Singapore immigration
Singapore work passes, applied for by your employer and decided by MOM.
Your pass determines what you may do, who may join you, and which routes remain open later. We advise professionals and their families on choosing correctly at the outset.
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Singapore work passes are issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The Employment Pass is for professionals, managers and executives who meet the qualifying salary and the COMPASS points framework, and is applied for by the employer. The S Pass is for skilled workers meeting salary and qualification criteria within the employer's quota. The Dependant's Pass allows the spouse and children of eligible Employment Pass and S Pass holders to join them, and the Long-Term Visit Pass covers family members outside Dependant's Pass criteria at MOM's discretion. Salary thresholds and the COMPASS framework are revised periodically by MOM, so advice needs to be current rather than remembered.
Singapore's work pass system is criteria-driven. Salary thresholds, qualifications and, for the Employment Pass, the COMPASS points framework decide what is realistic for your profile. The thresholds are revised over time, so advice needs to be current rather than remembered.
We advise on the pass itself and on what it means for the family members coming with you. A pass that suits you but leaves your spouse unable to work is rarely a complete plan.
Who can apply
The passes, and who they are for.
Which pass applies depends on your role, salary and qualifications, and your family's passes depend on yours.
Employment Pass (EP)
For professionals, managers and executives meeting the qualifying salary and the COMPASS points framework. Applied for by the employer.
S Pass
For skilled workers meeting the S Pass salary and qualification criteria, within the employer's quota.
Dependant's Pass (DP)
For the spouse and children of Employment Pass and S Pass holders who meet the sponsoring salary threshold.
Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP)
For family members outside Dependant's Pass criteria, including common-law spouses and some parents and children, at MOM's discretion.
Benefits and obligations
What it offers, and what it requires.
Most consultancies publish only the benefits. We publish the obligations as well, because they materially affect the decision and we believe you should understand them before you apply rather than afterwards.
How we help
Pass strategy
We establish which pass realistically suits your profile and salary before an application is made, rather than finding out through a refusal.
COMPASS assessment
We assess how your profile scores against the framework and which factors are genuinely within your control.
Family planning
We explain who may join you, on which pass, and what each pass permits them to do in Singapore.
Document preparation
We arrange verification of qualifications, translations and the supporting evidence MOM expects.
Longer-term planning
We explain how the pass you hold now will affect a Permanent Residence application in future.
Points to consider realistically
Thresholds change
MOM revises the qualifying salaries and the COMPASS framework from time to time, so we would not recommend relying on advice that is more than a year old.
The employer applies, not you
For an Employment Pass or S Pass, the sponsoring employer submits the application. Your role is to help make that submission as complete as possible.
A Dependant's Pass is not a work permit
A Dependant's Pass holder who wishes to work needs a work pass of their own, applied for by an employer. The Letter of Consent route closed to Dependant's Pass holders on 1 May 2021, apart from a narrow exception for some business owners.
How it works
From the first conversation to the outcome.
Profile and salary review
We assess what is realistic for your role, sector and qualifications.
Pass selection
We identify the right pass for you and the right passes for your family.
Documentation
We arrange verification of qualifications, translations and the supporting evidence MOM expects.
Application support
We work alongside your employer, who submits the application.
Ongoing support
We advise on renewals, changes of employer, and how these affect a later PR application.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions about Work Passes
What is the Employment Pass qualifying salary?
MOM sets a minimum qualifying salary for the Employment Pass, which is higher for older and more experienced candidates and higher again in the financial services sector. MOM revises these thresholds periodically, so we confirm the current figure against MOM's published criteria at the consultation rather than quoting a number that may have moved.
What is COMPASS?
COMPASS is the points-based framework MOM uses to assess Employment Pass applications. It scores an application across foundational criteria including salary relative to peers and qualifications, and firm-level criteria including the diversity and local employment profile of the sponsoring company. Candidates must meet the qualifying salary and score sufficiently under COMPASS.
Can my spouse work on a Dependant's Pass?
Not on the pass itself. Since 1 May 2021 a Dependant's Pass holder who wishes to work must hold a work pass of their own, applied for by an employer in the ordinary way. The Letter of Consent was withdrawn for Dependant's Pass holders on that date, apart from a narrow exception for some business owners; it remains available to Long-Term Visit Pass holders sponsored by a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident spouse, which is a different pass and a different situation. This is among the most common and most disruptive surprises in a family relocation, and we would encourage planning for it before arrival rather than afterwards.
Does holding an Employment Pass help a PR application?
Employment Pass and S Pass holders are the largest group of Permanent Residence applicants, and length of residence and employment stability are among the factors ICA weighs. Holding a pass does not entitle you to PR, and ICA assesses each application as a whole.
What happens if my Employment Pass application is rejected?
Your employer may appeal to MOM, generally where there is new or clarifying information to provide. We would review what was submitted and advise on whether an appeal has a genuine basis, or whether a different pass or a revised offer would be the more realistic route.
Can I apply for an Employment Pass myself?
No. The Employment Pass and the S Pass are applied for by the employer through MOM, not by the person who will hold the pass. That surprises people who have moved from countries where the individual applies. What you are able to do is make the employer's application as strong as it can be, which is where our work on an individual case usually sits.
What is the difference between an Employment Pass and an S Pass?
Broadly, the roles they are meant for and the constraints attached. The Employment Pass is for professionals, managers and executives and is assessed against the qualifying salary and the COMPASS framework. The S Pass is for skilled workers, is assessed against its own salary and qualification criteria, and sits within a quota on the employer's headcount. Which pass a role falls under is not always obvious, and choosing the wrong one can cost several weeks.
My employer is handling the application. How would you help?
We usually help in three ways. We check that the role, the salary and the documentation are presented in the form MOM is expecting, so an avoidable query does not cost a month. We tell you candidly how the pass you are being offered affects a future Permanent Residence application, which is a question your employer has no reason to think about. And where the family is coming too, we plan their passes alongside yours rather than after the fact.
Related services
Is this the right time for you to apply?
Request a complimentary assessment, and a consultant will respond within two business days with a considered view of your position.
Criteria and fees are set by the Singapore authorities and are revised from time to time. Please confirm the current requirements with the relevant authority.
Immigration Express is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or any Singapore government agency. All application outcomes are decided solely by the relevant authorities.