Singapore’s Employment Pass 2025 — The C-Suite Guide to the COMPASS System and Application Process

Singapore’s Employment Pass has long been the golden ticket for accessing one of the world’s most dynamic business and financial hubs. But in 2025, the rules of the game have fundamentally changed. The country has replaced its relatively straightforward, salary-based qualification system with a sophisticated, multi-faceted, data-driven points system called COMPASS. This is not a mere bureaucratic update; it represents a foundational shift in Singapore’s strategy for curating global talent.

For American companies aiming to hire top-tier professionals and for executives planning a career in Asia, mastering this new framework is mission-critical. It is no longer enough to simply offer a competitive salary. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) now evaluates every applicant and their employer against a comprehensive set of criteria—from educational qualifications to the firm’s commitment to hiring local professionals and maintaining a diverse workforce.

This guide provides an exhaustive playbook for securing a Singapore Employment Pass in 2025. We will conduct a deep dive into every component of the COMPASS framework, deliver a step-by-step application guide, break down document requirements, and explain how to secure visas for family members. This is your essential guide to the new reality of Singapore’s elite talent landscape.

What Is an Employment Pass (EP) and Who Qualifies?

The Employment Pass (EP) is Singapore’s primary work visa designed for foreign professionals, managers, and executives (commonly referred to as PMETs). Unlike other work visas, the EP has no quotas, but its eligibility requirements are stringent.

As of 2025, the qualification process for an EP is a two-gate system:

1. Meet the Qualifying Salary Threshold: An applicant’s salary must be benchmarked against the standards for their age, experience, and industry.
2. Pass the COMPASS Framework: The application must score a minimum of 40 points on a comprehensive assessment framework.

The 2025 Qualifying Salary

The minimum qualifying salary for new EP applicants starts at SGD 5,000 per month (approx. $3,750 USD). However, this figure is merely the floor for the youngest applicants and increases progressively with age. For example, a seasoned professional in their mid-40s may need to meet a threshold exceeding SGD 10,500.

For the financial services sector, the bar is set even higher: the minimum salary begins at SGD 5,500 and rises more steeply with age, often surpassing SGD 11,500 for senior roles.

The strategic purpose of this system: To ensure that foreign professionals are true experts in their field, complementing the local workforce rather than simply replacing it with cheaper labor. You can use the official Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) on the MOM website to get a preliminary check on salary competitiveness.

Decoding COMPASS — A Guide to Singapore’s New Talent Scoring System

The Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) is the heart of the new evaluation process. Its goal is to make the assessment of foreign talent more transparent, predictable, and holistic. Each application is scored against four foundational and two bonus criteria. A passing score requires at least 40 points.

The Scoring Framework:

¹ The “Top-Tier Institutions” list includes approximately 100 globally recognized universities from sources like the QS World University Rankings, along with top Asian universities and specialized institutions.

Analysis of the COMPASS Criteria

Individual Attributes (The Candidate’s Score):

• C1 (Salary): This metric benchmarks the proposed salary against what local professionals earn. To score 20 points, the salary must be in the top 10% of the industry.
• C2 (Qualifications): A degree from a recognized university earns 10 points. However, a degree from a designated “top-tier” institution provides a maximum of 20 points, signaling a clear preference for elite academic credentials.

Firm-Related Attributes (The Company’s Score):

• C3 (Diversity): This criterion is designed to prevent a single nationality from dominating a firm’s workforce. If your company already has a high concentration of a certain nationality, hiring another professional of that same nationality becomes more difficult (the application will score 0 on this metric).
• C4 (Local Employment): MOM compares your firm’s percentage of Singaporean professionals to the industry average. Companies that demonstrate a strong commitment to hiring local talent are rewarded with more points.

The Bonus Criteria — The Strategic “Fast Tracks”

Even if an application falls just short of 40 points on the foundational criteria, it can still pass by earning bonus points.

• C5: Skills Bonus (The Shortage List): +20 Points

  This bonus is awarded if the candidate’s role is on the official Shortage Occupation List (SOL). This list identifies specific, high-demand roles where Singapore has a critical talent deficit.

  • Examples from the 2025 SOL: AI Specialists, Cloud Engineers, Cybersecurity Experts, Ag-Tech Scientists, Financial/Investment Analysts.
• C6: Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus: +10 Points

  This bonus is for firms that are actively partnering with Singapore’s government on strategic economic initiatives, such as projects facilitated by the Economic Development Board (EDB) or Enterprise Singapore.

