# How to Move to Singapore in 2026: ONE Pass vs Employment Pass vs S Pass — Which Work Visa Fits You
Singapore doesn't make it easy to move there. That's the point.
The country has one of the most deliberately selective immigration systems in the world, designed to attract professionals who raise the bar — not fill seats. Every pass type has a salary floor, and most require your employer to prove they couldn't find a Singaporean first.
But if you clear those bars, what you get is remarkable: 0% capital gains tax, a 22% top income tax rate, one of the safest cities on earth, and a location that puts you within a 5-hour flight of half the world's population.
This guide covers all five work passes so you can figure out which one you actually qualify for.
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Best for You If...
→ ONE Pass (S$30,000+/mo): You're a top-tier executive, founder, or specialist earning at least S$30,000/month. You want maximum flexibility — work for multiple companies, start your own, bring your family. Not tied to any single employer. Five years.
→ Employment Pass (S$5,600+/mo): You're a professional, manager, or executive with a job offer from a Singapore company. You meet COMPASS scoring. This is the standard path for most skilled foreign hires.
→ PEP (S$22,500+/mo): You already hold an EP or earned S$22,500+ overseas. You want employer independence without the S$30K ONE Pass threshold. Three years, non-renewable.
→ S Pass (S$3,300+/mo): You're mid-skilled — technician, associate professional. Your employer handles the application but pays a monthly levy and is subject to quota limits.
→ EntrePass (no salary minimum): You're a founder starting an innovation-driven company in Singapore. You need VC backing, IP, or a demonstrable innovation track record. No salary requirement, but high bar on business merit.
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The Comparison Table
| Feature | ONE Pass | Employment Pass | PEP | S Pass | EntrePass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum salary | S$30,000/mo | S$5,600/mo | S$22,500/mo | S$3,300/mo | None |
| COMPASS required | No | Yes (40 pts) | No | No | No |
| Employer-tied | No | Yes | No | Yes | N/A (own biz) |
| Duration | 5 years | 2 years | 3 years (non-renewable) | 2 years | 1 year |
| Multiple employers | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Start a business | Yes | No | Limited | No | Yes (required) |
| Quota/levy | No | No | No | Yes (S$650/mo) | No |
| Family (Dependant Pass) | Yes | S$6K salary | Yes | S$6K salary | Progressive |
| Spouse can work | LOC | LOC | LOC | LOC (if salary met) | LOC |
| Application fee | S$105 | S$105 | S$105 | S$105 | S$105 |
| Issuance fee | S$225 | S$225 | S$225 | S$225 | S$225 |
| Processing time | 4–8 weeks | ~3 weeks | ~3 weeks | ~3 weeks | ~8 weeks |
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What Most People Get Wrong
The salary floor is the beginning, not the end.
Meeting S$5,600/month for the Employment Pass gets your application considered. It doesn't get it approved. Since September 2023, every EP application must also pass COMPASS — a points-based framework that evaluates you AND your employer across four criteria plus two bonus categories. You need 40 points to pass.
Here's how COMPASS works:
C1. Salary (0–20 points): Your salary vs local PMET salaries in your age group and sector. 10 points at the 65th percentile, 20 at the 90th.
C2. Qualifications (0–20 points): 20 points for degrees from top-tier universities (think NUS, NTU, Ivy League). 10 for other recognized degrees. 0 for no degree — but you can still pass if you score elsewhere.
C3. Diversity (0–20 points): If your nationality makes up less than 25% of your company's PMET staff, you score higher. This penalizes companies that over-hire from one country.
C4. Local Support (0–20 points): Companies with a higher share of local PMETs score more. This penalizes companies that rely too heavily on foreign hires.
C5. Shortage Occupation List (bonus +20): If your role is in AI, cybersecurity, healthcare, or green tech, you get an automatic 20-point boost.
C6. Strategic Economic Priorities (bonus +10): If the company participates in an EDB or ESG-approved innovation program.
