---
title: "What are the basic eligibility requirements for an Employment Pass (EP)?"
topic: "Employment Pass (EP) FAQ"
resource: "https://www.eh-immigration.com/faq/employment-pass/ep-eligibility-requirements"
last_updated: "2026-08-12"
---

# What are the basic eligibility requirements for an Employment Pass (EP)?

Last updated: 2026-08-12

EP applicants need a job offer from a Singapore-registered company and a qualifying monthly salary — currently S$5,600 for most sectors and S$6,200 for financial services, rising with age to S$10,700 / S$11,800 at 45 and above — plus at least 40 points under MOM's COMPASS framework, which scores salary, qualifications, diversity and local workforce support.

## The two-stage test

EP eligibility is assessed in two stages. Stage 1: the candidate must earn at least the EP qualifying salary for their age band — S$5,600 for most sectors and S$6,200 for financial services (rising progressively to S$10,700 / S$11,800 at age 45 and above). Stage 2: the application must score at least 40 points on COMPASS, which benchmarks salary, qualifications, nationality diversity and the employer's support for local employment.

## Upcoming threshold changes

MOM has announced the qualifying salary will rise to S$6,000 (most sectors) and S$6,600 (financial services) for new applications from 1 January 2027, with renewals following for passes expiring from 1 January 2028. If you are planning an application, it is worth checking which threshold applies to your timeline.

## Sources

- [Singapore Employment Pass Process Explained](https://www.eh-immigration.com/articles/understanding-the-employment-pass-process)
- [MOM — Employment Pass](https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass)

## Related E&H service

- [Employment Pass application service](https://www.eh-immigration.com/services/employment-pass)

Canonical page: https://www.eh-immigration.com/faq/employment-pass/ep-eligibility-requirements