Two distinct stages
First meet the Singapore EP qualifying salary, benchmarked to the top third of local PMET salaries by age. Then obtain at least 40 COMPASS points unless exempt. Failing stage 1 makes the candidate ineligible regardless of COMPASS points. Employers and agents should check the enhanced Self-Assessment Tool (SAT), and new applications remain subject to FCF advertising. Fast-growing technology companies expanding to Singapore and the region may separately explore Tech@SG.
Salary by age: non-financial sectors
Use the candidate’s age-specific fixed monthly salary, not only the headline minimum. The first column applies to new applications before 1 January 2027 and renewals expiring before 1 January 2028. The next column applies from those respective dates. These are stage-1 amounts, not sector percentile scores under C1.
| Age | Before 2027 new applications / 2028-expiry renewals | From 2027 new applications / 2028-expiry renewals |
|---|---|---|
| 23 or below | $5,600 | $6,000 |
| 24 | $5,832 | $6,250 |
| 25 | $6,064 | $6,500 |
| 26 | $6,295 | $6,750 |
| 27 | $6,527 | $7,000 |
| 28 | $6,759 | $7,250 |
| 29 | $6,991 | $7,500 |
| 30 | $7,223 | $7,750 |
| 31 | $7,455 | $8,000 |
| 32 | $7,686 | $8,250 |
| 33 | $7,918 | $8,500 |
| 34 | $8,150 | $8,750 |
| 35 | $8,382 | $9,000 |
| 36 | $8,614 | $9,250 |
| 37 | $8,845 | $9,500 |
| 38 | $9,077 | $9,750 |
| 39 | $9,309 | $10,000 |
| 40 | $9,541 | $10,250 |
| 41 | $9,773 | $10,500 |
| 42 | $10,005 | $10,750 |
| 43 | $10,236 | $11,000 |
| 44 | $10,468 | $11,250 |
| 45 or above | $10,700 | $11,500 |
Salary by age: financial services
Use the candidate’s age-specific fixed monthly salary, not only the headline minimum. The first column applies to new applications before 1 January 2027 and renewals expiring before 1 January 2028. The next column applies from those respective dates. These are stage-1 amounts, not sector percentile scores under C1.
| Age | Before 2027 new applications / 2028-expiry renewals | From 2027 new applications / 2028-expiry renewals |
|---|---|---|
| 23 or below | $6,200 | $6,600 |
| 24 | $6,455 | $6,877 |
| 25 | $6,709 | $7,155 |
| 26 | $6,964 | $7,432 |
| 27 | $7,218 | $7,709 |
| 28 | $7,473 | $7,986 |
| 29 | $7,727 | $8,264 |
| 30 | $7,982 | $8,541 |
| 31 | $8,236 | $8,818 |
| 32 | $8,491 | $9,095 |
| 33 | $8,745 | $9,373 |
| 34 | $9,000 | $9,650 |
| 35 | $9,255 | $9,927 |
| 36 | $9,509 | $10,205 |
| 37 | $9,764 | $10,482 |
| 38 | $10,018 | $10,759 |
| 39 | $10,273 | $11,036 |
| 40 | $10,527 | $11,314 |
| 41 | $10,782 | $11,591 |
| 42 | $11,036 | $11,868 |
| 43 | $11,291 | $12,145 |
| 44 | $11,545 | $12,423 |
| 45 or above | $11,800 | $12,700 |
C1: salary compared with sector peers
C1 is separate from the qualifying salary: it compares fixed pay with local PMET salary benchmarks in the relevant sector. At or above the 90th percentile earns 20 points; from the 65th to below the 90th earns 10; below the 65th earns zero. A zero C1 score is not necessarily failure if stage 1 is met and other criteria provide 40 points.
C2: qualifications and verification
Twenty points apply to degree-equivalent qualifications from the top 100 QS universities and other highly reputed Asian universities, Singapore autonomous universities, and highly recognised specialist institutions endorsed by a relevant agency. Other recognised degree-equivalent or agency-endorsed professional qualifications receive 10 points; foreign degrees awarded by local private education institutions may be considered under the applicable PEI criteria. Foreign degree equivalence is assessed against a UK bachelor’s degree, referring to recognition bodies such as UK ENIC. No equivalent qualification earns zero, but the candidate may still pass from other criteria. Submit qualifications and verification evidence only when their points are needed. Lists are reviewed annually.
C3: diversity
For at least 25 PMETs, the candidate’s nationality share below 5% earns 20 points, 5% to below 25% earns 10, and at least 25% earns zero. Fewer than 25 PMETs receives 10 by default. Nationality, including permanent residents’ nationality, follows passport information in government records. Workforce Insights on myMOM Portal shows the relevant profile.
C4: support for local employment
For organisations with at least 25 PMETs, local PMET share at or above the sector’s 50th percentile earns 20, the 20th to below 50th earns 10, and below 20th earns zero. Fewer than 25 PMETs receives 10 by default. If the local share is at least 70%, score at least 10 regardless of sector position. Workforce Insights provides sector and local-share comparisons.
C5: shortage-occupation bonus
An eligible SOL job earns 20 points where the nationality share is below one third, or 10 where it is at least one third. The actual duties must match the shortage occupation and the application must select an eligible job title. Additional job requirements are checked where the bonus is needed to pass COMPASS or to obtain a five-year technology Singapore EP; MOM checks duties, experience and qualifications or accreditation. Consult the SOL Employer Guide. A holder who needed the bonus to pass or gain extended duration is restricted to the specified shortage occupation. Notify MOM before redeployment so the new role can be assessed. Other holders also notify occupation changes but do not have this particular restriction.
C6: strategic economic priorities
An eligible programme gives 10 SEP points. It recognises firms undertaking investment, innovation or internationalisation with economic agencies, or NTUC-endorsed company/workforce transformation. Supporting agencies decide awards, MOM notifies the firm and SAT reflects the bonus. Validity is at most three years or participation duration, whichever is shorter. At renewal, the agency reassesses continued participation and requires at least 10 points each in C3 and C4 in every one of the preceding three months.
COMPASS exemptions and assessment tools
Exemption applies for fixed monthly salary at least S$22,500, a qualifying overseas intra-corporate transferee, or a role lasting one month or less. Use the COMPASS guidebook for framework and submission guidance, SAT to assess the individual application, and Workforce Insights for C3/C4 scores, sector salary/non-monetary benefit benchmarks, workforce planning and human-capital resources.
Four scoring examples
A-1 is a professional-services marketing consultancy: local share at its sector’s 40th percentile, candidate nationality share 15%, a non-top-tier bachelor’s degree and salary at the 70th percentile. All four foundational scores are 10, giving 40. A-2 is a biomedical medtech startup with 15 PMETs, an operations manager with a non-top-tier degree and salary at the 70th percentile: C1/C2 are 10 and small-firm C3/C4 each default to 10, again 40.
Examples B and C: balancing weak criteria
In B, a bank’s local share is at its sector’s 40th percentile, the management associate’s nationality share is 3%, the degree is not top-tier and salary is at the 60th percentile. C1 is zero, C2 is 10, C3 is 20 and C4 is 10: 40. In C, a software firm has local share at its sector’s 10th percentile and candidate nationality share 35%. An SOL candidate with a non-top-tier master’s degree and salary at the 95th percentile scores C1 20, C2 10, C3/C4 zero and SOL 10 because nationality share is at least one third: 40. These examples concern COMPASS only; the qualifying salary must still be met.
Official source
Written independently from official MOM source material.