Understanding Employment Pass eligibility in Singapore has become increasingly complex. The Singapore work pass system, particularly Employment Pass eligibility Singapore requirements, now operates under significantly stricter standards than previous years. With enhanced COMPASS scoring mechanisms and updated EP requirements in Singapore, both employers and foreign professionals face new and evolving challenges in securing approval for their applications.
The EP requirements for 2025 represent a major shift from previous years. If you’re currently navigating the Singapore work pass application process, whether as an employer or candidate, preparation is essential to getting ahead. Many applications that would have been approved previously are now facing rejection due to insufficient EP qualifying salary levels, incomplete verification, or poor COMPASS scoring.
This comprehensive guide covers all aspects of employment pass eligibility, from EP salary requirement thresholds to strategic approaches for maximising your COMPASS scoring. We’ll walk you through the updated EP requirements and provide actionable strategies for long-term success.
Who is the Employment Pass designed for?
At its core, the EP is reserved for foreign professionals who bring recognised, specific value to Singapore’s economy. Forget the generalised titles. In practice, this usually means senior specialists who can demonstrate at least three to five years of focused, deep experience and expertise in their field.
This cohort of professionals includes managers who drive teams or critical business units, executives who steer strategic functions, and, crucially, specialists who are filling specific skill shortages that cannot be readily met by the local talent pool in Singapore.
Crucially, it is important for employers and potential candidates not to rely on salary alone. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) expects employers to build a rock-solid case demonstrating why this foreign hire is essential and how that individual’s unique expertise directly boosts Singapore’s economic goals.
Roles that often qualify for the EP include software architects, senior developers, financial analysts, regional managers, and specialised researchers. The common thread? The role must genuinely demand expertise that is not readily available within the local workforce and can be sourced elsewhere.
Updated Employment Pass salary requirements
The EP salary requirement remains a core component of eligibility. Understanding the EP qualifying salary thresholds is crucial for successful Singapore work pass applications. From 2025, the minimum qualifying salaries are:
- S$5,600 for most sectors
- S$5,900 for financial services
- Higher salary requirements for older and more experienced applicants
These benchmarks are tied to the top one-third of local PMET wages and are adjusted periodically. As a result, a salary that met the requirement last year may no longer be sufficient today.
| Age Range | General Sectors | Financial Services |
| 23-27 years | S$5,600 | S$5,900 |
| 28-32 years | S$6,200 | S$6,500 |
| 33-37 years | S$7,300 | S$7,600 |
| 38-42 years | S$8,500 | S$8,800 |
| 43+ years | S$10,500+ | S$11,500+ |
A candidate must meet the salary requirement for their age. For example, a 40-year-old software engineer earning S$5,600 will be rejected even though the base threshold is met. MOM expects compensation that reflects what experienced locals earn for similar roles.
COMPASS: The new EP eligibility framework
COMPASS scoring fundamentally changed how EP eligibility is assessed when it was introduced in 2023. Understanding COMPASS scoring is now essential for EP eligibility and applications. Every application must score at least 40 points across four foundational criteria, with the possibility of earning bonus points in two additional categories.
Foundational Criteria (up to 20 points each)
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Salary
Salary is assessed against local market norms. Candidates earning below the median tend to score 5–10 points, those around the median score 10–15, and those above the 75th percentile can score 15–20. For instance, a senior software engineer earning S$12,000 may earn around 18 points if local senior engineers typically earn S$8,000–10,000. The focus is on true market competitiveness, not just meeting MOM’s minimum requirements.
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Qualifications
Qualification scoring goes beyond the degree level. Bachelor’s degrees usually score 10–15 points, Master’s degrees 15–18 points and PhDs 18–20 points. Attending a top 100 QS university or an accredited autonomous university can add further points. Verification matters: recognised and accredited institutions score well, while unaccredited or unverifiable qualifications may result in reduced points or possible rejection.
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Diversity
Diversity scores your company’s nationality mix among foreign employees. High diversity (no single nationality over 50%) scores 15-20 points, moderate diversity (single nationality 50-75%) scores 10-15 points, and low diversity (over 75% from one country) scores 0-5 points. If 80% of your foreign staff is Indian, you’ll score poorly regardless of individual merit. Smart companies now diversify hiring to boost all their COMPASS applications as well as tap into a wide range of talent and fresh perspectives.
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Support for Local Employment
MOM evaluates your track record with local hiring and development, including your local PMET ratio, training investment in locals, Singaporean promotions, and participation in skills programs. Companies with over 70% local PMETs score 15-20 points, those with 50-70% score 10-15 points, and below 50% struggle to reach 10 points.
