Key facts at a glance
Passing score
40 points
Across 4 foundational + 2 bonus criteria
Minimum salary, entry level
S$5,600/mo
S$6,200/mo financial services, rises to S$6,000/S$6,600 in 2027
High-salary exemption
S$22,500/mo
No COMPASS assessment above this
Here's the answer before the mechanics: an Employment Pass application in Singapore needs to clear 40 points under COMPASS (the Complementarity Assessment Framework), MOM's points-based scoring system, and it needs a fixed monthly salary of at least S$5,600 (S$6,200 for financial services) at entry level just to be eligible to apply. That floor is unchanged for 2026, and it rises to S$6,000 (S$6,600 financial services) for new applications from 1 January 2027. What did change on 1 January 2026 is COMPASS itself: refreshed salary benchmarks, revised qualification lists, and an updated Shortage Occupation List that dropped several tech roles. Salary alone was never the whole story, and it is less of it now.
This is a different question entirely from whether an Employment Pass holder pays CPF once hired (they don't, see our CPF guide). COMPASS decides whether MOM grants the pass at all; CPF only becomes relevant once you're already employed and being paid.
See what an EP-eligible salary actually nets after tax.
Open the Singapore Salary CalculatorHow the 40-point COMPASS score is built
COMPASS scores an Employment Pass application across six criteria, four foundational and two bonus. You need 40 points in total to pass:
| Criterion | Possible points | Assessed on |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | 0, 10, or 20 | Relative to the 65th and 90th percentile of local PMET salaries in your sector |
| Qualifications | 0, 10, or 20 | Degree-equivalent qualification from a recognised institution |
| Diversity | 0, 10, or 20 | Based on your nationality's existing share of the firm's EP workforce |
| Support for local employment | 0, 10, or 20 | Based on the firm's track record on fair hiring and local PMET headcount |
| Skills bonus (SOL) | 0 or 20 (bonus) | Job is on the Shortage Occupation List |
| Strategic economic priorities | 0 or 20 (bonus) | Employer is endorsed under a MOM-recognised economic priority |
The two bonus criteria (Skills Bonus and Strategic Economic Priorities) can push a score above what the four foundational criteria alone would produce, which is how an application with an average salary score can still clear 40 points overall.
The salary thresholds for 2026 and 2027, and how the salary criterion is actually scored
The minimum qualifying fixed monthly salary for a new Employment Pass application is S$5,600 for most sectors and S$6,200 for financial services, a sector MOM has long held to a higher bar given typical compensation levels there. These figures have been in force since 1 January 2025 and did not change in 2026. Both are entry-level benchmarks: they step up with the candidate's age, reaching S$11,500/month (S$12,700 for financial services) at age 45 and above. This is a floor, not the score itself: falling below it means your application isn't eligible to be assessed at all.
MOM announced the next step on 17 February 2026. From 1 January 2027, the entry-level floor rises to S$6,000 for most sectors and S$6,600 for financial services, applying to new applications. Renewals follow a year later, from 1 January 2028. Anything filed before those dates is assessed against the current floors, so a candidate sitting between S$5,600 and S$6,000 has a genuine reason to get the application in during 2026 rather than early 2027.
| Sector | Entry level, now | Entry level, from 1 Jan 2027 | Age 45 and above |
|---|---|---|---|
| All sectors except financial services | S$5,600/mo | S$6,000/mo | S$11,500/mo |
| Financial services | S$6,200/mo | S$6,600/mo | S$12,700/mo |
Within COMPASS, the salary criterion is scored relative to your sector's local PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) salary distribution, not against the flat minimum. Meeting or exceeding the 65th percentile of local PMET pay in your sector and age band earns 10 points; meeting or exceeding the 90th percentile earns the full 20 points. A salary that clears the S$5,600 floor but sits below your sector's 65th percentile still scores 0 on this criterion, making the other five criteria carry more weight toward the 40-point total.
What actually changed under COMPASS on 1 January 2026
Because the qualifying salary floor stayed put, it's easy to assume nothing moved for 2026. Three of the six COMPASS criteria were re-cut, and all three can lower a score on an otherwise identical application:
C1, salary benchmarks: refreshed against 2025 local PMET salary survey data. Since the benchmarks track a rising market, a candidate whose salary held flat year on year can slip from 20 points to 10, or from 10 to 0, without anything about the offer changing.
C2, qualifications: MOM revised the lists of recognised institutions and qualifications used to award points, so an institution that scored last year is worth rechecking rather than assuming.
C5, Shortage Occupation List: the change with the sharpest edge for tech hiring. Several technology roles came off the list, including Cyber Risk Specialist, Cybersecurity Operations Specialist, and Product Manager (Digital), while healthcare roles were added. Any application that was relying on the 20-point C5 bonus to reach 40 needs re-scoring, because that bonus may simply no longer be there.
