A foreign executive who is to work in Singapore usually needs an Employment Pass, which MOM tests in two stages: a minimum salary, then a points framework called COMPASS. The rules below are as MOM published them in November 2026, and MOM updates them from time to time, so its own pages are the ones to rely on.
Who needs an Employment Pass
The Employment Pass is the pass MOM provides for foreign professionals, managers, executives and technicians who are to work in Singapore, and for a senior foreign hire it is the usual route.
The employer, or an appointed employment agent, applies online. An overseas company with no Singapore-registered office needs a local sponsor to submit the application. Some very senior or high-earning individuals may qualify for another pass, such as the ONE Pass described below.
What is the Employment Pass qualifying salary?
For most sectors, MOM's current qualifying salary is $5,600 a month, rising progressively with age from age 23 to $10,700 at age 45 and above. For financial services it is $6,200, rising to $11,800 at age 45 and above. MOM says the figure is benchmarked to the top one-third of local PMET salaries by age.
Higher minimums apply to new applications from 1 January 2027, and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028. The general figure becomes $6,000, rising to $11,500 at age 45 and above, and the financial services figure becomes $6,600, rising to $12,700. Because an application filed in 2027 faces the new figures, the date of filing matters.
These are government thresholds, not market pay for any role, so an offer is best tested against the figure for the candidate's age and sector rather than the headline number. MOM publishes the full age-by-age table on its eligibility page.
How the COMPASS points framework works
COMPASS is the second stage of the Employment Pass test, and an application must earn 40 points to pass it. It has four foundational criteria, each worth up to 20 points, and two bonus criteria.
C1 Salary: 20 points if the candidate's salary is at the 90th percentile or above for the sector and age, 10 points from the 65th to under the 90th percentile, and none below that.
C2 Qualifications: 20 points for a degree-equivalent from a top-tier institution, 10 points for another degree-equivalent qualification, and none without one.
C3 Diversity: this looks at the share of the firm's professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who share the candidate's nationality. Under 5% earns 20 points, 5% to under 25% earns 10, and 25% or more earns none. A firm with fewer than 25 PMETs gets 10 points by default.
C4 Support for local employment: this looks at the local share of the firm's PMETs against its sector. At or above the 50th percentile earns 20 points, the 20th to under the 50th earns 10, and below the 20th earns none. A firm with fewer than 25 PMETs gets 10 points by default.
C5 Skills bonus: if the job is on the Shortage Occupation List, the candidate earns 20 points where their nationality is under one-third of the firm's PMETs, and 10 points where it is one-third or more.
C6 Strategic Economic Priorities bonus: 10 points for taking part in, or meeting the criteria of, an eligible programme. It is at the discretion of the supporting agencies and is valid for up to three years.
MOM will apply updated lists of institutions and professional qualifications under C2 to new and renewal applications from 1 January 2027.
Which senior hires are exempt from COMPASS?
A candidate is exempt from COMPASS if any one of three conditions is met: a fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500, an application as an overseas intra-corporate transferee, or a role of one month or less.
For most external senior hires, the $22,500 test is the relevant one. An exempt candidate must still meet the Stage 1 qualifying salary. MOM's page does not list a change to the $22,500 figure, though it is worth confirming before an offer is made.
Advertising the job on MyCareersFuture
Employers must advertise the job on MyCareersFuture before applying for an Employment Pass, unless an exemption applies. This comes from the Fair Consideration Framework, and the advertisement must be open for at least 14 consecutive days.
No advertisement is required if any of the following applies: the fixed monthly salary is $22,500 or above; the role is short-term, meaning not more than one month; the role is to be filled by a local transferee; the candidate applies as an overseas intra-corporate transferee; or the company has fewer than 10 employees. A transfer of an existing employee to a related branch, subsidiary or affiliate in Singapore is also exempt.
MOM updated this page on 5 January 2026. Its pages describe the advertising step slightly differently, as coming before the pass application and before a job offer, so running the advertisement before the offer is made meets both.
How long does an Employment Pass take to process?
MOM states that an online application is processed or given an update within 10 business days. For an overseas company without a Singapore-registered company, MOM states within 6 weeks for most cases.
MOM also warns that processing can take longer when more documents are needed. These are MOM's stated targets rather than guarantees, and notice periods and relocation add time of their own.
The ONE Pass
The ONE Pass, or Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass, is a personalised pass that MOM describes as for top talent in all sectors, and it has two routes.
The salary route needs a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000, or its equivalent in foreign currency, for the 12 consecutive months before applying. The salary must come from one employer, which must be an established company. The achievement route is for people with outstanding achievements in areas MOM lists, such as sports, arts and culture, and academia and research. The pass is renewable for five years each time.
The ONE Pass suits few hires, and MOM's eligibility page is the place to look before relying on it.
What is worth settling before an offer is made?
Employers usually settle six things before the offer letter goes out. The first is the planned fixed salary against the qualifying salary for the candidate's age and sector, using the 2027 figures if the application will be filed from 1 January 2027.
The second is MOM's Self-Assessment Tool, which MOM's eligibility page lists. The third is the company's own COMPASS inputs: the number of PMETs, its local share and the nationality mix of its PMETs. The fourth is the candidate's degree and institution details for C2.
The fifth is advertising on MyCareersFuture early unless the company is exempt, and keeping the record of the advertisement. The sixth, for an overseas company without a Singapore office, is lining up a local sponsor.
Many employers make the offer conditional on pass approval and set the start date after the processing time and the candidate's notice period. Where a case is not clear, an immigration adviser or MOM can confirm the position.
Questions clients and candidates ask
Is the qualifying salary the same for every candidate?
No. It rises with age from 23, financial services has its own higher figure, and the figures rise again for new applications from 1 January 2027.
Can a candidate with no degree still pass COMPASS?
It is possible. With no degree-equivalent qualification the candidate scores zero on C2, but the application can still reach 40 points from the other criteria, provided the candidate also meets the qualifying salary.
Does the $22,500 level matter for both COMPASS and job advertising?
Yes. A fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500 is an exemption from COMPASS and from the MyCareersFuture requirement, though the candidate must still meet the qualifying salary.
Who submits the Employment Pass application?
The employer or an appointed employment agent applies online. An overseas company without a Singapore-registered office needs a local sponsor to submit it.
Sources
To discuss a search, write to teamsg@maxima.com.sg.
We assess every candidate on experience and ability alone. We follow Singapore’s Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and the Fair Consideration Framework, and we already work to the standard of the Workplace Fairness Act 2025. We never charge candidates a fee. How we hire fairly