Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) plans to change how people apply for Employment Passes (EP) soon.
These changes will start from September 2024. The goal is to attract skilled workers and to make sure that local and foreign professionals compete fairly.
As TravelBiz mentioned, the new salary rules will affect all EP applications from January 1, 2025. They will also impact renewals of EPs that expire on or after July 1, 2025.
An Employment Pass (EP) is a work permit that the Singapore government gives to foreign professionals who want to work in Singapore.
New Rules for Employment Pass
Starting January 1, 2025, new EP applications must follow updated salary guidelines. If you need to renew your EP and it expires after June 30, 2025, you will also have to meet these new requirements.
The old salary rules, released in May 2023, will still apply to initial EP applications until December 31, 2024. For renewals, the current rules will stay in place for passes expiring between September 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.
To get an EP under the COMPASS 1 (C1) salary criteria, you must earn at least as much as the 65th percentile of local salaries for your job sector.
The COMPASS framework uses a points-based system. Employers need to score at least 40 points to get an EP. If you earn a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD 22,500, you won’t need to follow COMPASS rules.
Candidates must also meet EP qualifying salary thresholds: SGD 5,000 per month for general sectors and SGD 5,500 for financial services, which increase with age.
What You Need to Know
Starting January 1, 2025, the qualifying salaries will change to SGD 5,600 for general sectors and SGD 6,200 for financial services. For renewals, this will start from January 1, 2026.
These updates might make it harder for companies to find foreign workers for senior roles. It may also limit entry-level jobs for foreign talent.
The changes could make the job market more competitive for foreign professionals in Singapore. Companies may prefer hiring Singaporeans for entry and mid-level positions, making it tougher for foreign workers to start their careers here. To get an EP, you’ll need higher qualifications, experience, and salary.