🇸🇬 Singapore Immigration Hub 2026
Singapore's Employment Pass has two separate gates: a qualifying salary floor, and (unless exempt) a 40-point COMPASS score. Clearing one without the other isn't enough — check both.
The Employment Pass (EP) is Singapore's main skilled-worker visa, requiring two things: a qualifying salary (S$5,600/month for most sectors, S$6,200 for financial services) and, unless you earn S$22,500+/month, a minimum 40 points on the COMPASS framework. Check both with the EP/COMPASS calculator.
COMPASS scores four foundational criteria (salary vs. local benchmark, qualifications, workforce diversity, local employment support) plus two bonus criteria (Shortage Occupation List, strategic economic priorities), each worth 0, 10, or 20 points. This is a genuinely different mechanism from a simple salary threshold — an applicant can clear the salary floor and still fail COMPASS, or vice versa.
Both salary floors are scheduled to rise again from January 1, 2027 (to S$6,000 and S$6,600 respectively) — a predictable, published schedule rather than a surprise change.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Qualifying salary (general sector) | S$5,600/month |
| Qualifying salary (financial services) | S$6,200/month |
| COMPASS pass mark | 40 points minimum |
| COMPASS exemption threshold | S$22,500+/month |
| 2027 scheduled increase | S$6,000 / S$6,600 |
- Job offer — from a Singapore-registered employer, meeting the qualifying salary floor for your sector
- Educational credentials — from a recognised institution, ideally top-tier for maximum COMPASS points
- Employer's COMPASS self-assessment — employers typically run the official Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) before submitting
Can I skip COMPASS entirely?
Yes, if your fixed monthly salary is S$22,500 or above, or you're an intra-corporate transferee under an applicable trade agreement. Everyone else must clear the 40-point COMPASS threshold in addition to the qualifying salary.
How many points do I need to pass COMPASS?
40 points minimum, summed across 4 foundational criteria (each 0-20 points) plus 2 bonus criteria (Shortage Occupation List +20, strategic priorities +10).
Is meeting the salary floor enough to get an Employment Pass?
No — unless you're COMPASS-exempt (S$22,500+/month), you also need 40+ COMPASS points. Meeting the salary floor alone doesn't guarantee approval.