From 1 September 2023, Employment Pass (EP) applicants must pass a two-stage eligibility framework:
STAGE 1 – Fulfill qualifying salary
STAGE 2 – Obtain at least 40 points on the points-based COMPASS.
COMPASS will apply to:
- New applications from 1 September 2023
- Renewals for passes expiring from 1 September 2024
The aim is to ensure that EP holders are comparable in quality to the top one-third of the local PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) workforce and that these pass holders better complement the resident workforce
Qualifying Salary
EP candidates are required to have a fixed monthly salary comparable to the top one-third of the local PMET workforce by age, as shown below:
| Sector | Current minimum qualifying salary for new applications, and for renewals from 1 September 2023 |
| All (except financial services) |
At least $5,000
(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $10,500 at age 45 and above) |
| Financial services | At least $5,500
(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $11,500 at age 45 and above) |
What is a fixed monthly salary?
Fixed monthly salary = basic monthly salary + fixed monthly allowances.
Basic monthly salary: This is payment that does not vary from month to month, regardless of employee or company performance, and regardless of whether the employee takes medical or personal leave.
Fixed monthly allowances: These are monthly allowances that do not vary from month to month. Examples include fixed food and housing allowances.
Fixed monthly salary does not include the following:
- Variable allowances
- Overtime payment, bonus, commission or annual wage supplements
- Fees from sitting on the Board, or stock options or dividends
- In-kind payments
- Any form of reimbursements, including for expenses incurred by an employee in the course of his employment
- Productivity incentive payments
- Contributions payable by the employer to any pension or provident fund, including any contributions made on the employee’s behalf
- Gratuity payable on discharge, retrenchment or retirement of the foreign employee
Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS)
COMPASS evaluates EP applications based on a holistic set of individual and firm-related attributes.
- Applicants will be assessed according to four “foundational” criteria and two bonus criteria
- They must score 40 points in order to be approved
COMPASS enables companies to select high-quality foreign professionals while improving workforce diversity and building a strong Singaporean core. It has been designed as a more transparent system to give businesses clarity and certainty for their manpower planning.
How will COMPASS work in practice?
- All applications are scored on four foundational criteria, based on benchmarks expected of a complementary EP holder. It is possible to have sufficient points for an application/renewal based on these foundational criteria, as up to 20 are available in each one and only 40 are required to pass.
- Additional points can be earned on bonus criteria, which recognise applications that bring in skills in shortage and support strategic economic priorities.
Lower points on one criterion can be made up for by higher points on another.
MOM’S COMPASS Scorecard
The Ministry of Manpower provides the following table, setting out the COMPASS criteria for evaluating Employment Pass applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be any exemptions to COMPASS?
Candidates are exempted from COMPASS if they fufilll any of these conditions:
- Earning at least $22,500 fixed monthly salary
- Applying as an overseas intra-corporate transferee under the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement on Trade in Services or an applicable Free Trade Agreement that Singapore is party to.
- Filling a role on a short-term basis, i.e. 1 month or less.
Where can I find more information on COMPASS, and how can I check my company's eligibility to generate the necessary points?
You may visit (Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) (mom.gov.sg)