Practical Scoring Scenarios

Scenario 1: The Silicon Valley Tech Lead

• An AI Engineer from the U.S. with a PhD from Stanford (a top-tier institution).
• Offered a salary in the 95th percentile.
• Hired by a large, diverse tech firm with a strong local workforce.
• The role (AI Specialist) is on the Shortage Occupation List.
• Score: C1(20) + C2(20) + C3(10) + C4(10) + C5(20) = 80 points. A straightforward approval.

Scenario 2: The MBA Marketing Director

• A Marketing Director with an MBA from a strong but not top-tier U.S. university.
• Salary is competitive, at the 70th percentile.
• Hired by a mid-sized firm with average diversity and local hiring metrics.
• Score: C1(10) + C2(10) + C3(10) + C4(10) = 40 points. This application meets the minimum threshold and is likely to be approved.

The Application Playbook — A Step-by-Step Guide

The EP application process is entirely digital and must be submitted by the employer or an authorized third-party agency.

Step 1: The Mandated Job Posting

Under Singapore’s Fair Consideration Framework, employers must first advertise the job opening on the national jobs portal, MyCareersFuture, for at least 14 consecutive days before submitting an EP application.

• Purpose: To give Singaporean professionals a fair opportunity to apply.
• Exemptions: This rule is waived for companies with fewer than 10 employees or if the job’s fixed monthly salary is SGD 22,500 or more.

Step 2: Submission via the myMOM Portal

The employer or their agent completes the online application form on the government’s myMOM portal, providing comprehensive details about the company, the candidate, the role, and the salary.

Step 3: The Document Checklist

The following scanned documents are required for the application:

• From the Candidate:
  • Personal particulars page of their passport.
  • Educational certificates and transcripts. (Documents not in English require an official translation).
• From the Company:
  • The latest business profile from Singapore’s corporate registry (ACRA).

Important: MOM now requires mandatory third-party verification for all claimed educational qualifications. This must be completed before submitting the EP application.

Step 4: Processing and The Decision

• Timeline: Most online applications are processed within 10 business days.
• Outcome: If approved, the employer receives an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter. This official document allows the candidate to enter Singapore and begin the final steps of activating their visa.

Step 5: On-the-Ground Activation in Singapore

Once the professional has arrived in Singapore, the process is finalized:

1. Complete a medical examination (if required by the IPA).
2. Schedule an appointment to register biometric data (fingerprints and photo) at an MOM service center.
3. Receive the official Employment Pass card.

EP Renewal and Long-Term Pathways

• Validity and Renewal: An EP is typically issued for up to 2 years for the first term and can be renewed for periods of up to 3 years. The renewal process is similar to the initial application and, crucially, is also subject to the COMPASS framework.
• Pathway to Permanent Residency (PR): Holding an EP is a key prerequisite for applying for Singapore Permanent Residency. However, PR is not guaranteed and is granted based on a variety of factors, including the length of stay, family ties, and overall economic and social contributions.

Relocating with Family — A Guide to Dependant’s Passes and LTVPs

Singapore’s immigration framework allows successful EP holders to bring their families, subject to meeting higher salary thresholds.

Dependant’s Pass (DP) — For Immediate Family

• Who is eligible: Legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age.
• The Salary Gate: The EP holder must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD 6,000 (approx. $4,500 USD).
• Working Rights: DP holders can live in Singapore. To work, their prospective employer must apply for a Letter of Consent (LOC) on their behalf.

Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) — For Other Family Members

• Who is eligible: Common-law spouse, handicapped children above 21, step-children, and parents.
• The Salary Gate:
  • For spouses and children, the EP holder’s salary must be at least SGD 6,000.
  • To sponsor parents, the salary must be at least SGD 12,000 (approx. $9,000 USD).

Conclusion

Singapore remains wide open to the world’s best and brightest, but in 2025, it is more selective than ever. The implementation of the COMPASS system marks a strategic shift from a simple quantitative assessment (salary) to a qualitative, holistic model. Success in securing an Employment Pass now depends not just on the candidate’s resume, but also on the corporate citizenship of the company that hires them.

Navigating this new system requires careful preparation, attention to detail, and a strategic approach to building both an individual’s profile and a company’s local workforce. For American businesses and professionals ready to play by these new, more sophisticated rules, Singapore continues to offer unparalleled opportunities for growth and career advancement in the heart of Asia.