Renewals face the new criteria from 1 July 2026, not immediately
A common point of confusion: the 1 January 2026 changes apply to new applications straight away, but existing Employment Pass holders renewing their pass aren't assessed against the updated benchmarks until their pass expires on or after 1 July 2026. If your EP renewal falls before that date, you're assessed against the prior year's criteria, not the 2026 update, giving current holders a longer runway to plan around a renewal that might otherwise be tighter under the new thresholds.
Clearing COMPASS is eligibility, not a pay benchmark
Passing COMPASS at 40 points confirms MOM will grant the pass; it says nothing about whether the salary itself is competitive for the role or the market. Two candidates can both clear 40 points on very different salaries, one scoring heavily on qualifications and local-employment support, the other on a top-quartile salary alone.
Once you know the offer clears the eligibility bar, check what it actually nets you after Income Tax, and what it would cost your employer including SDL and other obligations, on the Singapore Employer Cost of Hiring Calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the COMPASS framework?
COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) is MOM's points-based system for evaluating Employment Pass applications and renewals. Instead of salary being the only proxy for a candidate's quality, COMPASS scores an application across four foundational criteria (salary, qualifications, workforce diversity, and support for local employment) plus two bonus criteria, and requires a minimum total of 40 points to pass.
What is the minimum EP salary threshold for 2026?
S$5,600 per month for most sectors, and S$6,200 per month for financial services. These are entry-level (roughly age 23) floors that have been in force since 1 January 2025 and are unchanged for 2026; both rise with the candidate's age, reaching S$11,500/month (S$12,700 for financial services) at age 45 and above. Clearing the floor only makes you eligible to be assessed, it doesn't guarantee a pass, since the salary criterion within COMPASS is separately scored against sector benchmarks.
Is the Employment Pass minimum salary going up in 2027?
Yes. MOM announced on 17 February 2026 that the entry-level minimum qualifying salary rises from S$5,600 to S$6,000 per month for most sectors, and from S$6,200 to S$6,600 for financial services. The new floor applies to new Employment Pass applications submitted from 1 January 2027, and to renewals from 1 January 2028. Applications lodged before 1 January 2027 are assessed against the current S$5,600/S$6,200 floors, and anyone renewing before 31 December 2027 stays on the current floor too, so there is a real timing advantage to filing early if a candidate sits between the two thresholds.
What actually changed under COMPASS on 1 January 2026?
The minimum qualifying salary did not change; the COMPASS scoring inputs did. MOM refreshed the C1 salary benchmarks using 2025 salary survey data, revised the C2 recognised-qualifications lists, and updated the C5 Shortage Occupation List. The SOL update matters most for tech hiring: several technology roles were removed, including Cyber Risk Specialist, Cybersecurity Operations Specialist, and Product Manager (Digital), while healthcare roles were added. A candidate who scored 20 points on C1 or picked up the C5 bonus last year can score lower this year on an unchanged salary.
How does COMPASS score the salary criterion specifically?
Your fixed monthly salary is compared against the 65th and 90th percentile of local PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) salaries in your specific sector and age band. Meeting or exceeding the 65th percentile earns 10 points; meeting or exceeding the 90th percentile earns the full 20 points. Falling below the 65th percentile earns 0 points on this criterion, which makes reaching 40 points overall harder even if you score well elsewhere.
Is COMPASS the same thing as the CPF rules for Employment Pass holders?
No, they're entirely different mechanisms at different stages. COMPASS determines whether MOM will approve your Employment Pass application or renewal in the first place, it's an eligibility gate. CPF (Central Provident Fund) is a payroll deduction question that only matters once you're already employed, and for EP holders the CPF answer is always 0%, regardless of your COMPASS score. A high COMPASS score gets you the pass; it has no bearing on payroll deductions once you're working.
Who is exempt from COMPASS?
Candidates with a fixed monthly salary of S$22,500 or above are exempt from the COMPASS assessment entirely and clear on the Stage 1 salary check alone. Two other narrow exemptions apply: intra-corporate transferees under applicable trade agreements, and roles lasting one month or less. The S$22,500 high-salary exemption is the one most applicants will encounter.
When do the 2026 COMPASS changes take effect?
Updated C1 salary benchmarks, C2 qualification lists, and the C5 Shortage Occupation List apply to all new Employment Pass applications from 1 January 2026. For renewals, the updated criteria apply to passes expiring on or after 1 July 2026, giving existing EP holders a longer runway before the refreshed benchmarks affect their renewal.
Does passing COMPASS mean my salary is competitive, or just eligible?
Just eligible. COMPASS is a regulatory pass/fail gate at 40 points, not a benchmark for what a competitive Singapore salary looks like. A candidate can clear 40 points with a below-median offer by scoring well on qualifications, diversity, and local-employment support criteria instead. Check your actual take-home and how your offer compares to the market separately.
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