What Are the New Singapore Work Pass Rules for 2027?

If you are working in Singapore, planning to move here, hiring foreign talent, or considering bringing your family to Singapore, the work-pass landscape is changing.

The changes are not limited to COMPASS.

Singapore is raising the salary thresholds for Employment Pass and S Pass holders, introducing a new ONE Pass AI & Tech track, replacing Tech.Pass, expanding access to selected migrant workers through the Non-Traditional Source Occupation List, and changing the Work Permit levy framework.

The broader direction is clear: Singapore wants to remain open to international talent, but it is becoming increasingly selective about which skills, occupations and levels of talent it wants to attract.

Here are the major changes to know.

At a glance: What is changing?

The salary increases for EP and S Pass applications have already been announced by MOM. They apply to new applications from 1 January 2027, while the corresponding renewal changes apply to passes expiring from 1 January 2028. (Ministry of Manpower)

Employment Pass salary threshold is going up

This is probably the most immediately relevant change for foreign professionals.

Singapore regularly reviews the EP qualifying salary against local PMET wage levels.

The current minimum qualifying salary for most sectors is:

S$5,600 per month

From 1 January 2027, it will increase to:

S$6,000 per month

For financial services, the threshold will rise from:

S$6,200 → S$6,600 per month

But there is an important detail that is easy to miss.

The EP salary requirement is age-adjusted.

That means S$6,000 is not necessarily the salary you need if you are an older professional.

For non-financial-services roles, the threshold rises progressively with age and reaches:

S$11,500 for candidates aged 45 and above

from January 2027.

For financial services, the corresponding figure will reach:

S$12,700 for candidates aged 45 and above.

(Ministry of Manpower)

Current vs 2027 EP thresholds

These are minimum qualifying salaries, not guaranteed approval thresholds. An EP applicant generally must also pass COMPASS, unless exempted. (Ministry of Manpower)

What does this mean for foreign professionals?

If you are planning a move to Singapore in 2027, don't simply look at whether your salary exceeds S$6,000.

If you are an experienced professional in your late 30s or 40s, the relevant threshold can be substantially higher.

This is particularly important for people relocating to Singapore with 15–20 years of experience.

COMPASS remains an important part of the EP system

The increase in the salary threshold does not mean COMPASS is going away.

For most EP applicants, there are effectively two stages:

Stage 1

Meet the age- and sector-adjusted qualifying salary.

Stage 2

Pass the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS), unless exempted.

COMPASS evaluates factors including:

• Salary
• Qualifications
• Diversity within the employer's workforce
• Support for local employment
• Shortage occupations
• Strategic economic priorities

An EP application generally needs 40 points to pass.

There are exemptions, including candidates earning at least S$22,500 fixed monthly salary, certain intra-corporate transferees and roles lasting one month or less. (Ministry of Manpower)

S Pass salary threshold rises to S$3,600

The S Pass is also becoming more selective.

The current minimum qualifying salary starts at:

S$3,300 per month

From 1 January 2027, it increases to:

S$3,600 per month

This applies to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028. (Ministry of Manpower)

The S Pass threshold is also age-adjusted.

And unlike the EP, the S Pass has an additional employer-side constraint:

quota + levy.

So an employer may have a candidate who meets the salary requirement but still be unable to hire that person if the company does not have sufficient S Pass quota.

Another change to watch

MOM has indicated that, depending on economic conditions and wage growth, the S Pass minimum qualifying salary could reach approximately:

S$4,000–S$4,500 by around 2030.

That is an expectation rather than a fixed future threshold, so it should not be treated as a confirmed 2030 salary requirement. (Ministry of Manpower)

Singapore is creating a new ONE Pass specifically for AI and technology talent

This is one of the most interesting changes in the entire work-pass system.

Singapore introduced the Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass) in 2023 for what MOM describes as pinnacle talent.

In January 2027, Singapore will introduce a new:

ONE Pass (AI & Tech)

This will replace the existing Tech.Pass.

The objective is to strengthen Singapore's position as a global hub for AI and technology talent. (Ministry of Manpower)

The new route is aimed at senior technology talent rather than ordinary software or IT professionals.

The announced criteria include a compensation requirement of:

S$30,000 per month

with an important change in how compensation can be counted.

Equity compensation will play a bigger role for senior tech talent

One of the interesting aspects of the new AI & Tech ONE Pass is that Singapore recognises that senior technology professionals may not receive all of their compensation as cash salary.

The new framework allows qualifying candidates to meet the ONE Pass salary criterion through a combination of:

• Fixed salary
• Certain qualifying non-cash compensation

including qualifying vested equity components such as ESOP and ESOW.

However, the announced framework still includes a S$22,500 fixed monthly salary component alongside the broader S$30,000 compensation criterion.

There are also experience and company requirements.

The new route is intended for senior AI and technology:

• Founders
• C-suite leaders
• Technical leaders
• Industry experts

rather than simply anyone working in technology.

(Ministry of Manpower)

Tech.Pass is being phased out

If you have been researching Singapore's technology work passes, you may have come across Tech.Pass.

There is now an important deadline.

From:

28 January 2027

Singapore will stop accepting:

• New Tech.Pass applications
• Tech.Pass renewal applications

Existing Tech.Pass holders will be able to remain until their existing passes expire, subject to the applicable rules.

