents used for the application.
RMI’s Employment Pass verification guide sets out the checks employers can make before submitting qualification evidence.
Doing this work before issuing the final offer reduces the risk of finding an eligibility problem after notice periods, relocation plans and start dates have already been agreed.
Do not forget existing EP holders
The same discipline should apply to renewals.
A salary that qualified when an employee first received an EP may fall below the requirement applying at their next renewal. The employee may also be older, the salary benchmark may have increased, or the company’s COMPASS position may have changed.
HR teams should therefore reassess current Employment Pass holders rather than relying on their original approval.
RMI’s guidance on Employment Pass renewals under COMPASS covers the areas employers should review before the renewal window approaches.
Build EP eligibility into recruitment planning
The EP minimum salary should be treated as an early hiring constraint, particularly for regional recruitment teams working with fixed salary bands.
Before a foreign candidate progresses to final offer, check the salary threshold that applies to their age and sector, assess the proposed compensation against COMPASS and confirm what supporting evidence will be required.
With higher qualifying salaries taking effect for new applications on 1 January 2027, those checks also need to reflect when the business expects to submit the application.
That gives HR a clearer view of whether a proposed international hire is workable before commercial commitments are made.