Not necessarily. No scoring, but a hard quota. Small firms frequently cannot free a slot at all, which makes the EP the more viable route.
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S PASS
The S Pass covers mid-skilled roles and differs from the EP in three fundamental ways: no COMPASS scoring, a quota cap, and a monthly levy. New applications require a fixed monthly salary of S$3,300 (from September 2025), rising to S$3,600 from January 2027, and the floor increases with age. On quota, S Pass holders may make up at most 10% of total workforce in services and 15% in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard and process. The levy has been S$650 per worker per month since 1 September 2025, uniform across sectors and tiers.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum fixed monthly salary (general) | S$3,300 from Sep 2026; S$3,600 from Jan 2027 |
| Minimum fixed monthly salary (financial services) | S$3,800 from Sep 2026; S$4,000 from Jan 2027 |
| New thresholds take effect | New applications 1 Jan 2027; renewals: passes expiring from 1 Jan 2028 |
| Rises with age | From age 23; S$4,800 at 45+ in general sectors (S$5,100 from 2027) |
| Financial services ceiling | S$5,650 at 45+ |
| Points system | None. COMPASS does not apply to the S Pass — salary only |
| Quota (S Pass sub-cap) | Services 10%; construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process 15% |
| Levy | S$650 per worker per month from 1 Sep 2025, all sectors and tiers; S$21.37 per day for part months |
People assume the S Pass is the fallback when an EP is out of reach. They are not two rungs of one ladder — the logic is different.
1. No points system. An EP must clear COMPASS at 40 points across six criteria; the S Pass has no such mechanism. Meet the salary floor and you are eligible. For candidates whose qualifications, sector or employer profile score badly on COMPASS, the S Pass can be the more direct route.
2. It is capped by quota. EP holders do not count against a quota; S Pass holders do. In services, S Pass holders may be at most 10% of total workforce, and 15% elsewhere. That means small firms often cannot hire on an S Pass at all — with five employees in services, 10% is half a slot.
3. It carries a levy. There is no levy on an EP. The S Pass costs S$650 per worker per month, borne by the employer — S$7,800 a year that an EP simply does not incur.
MOM raised the S Pass thresholds in September 2026: for renewals of passes expiring on or after 1 September 2026, and for new applications from that point, general sectors moved from S$3,150 to S$3,300 and financial services from S$3,650 to S$3,800. In other words, new applications and renewals now start from the same figure — the old gap where renewals sat lower has gone.
General sectors: S$3,300.
Financial services: S$3,800.
From January 2027: S$3,600 and S$4,000 respectively.
The floor also rises with age from 23, reaching S$4,800 at 45 and above in general sectors (S$5,100 from 2027). Financial services sits higher throughout, reaching S$5,650 at 45+. The same role therefore costs materially more to staff compliantly with an older candidate.
One further rule mirrors the EP: the January 2027 thresholds apply to new applications from 1 January 2027, but to renewals only where the pass expires on or after 1 January 2028. A renewal falling due during 2027 is still assessed against the current thresholds.
Two layers apply — the sector Dependency Ratio Ceiling for foreign employees overall, then the S Pass sub-cap within it.
| Sector | DRC (foreign employee cap) | S Pass sub-cap |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 83.3% | 15% |
| Process | 83.3% | 15% |
| Marine shipyard | 75% | 15% |
| Manufacturing | 60% | 15% |
| Services | 35% | 10% |
The quota is computed against total workforce, which is itself derived from local headcount. The practical consequence is blunt: to hire one more S Pass holder you generally have to hire more locals first. It is also why a newly formed company can almost never start with an S Pass.
It fits when the role is genuinely mid-skilled, salary sits between roughly S$3,300 and S$5,600, the company already has a local headcount base, and the candidate's qualifications or sector would score poorly on COMPASS.
It does not fit a newly formed small company (the quota yields no slot), a candidate who already clears the EP salary and COMPASS (an EP avoids the levy), or a founder applying for their own pass — founders normally go the EP or EntrePass route.
For the side-by-side of the pass types, see EP, EntrePass or ONE Pass; for COMPASS mechanics, see the EP complete guide.
Not necessarily. No scoring, but a hard quota. Small firms frequently cannot free a slot at all, which makes the EP the more viable route.
S$650 a month, S$7,800 a year, paid by the employer. An EP carries none of this — include it when comparing.
The thresholds rose to S$3,300 in general sectors and S$3,800 in financial services, with new applications and renewals now starting from the same figure. S$3,150 and S$3,650 no longer apply.
It rises with age. Staffing the same role with a 45-year-old costs appreciably more than with a 25-year-old.
We work out the quota first: given your current local headcount, does an S Pass slot exist at all? If it does not, we say so rather than taking a fee and reporting back later. Where a slot is available, we compare total cost against the EP — levy, salary floor and whether COMPASS would clear — as one calculation. See EP & legal pathway assessment.
From September 2026, a fixed monthly salary of S$3,300 in general sectors and S$3,800 in financial services, with new applications and renewals starting from the same figure. The floor rises with age from 23, reaching S$4,800 at 45+ in general sectors and S$5,650 in financial services. From January 2027 these rise to S$3,600 and S$4,000, applying to renewals only where the pass expires from 1 January 2028.
No. COMPASS applies only to the Employment Pass. The S Pass turns on the salary threshold, but is subject to quota and levy.
At most 10% of total workforce in services and 15% in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard and process. Total workforce is derived from local headcount, so fewer locals means fewer S Pass slots.
S$650 per worker per month from 1 September 2025, uniform across sectors and tiers, borne by the employer. Part months are charged at S$21.37 per day.
It depends. The S Pass has no points system but carries quota and levy; the EP has neither but must clear COMPASS at 40 points. A newly formed small company usually cannot free an S Pass slot, which makes the EP more viable.
Sources: MOM (S Pass eligibility and qualifying salary, sector Dependency Ratio Ceilings and S Pass sub-caps, levy rates and effective dates). Verified September 2026; thresholds and levies change, so refer to MOM for the latest. This article is general information and not immigration or legal advice.
Whether the quota yields a slot, what the levy costs, and whether COMPASS would clear: the answer needs all three together. Tell us your team structure and the role's salary and we assess first.
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