Quick Answer
Singapore has three main work passes for foreign employees: the Employment Pass (EP) for professionals earning from $5,600 a month, the S Pass for mid-skilled staff earning from $3,300 a month, and the Work Permit for semi-skilled workers in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process, and services, with no minimum salary. Each carries different quotas, levies and validity periods, and none of them authorise work until the pass itself — not just an in-principle approval — has actually been issued.
Employment Pass (EP): For Professionals and Executives
The Employment Pass is for foreign professionals, managers and executives. The minimum qualifying salary rises progressively with age: for most sectors it starts at $5,600 a month and climbs to $10,700 a month at age 45 and above; in financial services it starts higher, at $6,200 a month, rising to $11,800 a month at 45 and above. These are minimums, not targets — MOM benchmarks each application against local PMET salaries in the same sector.
⚖️ MOM Requirement
Every EP application is scored under the COMPASS framework across six criteria — salary, qualifications, nationality diversity, the firm’s support for local employment, a skills bonus for Shortage Occupation List roles, and a bonus for strategic economic priorities. A candidate needs 40 points to pass. Candidates earning $22,500 a month or more are exempt from COMPASS scoring entirely.
A first-time EP is valid for up to 2 years; renewals run up to 3 years. Experienced tech professionals in roles with skills shortages may qualify for a longer 5-year pass. EP holders earning at least $6,000 a month can sponsor a Dependant’s Pass for their legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21, through a Singapore-registered sponsor — usually the employer.
🏛️ Source: MOM — Employment Pass Eligibility, MOM — COMPASS Framework, MOM — EP Key Facts, and MOM — Dependant’s Pass Eligibility. Before you get to the pass application, you’ll usually need to clear the Fair Consideration Framework’s job-advertising step — see our hiring guide.
S Pass: For Mid-Skilled Staff
The S Pass is for mid-skilled staff — the minimum qualifying salary is $3,300 a month for most sectors, rising with age to $4,800 a month at 45 and above; in financial services it starts at $3,800, rising to $5,650 at 45 and above. It’s benchmarked against the top third of local Associate Professional and Technician salaries. From 1 January 2027, the minimum for new applications rises to $3,600.
⚖️ MOM Requirement
S Pass holders are capped at 10% of your total workforce in the services sector, and 15% in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, and process sectors. Since 1 September 2025, the S Pass levy has been harmonised to a single flat rate of $650 a month across all sectors — the earlier basic/higher-tier structure no longer applies.
🏛️ Source: MOM — S Pass Eligibility and MOM — S Pass Levy and Quota Requirements.
Work Permit: For Semi-Skilled Workers
The Work Permit is for semi-skilled migrant workers from approved source countries, in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process, or services. Unlike the EP and S Pass, there’s no minimum qualifying salary. What applies instead is a sector-specific quota and a monthly levy that varies by the worker’s skill classification and your quota usage — MOM doesn’t publish one universal levy figure, since sector and skill tier both move the number. A Work Permit is valid for up to 2 years, depending on the worker’s passport validity, security bond, and employment period.
🔍 Classification Note
Domestic workers and agricultural workers sit under separate MOM pass categories, not this Work Permit’s five sectors. If you’re hiring a foreign domestic helper, the rules and pass type are different from the general Work Permit covered here.
Getting It Right vs Getting It Wrong
| ✅ Compliant | ❌ Non-Compliant |
|---|---|
| Wait for the pass to actually be issued before the candidate starts work | Let the candidate start on the strength of an In-Principle Approval alone |
| Check the age-banded minimum salary before making an offer | Use one flat salary figure regardless of the candidate’s age |
| Track your S Pass quota before hiring another S Pass holder | Exceed the sector’s S Pass sub-quota and risk being unable to renew or hire further passes |
Applying for a Pass: What to Expect
Online EP and S Pass applications are processed, or given an update, within 10 business days. Work Permit applications submitted online are typically processed within 1 week; manual applications can take up to 3 weeks. Dependant’s Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass applications typically take up to 3 weeks.
For Work Permit applicants, an approved application results in an In-Principle Approval (IPA) — a requirement for bringing the worker into Singapore, valid for a set window in which the worker must arrive. An IPA is a step toward the pass, not the pass itself: it doesn’t authorise the person to start working. Only once the pass has actually been issued can they begin work.
🏛️ Source: MOM — Work Pass Processing Times and MOM — In-Principle Approval.
Renewing and Cancelling a Pass
Build renewal into your calendar well ahead of expiry: EP and S Pass renewals can start up to 6 months before expiry, while a Work Permit should be renewed 7 to 12 weeks ahead to avoid overstaying penalties.
When employment ends, you must cancel the pass within 1 week of the employee’s last day (or within 1 week of their actual departure, if they’ve already left). Before cancelling, you need to give the employee reasonable notice of repatriation, obtain IRAS tax clearance at least 1 month before their last day, settle all outstanding salary and employment issues, and cover the cost of an air ticket with check-in luggage back to their home country — unless they agree otherwise in writing.
⚠️ Penalty Risk
Employers cannot refuse to cancel a pass as leverage in a dispute — the system exists only for active employment relationships. If a salary dispute is at issue, it goes to TADM, not a withheld cancellation; workers whose employer wrongly refuses to cancel a pass can contact MOM directly. For the wider termination process, see our Termination & Disputes hub.
Non-Compliance Penalties
Getting work pass compliance wrong has real cost: exceeding your S Pass quota can leave you unable to renew or hire further passes, letting an employee start work before the pass is actually issued puts you in breach of MOM’s rules on unauthorised employment, missing the cancellation window or refusing to cancel a pass as leverage exposes you to MOM intervention, and a missed Work Permit renewal window risks overstaying penalties for the worker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum salary for an Employment Pass in Singapore?
$5,600 a month for most sectors, rising with age to $10,700 at 45 and above; financial services roles start at $6,200, rising to $11,800 at 45 and above.
What is COMPASS and does every Employment Pass application need 40 points?
COMPASS scores EP applications across salary, qualifications, nationality diversity, support for local employment, and two bonus criteria. A candidate needs 40 points to pass — except candidates earning $22,500 a month or more, who are exempt from scoring entirely.
What is the minimum salary for an S Pass?
$3,300 a month for most sectors, rising with age to $4,800 at 45 and above; financial services starts at $3,800, rising to $5,650. The minimum for new applications rises to $3,600 from 1 January 2027.
Is there a minimum salary for a Work Permit?
No — MOM states there’s no minimum required for a Work Permit. What applies instead is a sector quota and a skill-tier-based monthly levy.
Can my foreign employee start work once I get an In-Principle Approval?
No. An In-Principle Approval is a step toward bringing the worker into Singapore, not the work pass itself — the employee can only start work once the pass has actually been issued.
How much is the S Pass levy?
A flat $650 a month per S Pass holder, since MOM harmonised the rate across all sectors and tiers on 1 September 2025.
How far in advance should I renew a work pass?
Up to 6 months ahead for an Employment Pass or S Pass, and 7 to 12 weeks ahead for a Work Permit, to avoid any risk of overstaying penalties.
What must I do before cancelling an employee’s work pass?
Give reasonable notice of repatriation, get IRAS tax clearance at least a month before their last day, settle all outstanding salary and employment matters, and cover their air ticket home — then cancel the pass within a week of their last day.
Last verified: 10 September 2026
WorkRightSG provides general information only. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified employment lawyer or contact the Ministry of Manpower directly.