Bonus Criteria
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Skills bonus (Shortage Occupation List)
Roles on the Shortage Occupation List can receive up to 20 bonus points. Tech positions such as software engineers, cybersecurity specialists, data scientists, AI specialists, and DevOps engineers typically gain 15–20 points. Healthcare roles, including specialist doctors, senior nurses, and medical researchers, also qualify. Many engineering roles, such as aerospace, biomedical and environmental engineering, attract 10–15 bonus points.
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Strategic Economic Priorities (SEP) Bonus
Companies involved in strategic economic initiatives can earn up to 10 additional points. This includes organisations participating in innovation programs, digital transformation efforts, green finance initiatives, or government-supported partnerships. Registration with agencies like Enterprise Singapore or IMDA is often necessary to access this bonus.
Qualification requirements under COMPASS
Since September 2023, qualification verification has been mandatory for all EP applications as part of the updated employment pass requirements in Singapore. This process includes degree authenticity checks, institution accreditation reviews, transcript validation, and verification of any professional certifications.
Understanding these EP requirements in an increasingly complex landscape is critical for EP eligibility. Qualifications are an important component of eligibility, not only for authenticity, but for scoring purposes. To be eligible:
- Qualifications must be authentic
- The awarding institution must be properly recognised
- Applicants may require additional verification if the institution is unfamiliar
Institutional reputation also influences COMPASS scores. Degrees from top-ranked universities or accredited autonomous institutions carry more weight, helping strengthen the overall application.
However, qualifications alone do not guarantee approval. They strengthen the submission but must be accompanied by a strong salary and role justification from the employer.
Role eligibility: Job scope must match skills
MOM carefully scrutinises job responsibilities to ensure they represent legitimate EP-level positions. MOM reviews the actual responsibilities of the role to assess:
- Whether it qualifies as an EP-level position
- Whether the applicant’s experience matches the job
- Whether the title and salary are realistic for the industry
The candidate’s experience must clearly align with job requirements. Previous roles should demonstrate progression to EP-level work, and skills must be directly applicable to Singapore’s market and economy.
MOM also conducts thorough checks to ensure job titles and salaries are realistic for the industry. They investigate whether the role cannot reasonably be filled by local candidates, and whether the position adds genuine value to Singapore’s economy.
Common problems that trigger rejections include inflated job titles where “Director” roles come with basic responsibilities and mismatched salaries where senior titles carry junior-level pay. Other examples include generic job descriptions that appear copy-and-pasted without specific requirements, and unrealistic combinations like fresh graduates with senior manager titles.
Supporting documents employers should prepare
Meeting current EP requirements involves comprehensive documentation that supports your EP eligibility case. A strong Singapore work pass application requires documentation that tells a coherent story about why the foreign hire is necessary and valuable.
The company documentation should include the latest ACRA business profile, a detailed organisational chart showing where the role fits, company registration documents, and any previous EP approval letters if applicable. To demonstrate eligibility, employers should prepare the following:
- Detailed job description
- Organisation chart
- Justification for hiring a foreign professional
- Copies of educational certificates
- Employment history documentation
- Salary details and contract
A strong EP application is one where the documents clearly support the narrative of why the candidate is needed.
Candidate documentation must be complete and professionally verified. This includes the passport bio-data page, educational certificates with proper verification, employment history with reference letters, professional certifications, and a detailed CV with project portfolios that demonstrate the practical application of skills.
Common reasons EP applications are rejected
After processing hundreds of EP applications at RMI, we’ve seen consistent patterns in rejections that often catch employers off guard. Many applications fail not because of obvious disqualifications, but due to subtle misalignments between requirements and submissions.
Understanding these common pitfalls can save months of delays and help you position your application for success from the start.
- Salary too low for age profile: Even if the base threshold is met, older candidates require higher salaries.
- Degree from an unaccredited institution: MOM may reject applicants whose degrees are questionable or unverifiable.
- COMPASS points insufficient: Applications scoring below 40 points are not accepted.
- Role mismatch: The job scope does not align with the candidate’s skills or seniority.
- Insufficient justification: Employers fail to demonstrate why the foreign hire is needed.
How applicants can strengthen their eligibility
The difference between approval and rejection often comes down to preparation and strategic positioning. Successful applicants understand that meeting minimum EP requirements isn’t enough. You need to demonstrate clear value to Singapore’s economy through strong EP eligibility positioning.
The key insight from our experience: MOM evaluates Singapore work pass applications holistically. Your strongest asset might be an exceptional candidate who compensates for company weaknesses, or a diverse hiring strategy that boosts all your applications.
Here are the essential steps to strengthen your eligibility:
- Ensure salary aligns with age benchmarks
- Verify educational qualifications early
- Use the MOM Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)
- Understand expected COMPASS scores before applying
- Document employment history clearly
In today’s complex business world, we know that the Singapore work pass system, and especially EP requirements, now adheres to strict standards. To help you get ahead with the hiring process and tap into global talent, talk to us about EP eligibility and application processes today.