The new ONE Pass AI & Tech track is effectively becoming the successor pathway for qualifying senior technology talent. (Ministry of Manpower)

For anyone currently holding Tech.Pass or considering it, this is a date worth remembering.

The Non-Traditional Source Occupation List is expanding

Not all work-pass changes are about highly paid professionals.

Singapore is also adjusting its policies for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

The Non-Traditional Source Occupation List (NTS-OL) allows businesses to hire workers from additional source countries for selected occupations where there are challenges in attracting locals.

From September 2026, MOM is adding eight occupations across:

• Food services
• Social services
• Air transportation

The expansion includes additional food-and-beverage roles.

This is particularly relevant for businesses that depend on frontline workers but may find it increasingly difficult to meet S Pass salary requirements. (Ministry of Manpower)

Why this is significant

Singapore is therefore pursuing two policies simultaneously:

At the professional level: raise salary thresholds and improve selectivity.

At the non-PMET level: provide targeted access to foreign workers where specific industries continue to face manpower shortages.

That is a more targeted approach than simply reducing or increasing foreign-worker numbers across the board.

Work Permit levy framework will change in 2028

The Work Permit system is another area undergoing reform.

Singapore currently has a complex levy structure.

MOM says the existing framework has evolved to 24 different levy rates and tiers.

The government plans to simplify this structure.

For the Manufacturing and Services sectors, the bottom two levy tiers will be combined.

For the Marine Shipyard and Process sectors, levy rates will gradually be aligned more closely with the Construction sector.

The revised levy schedule will take effect from 2028.

(Ministry of Manpower)

Why employers should care

For companies employing significant numbers of Work Permit holders, the levy is a direct labour cost.

Therefore, changes to levy rates can influence:

• Hiring decisions
• Workforce composition
• Automation investment
• Job redesign
• Training
• Productivity initiatives

MOM has said it is giving businesses advance notice so that they have time to plan.

Singapore is also trying to attract higher-quality Work Permit talent

The Work Permit system is not simply about controlling numbers.

MOM has said Singapore will continue to support businesses in accessing higher-quality Work Permit holders.

The government is also looking at how employers can identify higher-skilled workers who may qualify for lower levies within the revised framework.

This fits into a wider productivity strategy:

fewer constraints on businesses that genuinely need foreign manpower, but stronger incentives for companies to improve productivity and workforce quality. (Ministry of Manpower)

The 5-year Employment Pass remains an important route for selected tech professionals

Another change that can easily get lost among the bigger announcements is the continued availability of a 5-year EP for qualifying experienced technology professionals in selected shortage occupations.

This is not a new pass.

It is an enhanced duration available to qualifying EP candidates whose roles fall within specified shortage occupations and who meet the relevant requirements.

The salary threshold is substantially higher than the standard EP threshold.

For example, the current threshold begins at S$10,700 for candidates aged 36 and below and increases with age.

The framework also changes in 2027.

For qualifying applications from 2027, the salary range starts at approximately:

S$11,500

and rises with age.

(Ministry of Manpower)

For senior technology professionals, this can be an important distinction:

a standard EP and a 5-year EP are not the same thing.

The latter comes with additional requirements linked to shortage occupations and the candidate's qualifications/experience.

What about the Personalized Employment Pass?

The Personalized Employment Pass (PEP) has not been replaced by these changes.

It remains a route for qualifying high-earning professionals who want greater employment flexibility than a conventional EP.

The current qualifying salary is:

S$22,500 per month.

The PEP allows eligible holders to change jobs without applying for a new work pass each time and provides a period to look for a new employer if they become unemployed.

However, the PEP is not an entrepreneurship pass.

This distinction is important when comparing it with ONE Pass.

PEP vs ONE Pass

The two passes therefore serve different purposes even though both provide considerably more flexibility than a conventional EP.

What these changes mean if you are considering moving to Singapore

The most important point is that Singapore is not closing the door to foreign talent.

The system is becoming more differentiated.

For a young or mid-career professional, the EP remains the main route.

But the salary bar is rising.

For experienced professionals, the age-adjusted salary requirement becomes increasingly important.

For employers, COMPASS means the candidate's application is considered in the context of the company's workforce.

For highly paid global talent, Singapore continues to offer special routes such as PEP and ONE Pass.

For AI and technology leaders, the government is actually creating a new specialized pathway.

And for sectors dependent on skilled and semi-skilled workers, the government is adjusting Work Permit and NTS policies rather than applying the same rules across every industry.

If you are over 40, pay particular attention to the salary thresholds

This deserves its own section because it is easy to miss.

Singapore's EP qualifying salary is age-adjusted.

So an experienced professional cannot simply look at:

"EP salary = S$6,000."

That is the minimum for the youngest qualifying candidates from 2027 in most sectors.

For someone aged 45 or above, the 2027 threshold in most sectors will be:

S$11,500

and in financial services:

S$12,700.

(Ministry of Manpower)

This means professionals considering a Singapore relocation later in their careers should assess the relevant age-adjusted threshold before assuming that a particular salary offer will qualify.

What employers should be preparing for

Employers hiring foreign talent should not wait until January 2027 to review their workforce.

Companies may want to examine:

A simple timeline

(Ministry of Manpower)