Employment Pass and the COMPASS framework
The Employment Pass (EP), regulated by Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM), is the main work pass for
higher-skilled professionals and requires meeting a minimum qualifying monthly salary that is age-graded
(higher minimums apply as an applicant's age increases) and varies by sector, with the financial services
sector generally set higher than other sectors. Beyond the salary threshold, EP applications are assessed under
the COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) points system, introduced in September 2023, which scores
applicants across salary competitiveness, educational qualifications, the employer's nationality diversity, and
the employer's support for local employment, with bonus points available for applicants on the Shortage
Occupation List or in strategic economic priority sectors. Because MOM revises the specific qualifying salary
figures and COMPASS scoring periodically, the current thresholds should always be checked directly on
mom.gov.sg before an application.
S Pass and Work Permit categories
The S Pass, also MOM-regulated, is for mid-skilled workers and has its own age-graded minimum qualifying
salary, generally lower than the EP threshold. Employers can use MOM's Self-Assessment Tool to gauge an S Pass
application's likely success before applying. The Work Permit category covers lower-skilled and semi-skilled
foreign workers across specific sectors and is subject to source-country quotas and levies -- less commonly
the route for professional Indian NRIs, but relevant for households sponsoring domestic helpers from India.
Permanent Residency and bringing family
Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) administers Permanent Residency (PR) applications,
with the Professionals/Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) Scheme the main route for EP and S Pass
holders, alongside the Global Investor Programme for high-net-worth investors and family-based routes for
spouses/children of citizens or PRs. PR applications are discretionary, assessed on factors like economic
contribution, family ties, and length of residence, rather than a published points system. A work pass holder
meeting the relevant minimum salary can sponsor a spouse and unmarried children under 21 on a Dependant's Pass,
with a Long-Term Visit Pass available for other family categories such as common-law spouses or handicapped
children.
What is the COMPASS framework and why does it matter for an Employment Pass application?
COMPASS is a points-based assessment MOM introduced in September 2023 that Employment Pass applicants must
pass in addition to meeting the minimum qualifying salary -- it scores factors like salary competitiveness,
qualifications, and the employer's workforce diversity and local-employment support, with a minimum points
threshold required for approval.
Can I bring my spouse and children to Singapore on an Employment Pass?
Yes, generally -- once your salary meets the relevant minimum threshold, you can sponsor your legally married
spouse and unmarried children under 21 on a Dependant's Pass, with a Long-Term Visit Pass available for other
family members who don't qualify for a Dependant's Pass.
How does an Employment Pass holder become a Singapore Permanent Resident?
The main route is the Professionals/Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) Scheme administered by
ICA, which assesses factors like economic contribution, qualifications, and family ties -- there's no published
points system, and approval is at ICA's discretion based on the overall application.
