Singapore work passes explained: Employment Pass, S Pass and Work Permit

There is no single "Singapore work visa." The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) issues different passes depending on how much you earn, how skilled the role is, and which sector you work in. Getting the category right matters, because the salary thresholds, quotas and application routes are different for each. A work pass is also separate from the short-stay visit visa (Form 14A) that tourists need — that one is issued by ICA and is what this site mainly helps with.

One thing is consistent across almost every work pass: your employer (or an appointed agent) applies for you, not you yourself. The figures below are the levels MOM published as of 2026; they are reviewed regularly, so treat them as a guide and confirm the current numbers on mom.gov.sg before you rely on them.

The Employment Pass is for foreign professionals, managers and executives. It carries the highest salary bar: a fixed monthly salary from around S$5,600 (and roughly S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age so that a candidate in their mid-40s is benchmarked considerably higher. There is no quota on EP holders, but approval also runs through COMPASS — a points framework that scores the salary, qualifications, the diversity of the employer's workforce and how it supports local hiring.

Because COMPASS weighs the employer's profile, two candidates with identical pay can get different outcomes. The employer applies through MOM; processing is usually around three weeks.

The S Pass covers mid-skilled staff such as technicians and associate professionals. The minimum salary is lower than the EP (around S$3,300, and more in financial services), but the S Pass comes with two strings the EP does not have: a quota, expressed as a dependency ratio ceiling that limits how many foreign workers a firm can hire relative to its local staff, and a monthly levy the employer pays. Again, the employer lodges the application.

The Work Permit is for semi-skilled workers in approved sectors — construction, marine shipyard, process, manufacturing and services. It is the most tightly managed pass: employers are bound by sector quotas, levies and, for some sectors, rules about which source countries workers may come from. It is built around employer sponsorship rather than individual application.

A few passes sit outside the standard employee route. The EntrePass is for entrepreneurs starting and running a venture-backed or innovative business in Singapore. The ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass) targets very high earners and standout talent and, unusually, is not tied to a single employer. The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is for high-earning EP holders or overseas professionals who want a pass that stays with them between jobs. Each has its own threshold and conditions on mom.gov.sg.

For most passes the employer or an appointed employment agent submits the application through MOM's online portal. If it is approved, MOM issues an In-Principle Approval (IPA); the worker then travels in and completes pass issuance, including registration and a card. Application and issuance fees apply per pass and are paid by the employer.

If you are moving to Singapore to work, the practical first step is to line up the employer who will sponsor the pass and confirm which category your salary and role fit — MOM's pages are the authority on the exact thresholds. We do not file work passes; that is the employer's job through MOM. What we do handle is the short-stay visit visa, so if you are coming briefly first — for interviews or to set things up — and your nationality needs one, we can prepare that.