Singapore Employment Pass
The Employment Pass is Singapore's work pass for foreign professionals, managers, and executives.
Visa needs: USD 4,200/monthTypical budget: ≈ USD 3,400/mo
Move to Singapore
Asia's cleanest launchpad: English-speaking, high salaries, and a work pass that rewards skill over seniority.
High-bar, high-reward: bring a real offer and the city pays you well; try to wing it and the salary floor stops you at the door.
Can I get a visa?
Singapore’s main routes. Open one for the full requirements, fees and application steps.
Full visa guide
What will it cost?
Typical monthly budget for one person: USD 2,800-4,000/mo for one person.
See the full dated cost tablesWhere will I live?
A first shortlist. Rents are asking prices per square metre per month.
Tiong Bahru
Creative professionals, media and design workers, young expat couples.
Holland Village
Expat families and long-stay professionals who want a village feel: landed homes, low-rise condos, and the Holland V food and bar strip.
Tanjong Pagar
Finance and tech workers who want to walk to the office.
Queenstown
Young professionals and first-time expat renters balancing price with centrality.
Schools and healthcare
Tanglin Trust School
British (IGCSE), then A Level or IB Diploma in Sixth Form
United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA)
International Baccalaureate (PYP through DP)
Singapore American School
American curriculum with Advanced Placement
How care works
Singapore's healthcare is excellent and expensive.
Moving there
Sea freight to the Port of Singapore is the default for household moves. All imports pay 9% GST on the CIF value (cost, insurance, freight), the rate since 1 January 2024.
8-12 weeks before
get mover quotes, confirm your building's delivery rules, and start the GST relief paperwork with your customs agent.
6-9 weeks before
container departs (UK/Europe full container); groupage can take 9-14 weeks door to door.
Before arrival
GST relief approval must be in place before the goods land.
On arrival
customs clearance, delivery to your condo's loading bay, and tenancy stamping with IRAS.
Tools to plan your move
Three interactive tools, kept on their own pages.
Get help with the move
Verified partners in Singapore
Immigration lawyers
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Frequently asked questions
What is COMPASS and what score do I need?
COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) is the points test most Employment Pass applications must pass on top of the salary floor. You need at least 40 points across four foundational criteria (salary vs sector benchmark, qualifications, workforce diversity, support for local employment, each scoring 0, 10, or 20) plus two bonus criteria (Shortage Occupation List skills bonus and strategic economic priorities). Exempt if your fixed monthly salary is USD 16,800 or more, or for intra-corporate transferees and postings of one month or less.
What is the Employment Pass salary floor in 2026?
USD 4,200 a month for most sectors and USD 4,600 in financial services, rising with age to about USD 8,000 at 45+ (USD 8,800 in financial services). MOM has announced the next step: USD 4,500 and USD 4,900 from 1 January 2027. Meeting the floor is necessary but not sufficient: you still need 40 COMPASS points.
Can my family join me in Singapore?
If you earn at least USD 4,500 fixed monthly salary on an EP or S Pass, your legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 get a Dependant's Pass. Common-law spouses, stepchildren, and handicapped children 21+ use the Long-Term Visit Pass at the same USD 4,500 threshold; parents need USD 8,900. Dependant Pass holders need their own work pass (or a Letter of Consent route) to work.
Can I rent an HDB flat as a foreigner?
Yes, with conditions. The landlord must be a Singapore citizen who has completed the 5-year minimum occupation period, needs HDB approval before the tenancy starts, and the minimum tenancy is 6 months. A non-citizen quota applies (8% at neighbourhood level, 11% at block level), and you need a valid pass with at least 6 months' validity. Private condos are simpler: no approval needed, 3-month minimum lease.
How do I get permanent residency?
The main route is the Professional, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) scheme: hold an EP or S Pass and be working in Singapore. ICA asks for 6 months of payslips, and most people apply after 1-2 years of stable employment. Processing averages 6-9 months. PR brings job flexibility, MediShield Life, and access to HDB resale flats, plus a path to citizenship.
What does the Employment Pass cost and how long does it take?
MOM charges USD 78 to apply and USD 170 to issue, normally paid by the employer. Most applications are decided within 10 business days. The first pass is issued for up to 2 years, renewals for up to 3 years. Changing employer means a fresh application.
Is the S Pass an easier alternative?
The S Pass is for mid-skilled roles with a lower floor (USD 2,500 general, USD 2,800 financial services in 2026, rising with age to USD 3,600/USD 4,200), but it comes with an employer quota (10-15% of the workforce), a USD 480 monthly levy paid by the employer, and a scheduled step-up in the floor. Most S Pass holders cannot sponsor family, since the Dependant's Pass needs USD 4,500.
Can I live in Singapore and work remotely for a foreign company?
Not on a dedicated visa: Singapore has no digital nomad visa. Remote workers generally need an Employment Pass tied to a Singapore entity or the ONE Pass (USD 22,400 a month). If EU-based remote work is the goal instead, Spain's digital nomad visa (about USD 3,100 a month in 2026, 200% of the Spanish minimum wage) is the established alternative, and it opens a path to long-term EU residency.