High bar but clear: salary, credentials, COMPASS, and employer matter; minimum salary thresholds for new applications rise in January 2027.
Route overview
Professional, managerial, or executive work
Typical timeline / duration: 1-3 months
Important notes
A job offer from a Singapore employer for a professional, manager, executive, or technician role.
Current fixed monthly salary starts at S$5,600 outside financial services or S$6,200 in financial services; the required salary increases with age.
Pass the COMPASS points framework unless exempt, and meet the Fair Consideration Framework advertising requirement.
Employer or appointed employment agent submits the application with passport, company profile, and qualification verification where points are claimed.
First-time EPs can be issued for up to two years; renewals can be up to three years, subject to eligibility.
Scheduled increase: from 1 January 2027, new applications start at S$6,000 outside financial services or S$6,600 in financial services, with age progression. These thresholds apply to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028.
Existing framework: COMPASS applies to EP renewals for passes expiring from 1 September 2024, not July 2026. Unless exempt, an application needs 40 points as well as the qualifying salary.
Preparation checklist
Run MOM's Self-Assessment Tool with the employer's information, your age, sector and fixed monthly salary.
Identify any COMPASS exemption or calculate the points; obtain qualification verification if claiming those points.
Check the application date or pass-expiry date against the correct salary table, then prepare the employer's submission.