The exemption: if your fixed monthly salary is S$22,500 or above, COMPASS doesn't apply. MOM assumes you bring enough value at that level.
The S$5,600 number increases with age.
A 25-year-old can qualify at S$5,600. A 45-year-old needs approximately S$10,700 in general sectors and S$11,800 in financial services. MOM benchmarks against the top third of local PMET salaries by age — older applicants are expected to earn more because their local peers do.
Use MOM's Self-Assessment Tool before applying. If it says no, your application will be automatically rejected.
Your employer matters as much as you do.
Half of COMPASS (C3 Diversity + C4 Local Support) evaluates your employer's workforce composition, not your personal qualifications. A perfectly qualified candidate can be rejected because their employer has too many foreign PMETs or too little nationality diversity. This is a deliberate design choice — Singapore wants companies to build balanced teams, not import entire workforces.
The S Pass has a hard quota.
Unlike the EP, the S Pass is subject to sector-specific quotas: employers can only hold 10–15% of their workforce as S Pass holders (relative to total local workforce). Plus, the employer pays a S$650/month levy per S Pass worker. This makes S Pass hiring a calculated business decision, not an open door.
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Not sure which pass fits? Start here.
[Find out which Singapore visa you qualify for →](/get-started)
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ONE Pass: The Executive Lane
The ONE Pass is Singapore's answer to the global competition for top talent. It's designed for people who don't need Singapore — Singapore needs them. At S$30,000/month, the bar is intentionally high. Only the top ~5% of EP holders earn at this level.
What makes it different
You're not tied to an employer. You can work for multiple companies, start your own businesses, and switch roles — all without applying for a new pass. Your spouse can work on a Letter of Consent. The pass is valid for 5 years and renewable indefinitely.
Who qualifies
Salary route: Earned S$30,000/month fixed for the last 12 months, working for an established company (market cap USD 500M+ or revenue USD 200M+). Or: will earn S$30,000/month from a Singapore-based established company.
Outstanding achievement route: Demonstrated exceptional contributions in business, arts and culture, sports, science and technology, or academia and research. No salary requirement — assessed case-by-case by MOM.
Renewal
Either maintain S$30,000/month average over 5 years in Singapore, or run a Singapore company that employs at least 5 locals earning S$5,000+ each.
Coming January 2027: ONE Pass (AI & Tech)
Replaces Tech.Pass entirely. Targets AI, quantum computing, advanced robotics, and deep tech. Key upgrade: vested equity and stock options can count toward the S$30,000 threshold. Five-year validity with indefinite renewals.
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Employment Pass: The Standard Path
The EP is Singapore's primary work visa for foreign professionals. If you're being hired by a Singapore company for a managerial, executive, or specialist role, this is your path.
The two gates
Gate 1 — Salary: Meet the minimum for your age and sector. Starts at S$5,600 (age 23, general sectors) and scales up.
Gate 2 — COMPASS: Score 40+ points across the criteria described above.
Both gates must be cleared. Meeting salary alone isn't enough, and scoring 40 COMPASS points with an insufficient salary doesn't help either.
Process
Your employer applies through MOM's myMOM Portal. They must first advertise the role on MyCareersFuture for at least 28 days (Fair Consideration Framework). Application fee: S$105. Issuance fee: S$225. Processing: approximately 3 weeks.
Duration and renewal
First EP: up to 2 years. Renewals: up to 3 years. From January 1, 2026, renewals must meet updated salary benchmarks and COMPASS criteria.
Family
EP holders earning S$6,000+/month can bring spouse and children under 21 on a Dependant's Pass. Spouse can work on a Letter of Consent.
Coming January 1, 2027
EP minimum salary rises to S$6,000 (general) and S$6,600 (financial services). Plan accordingly if you're on the edge.
