EP & Compliance · "I already have my candidate — I just need the pass approved"
Employment Pass
services in Singapore
Already chosen your candidate? We handle the Singapore Employment Pass application end to end — checking eligibility and the salary floor, pre-assessing COMPASS, preparing and submitting the application, and tracking it to In-Principle Approval. Where the application looks weak, we tell you before you file. A fixed professional fee, quoted upfront.
The service
What does the Employment Pass service include?
The Employment Pass has more moving parts than other passes — a qualifying salary, the COMPASS framework, and supporting documentation that has to line up. We confirm your candidate meets the criteria, pre-assess COMPASS, prepare and submit the application, and track it to In-Principle Approval. Where the application looks weak, we tell you before you file — not after a rejection.
Eligibility & salary-floor check
Document preparation
IPA tracking
Appeal support if needed
COMPASS pre-assessment (indicative)
Application submission
Issuance & notification support
The pass
What is the Employment Pass, and who is it for?
The Employment Pass (EP) is Singapore’s work pass for foreign professionals, managers and executives in skilled roles. Unlike a Work Permit or S Pass, it carries no quota and no levy — but the candidate must meet a qualifying salary that rises with age, and clear the COMPASS points framework. Most foreign professional and executive hires go through the EP.
Haven’t chosen your candidate yet? See our professional & executive recruitment or foreign
worker recruitment.
COMPASS
What is COMPASS and how does it work?
COMPASS — the Complementarity Assessment Framework — is the points system MOM uses to assess Employment Pass applications. A candidate needs at least 40 points across four foundational areas — salary, qualifications, the firm’s nationality diversity, and support for local employment — with bonus points available for shortage-list skills and strategic economic priorities. We pre-assess your candidate against each area and give you an indicative read before you file. MOM makes the actual assessment.
The four foundational areas
Salary
How the candidate’s salary compares with local PMET pay in the same sector.
Qualifications
The candidate’s degree and the standing of the awarding institution.
Diversity
How common the candidate’s nationality already is in your firm.
Support for local employment
Your firm’s share of local PMET staff.
Bonus points
| Criterion | What is scored | Condition | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Salary | Candidate fixed monthly salary vs local PMET salary benchmarks by sector and age | >= 90th percentile | 20 |
| 65th to < 90th percentile | 10 | ||
| < 65th percentile | 0 | ||
| C2 — Qualifications | Candidate qualifications | Top-tier institution degree (top-100 QS / Singapore Autonomous University / endorsed) | 20 |
| Other degree-equivalent qualification | 10 | ||
| No degree-equivalent | 0 | ||
| C3 — Diversity | Candidate nationality share among firm PMETs | < 5% share | 20 |
| 5% to < 25% share | 10 | ||
| >= 25% share | 0 | ||
| C4 — Support for local employment | Firm local PMET share vs its sector (firms with local PMET share >= 70% score at least 10) | >= 50th percentile | 20 |
| 20th to < 50th percentile | 10 | ||
| < 20th percentile | 0 | ||
| C5 — Shortage Occupation List | 20 points if the job is on the SOL and the candidate's nationality is < 1/3 of firm PMETs; 10 points if on the SOL and >= 1/3. | Bonus | +20 |
| C6 — Strategic Economic Priorities | Awarded at supporting agency's discretion; valid up to 3 years. | Bonus | +10 |
Passing score: 40 points. Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs receive default points on C3 and C4.
Compiled from officially published Ministry of Manpower information · Last reviewed against officially published rates: 2026-06-13. Figures may change — confirm with official sources before acting.
Qualifying salary
What is the Employment Pass qualifying salary?
The EP has a minimum qualifying salary that rises with the candidate’s age, and is set higher in the financial services sector. Candidates earning well above the floor can be exempt from COMPASS. These figures are set by MOM and change periodically — the current published figures are below, dated at our last review.
| Pass | Min salary (general) | Min salary (financial services) | COMPASS | Quota | Levy | Security bond | Dependant's Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass | $5,600 | $6,200 | Yes | No | No | Not required | From $6,000 |
| S Pass | $3,300 | $3,800 | No | Yes | Yes | Not required | From $6,000 |
| Work Permit | No salary floor | — | No | Yes | Yes | $5,000 | Not eligible |
S$5,000 per non-Malaysian Work Permit holder; Malaysians exempt; refundable on the worker's departure with no outstanding levies or violations.
Compiled from officially published Ministry of Manpower information · Last reviewed against officially published rates: 2026-06-13. Figures may change — confirm with official sources before acting.
How it works
How does the Employment Pass application process work?
