New Employment Pass Eligibility Requirements Effective September 2023

Singapore has implemented significant changes to its Employment Pass (EP) eligibility criteria, introducing a two-stage framework aimed at enhancing the quality and diversity of foreign professionals in the workforce. These changes, which came into effect on September 1, 2023, require candidates to meet specific criteria in addition to the EP qualifying salary.

Meeting the EP Qualifying Salary

In the first stage of the eligibility framework, candidates must earn at least the EP qualifying salary. This salary is benchmarked to the top one-third of local Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians (PMET) salaries, categorized by age.

Effective September 1, 2023, the EP qualifying salary requirements are as follows:

• For all sectors except financial services, candidates must earn at least $5,000 per month. This salary requirement progressively increases with age, reaching up to $10,500 per month for individuals aged 45 and above.
• In the financial services sector, the minimum salary requirement is $5,500 per month, also increasing progressively with age, up to $11,500 per month for individuals aged 45 and above.

It's essential to note that if you are renewing an EP expiring on or after December 1, 2023, your employee must meet the EP qualifying salary based on these new requirements. However, COMPASS, the points-based assessment, does not apply to renewals until EPs expiring from September 1, 2024.

Complementarity Assessment Framework

The second stage of the eligibility framework involves the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS), a transparent points-based system designed to streamline manpower planning. The goal is to enable employers to select high-quality foreign professionals, promote workforce diversity, and establish a strong local talent pool.

To pass COMPASS, an applicant's profile must accumulate a minimum of 40 points based on specified criteria.

Exemption

Some candidates are exempt from undergoing the COMPASS assessment if they meet certain conditions:

• Individuals with a fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500 are exempt. This aligns with the Fair Consideration Framework's (FCF) job advertising exemption, which also takes effect from September 1, 2023.
• Overseas intra-corporate transferees applying for EPs are exempt from COMPASS.

It's essential to note that if you are renewing an EP expiring on or after December 1, 2023, your employee must meet the EP qualifying salary based on these new requirements. However, COMPASS, the points-based assessment, does not apply to renewals until EPs expiring from September 1, 2024.

In conclusion, these changes to Singapore's EP eligibility requirements, effective from September 2023, aim to ensure that foreign professionals entering the workforce meet both salary and competency standards. Employers and employment agents can use the enhanced Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) to assess a candidate's eligibility before making an application, and they must continue to adhere to the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertising requirement for new EP applications. Additionally, successful EP candidates must meet vaccination requirements for pass issuance.

For more information, please visit MOM's website.