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S Pass: The Mid-Skilled Path
The S Pass serves technicians and associate professionals — roles that require a diploma or degree but aren't at the EP's managerial/executive level.
Current thresholds
General sectors: S$3,300/month (rising to S$3,600 on July 1, 2026). Financial services: S$3,800/month (rising to S$4,000 on July 1, 2026). Both scale up with age.
The catch
Your employer pays a S$650/month levy per S Pass holder and is subject to a quota (10–15% of total workforce, depending on sector). This limits how many S Pass holders any company can have and makes the economics different from an EP.
Family
S Pass holders need to earn S$6,000/month to sponsor a Dependant's Pass — the same threshold as the EP. At the S Pass minimum salary of S$3,300, you can't bring family.
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EntrePass: The Founder's Path
The EntrePass is for foreign entrepreneurs starting innovation-driven businesses in Singapore. Unlike the EP, there's no salary minimum. But the bar is different — you need to demonstrate your business is genuinely innovative.
Requirements
You must hold at least 30% equity in a company incorporated with ACRA that is less than 12 months old. MOM evaluates innovation criteria: VC funding, IP ownership, partnerships with research institutions, or a track record of building innovative companies.
The honest assessment
The EntrePass is harder to get than most founders expect. MOM isn't looking for every startup — they want businesses that specifically advance Singapore's innovation ecosystem. Many founders find it easier to structure themselves as an EP holder drawing a salary from their own company, though MOM may redirect you to EntrePass if you hold >30% equity.
Processing takes up to 8 weeks. Initial duration is 1 year with progressive renewals.
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The Tax Picture
Singapore's tax system is a major draw, especially compared to the US, UK, Germany, or Australia:
| Tax Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Personal income tax | Progressive: 0–22% |
| Top rate threshold | S$320,000+ |
| Capital gains tax | 0% |
| Dividend tax | 0% |
| Corporate tax | 17% flat |
| GST | 9% |
| Overseas income (individuals) | Generally not taxed |
For context: someone earning S$120,000/year (~S$10,000/month) pays an effective tax rate of about 5.5%. That same income in the US would face roughly 22% federal + state taxes. In Germany, about 35%.
Singapore doesn't have 0% income tax like the UAE, but the combination of low personal rates + 0% capital gains + 0% dividend tax makes it one of the most tax-efficient jurisdictions in Asia.
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No Nationality Restrictions (But Diversity Matters)
Singapore doesn't restrict applications by nationality. Any professional from any country can apply for any pass type if they meet the requirements.
However, COMPASS criterion C3 (Diversity) means your nationality composition at the company level matters. If your employer already has a high concentration of PMETs from your country, your application scores lower on diversity. This is Singapore's mechanism for ensuring workforce balance without imposing country-level quotas.
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The Decision
| Your situation | Best pass | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Earning S$30K+/mo, want flexibility | ONE Pass | 5 years, multiple employers, start businesses |
| Professional with SG job offer, S$5,600+ | Employment Pass | Standard path, COMPASS scoring |
| High earner (S$22.5K+), want independence | PEP | No COMPASS, not employer-tied, 3 years |
| Mid-skilled, diploma, S$3,300+ | S Pass | Employer handles, quota + levy applies |
| Founder, innovation-driven startup | EntrePass | No salary req, but high innovation bar |
| Founder who can draw S$5,600+ salary | EP (as director) | Often faster than EntrePass |
Ready to find your Singapore pathway? [Get My Roadmap — $29 →](/get-started)
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*All data verified from Singapore Ministry of Manpower (mom.gov.sg). EP salary thresholds effective January 1, 2026. S Pass increases effective July 1, 2026. COMPASS sector benchmarks and Shortage Occupation List are dynamic and subject to updates from MOM. Some elements (e.g., COMPASS scoring benchmarks and upcoming 2027 changes) are dynamic and subject to updates from the Ministry of Manpower. Always confirm current requirements on mom.gov.sg before applying.*