We confirm eligibility, salary and COMPASS first — the things most likely to trip up an application — then prepare and submit, track it to In-Principle Approval, and guide the issuance and arrival steps. We flag risks before filing, not after a rejection, so you go in with the strongest case and a clear picture of the likely outcome.
1
Eligibility & COMPASS check
Salary, qualifications and an indicative COMPASS read.
2
Salary & documents
Confirm the offer and prepare supporting documents.
3
Application & submission
We file the EP application.
4
IPA
We track it to In-Principle Approval and keep you updated.
5
Issuance & arrival
Pass issuance and the arrival steps.
Durations vary; any timeframe reflects typically published processing information at our last review — not a guarantee.
What if my candidate might not pass COMPASS?
We tell you before you file. If the indicative score looks short, there are usually options — the salary on offer, how qualifications are evidenced, how the role is classified, or timing — and we talk you through them. Where an application is refused, we can prepare an appeal. We don’t guarantee approval; we make sure you file with the strongest case, eyes open.
Fees
What does it cost?
A fixed professional fee, quoted upfront before we begin — no hourly billing and no surprises. The fee covers our handling of the service; statutory and government costs are separate and payable as required. The menu below sets out our EP and compliance services; we confirm the exact fee for your case before any work starts.
| Service | What it covers | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass application | Eligibility, COMPASS pre-assessment, submission, IPA | Fixed fee, quoted upfront |
| COMPASS assessment | Indicative pre-assessment and a written read | Fixed fee, quoted upfront |
| EP renewal | Eligibility recheck, COMPASS recheck, renewal submission | Fixed fee, quoted upfront |
| EP appeal | Review, case preparation and appeal submission | Fixed fee, quoted upfront |
Statutory and government costs are separate and payable as required. We confirm the exact fee for your case before any work starts.
EP & Compliance
Our EP & compliance services
COMPASS assessment
An indicative read on how your candidate scores, before you commit.
Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) compliance
Job advertising done right before you file.
EP renewal
Eligibility and COMPASS rechecked, renewal filed in good time.
EP appeal
A refused application reviewed and re-argued.
Employment Pass — common questions
Q1: Do you guarantee my Employment Pass will be approved?
No — and you should be wary of anyone who does. MOM decides every application. What we do is pre-assess eligibility and COMPASS, flag any weak points before you file, and make sure you submit the strongest case. If an application is refused, we can prepare an appeal.
Q2: What is COMPASS?
COMPASS is MOM's points framework for Employment Pass applications. A candidate needs at least 40 points across salary, qualifications, firm diversity and support for local employment, with bonus points available. We give you an indicative read on how your candidate scores before you file; MOM makes the actual assessment.
Q3: What is the Employment Pass qualifying salary?
The EP has a minimum qualifying salary that rises with the candidate's age and is higher in financial services. MOM sets these figures and changes them periodically; the current published figures are on this page, dated at our last review. We confirm the figure that applies to your candidate.
Q4: How long does an Employment Pass application take?
There's no guaranteed timeline — processing depends on the case and on MOM. We work to published processing information and give you a realistic estimate at the start, then track the application to In-Principle Approval and keep you updated.
Q5: What happens if my candidate is refused?
A refusal isn't always the end. We review why it happened, and where there's a case, prepare and submit an appeal addressing the specific concern. We're honest about the odds — some refusals are worth appealing, others are better solved another way.
Q6: What's the difference between an Employment Pass, S Pass and Work Permit?
The Employment Pass is for foreign professionals, managers and executives — no quota or levy, but COMPASS and a salary floor apply. The S Pass and Work Permit cover mid-skilled and semi-skilled roles, with quotas and levies. We can advise which pass fits before you file.
Q7: Can you handle Employment Pass renewals too?
Yes. Renewals aren't automatic — COMPASS and the salary floor can shift between application and renewal — so we recheck eligibility, prepare and submit the renewal, and flag any issue early enough to fix it.
Q8: What is the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF)?
For many roles, employers must advertise on MyCareersFuture and fairly consider local candidates before filing an EP. Getting the advertising right the first time avoids delay. We handle FCF advertising as part of the application where it applies.
Q9: Is Biz Manpower a licensed recruitment agency in Singapore?
Yes. Biz Manpower Pte Ltd holds Singapore Employment Agency Licence 25C3142, regulated under the Employment Agencies Act. You can verify the licence yourself on MOM's public Employment Agency directory.
Already have your candidate? Let's get the pass
handled.
Tell us the case. You deal directly with us — not a call centre — and we come back to you with a fixed-fee quote.
EA Licence 25C3142