EP COMPASS Calculator: Employment Pass Points and Salary Check
Basic pay plus fixed allowances; not bonuses or variable pay.
Stage 1, qualifying salary: S$7,223
S$7,500 clears it by S$277. The minimum rises with age from 23 to 45.
Stage 2, COMPASS points
Four core criteria worth up to 20 points each, plus two bonuses. 40 points passes.
C1Salary vs local PMETs in the sector
10 ptsBenchmarks depend on sector and age. Check MOM's C1 salary benchmarks.
C2Qualifications
10 ptsTop-tier: e.g. a top 100 QS-ranked university or a Singapore autonomous university.
C5Bonus: Shortage Occupation List
0 ptsC6Bonus: Strategic Economic Priorities
0 ptsFrom 1 January 2027 the minimum for new applications rises to S$6,000 for an EP (S$6,600 in financial services) and S$3,600 for an S Pass (S$4,000), going up with age. Renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028 follow the new levels. This is a self-check; MOM's decision is final.
Employment Pass check
40 points
pass mark 40
- Qualifying salary
- S$7,223
- Offered salary
- S$7,500
- C1 salary + C2 qualifications
- 20 pts
- C3 diversity + C4 local hiring
- 20 pts
- C5 + C6 bonuses
- 0 pts
How this works
An Employment Pass has two stages. Stage 1 is the qualifying salary: for new applications before 1 January 2027 it is S$5,600 a month at age 23 or below, rising with age to S$10,700 at 45 and above (S$6,200 to S$11,800 in financial services). From 1 January 2027 new applications need S$6,000 to S$11,500 (S$6,600 to S$12,700 in financial services); renewals move to the new levels for passes expiring from 1 January 2028.
Stage 2 is COMPASS, which needs 40 points. Four core criteria score 0, 10 or 20 each: C1 salary against local PMET salaries in the sector (65th and 90th percentiles), C2 qualifications, C3 the share of the candidate's nationality among the firm's PMETs, and C4 the firm's local PMET share against its sector. Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs get 10 points on C3 and C4 by default. Bonuses: C5 adds 20 points (10 if the nationality makes up a third or more of PMETs) for jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, and C6 adds 10 for firms in eligible Strategic Economic Priorities programmes.
Candidates on a fixed monthly salary of S$22,500 or more are exempt from COMPASS. The S Pass has no COMPASS: its qualifying salary is S$3,300 at age 23 or below rising to S$4,800 at 45 (S$3,800 to S$5,650 in financial services), going up to S$3,600 and S$4,000 at the bottom of the scale from 1 January 2027.
FAQs
What is the minimum salary for an Employment Pass in 2026?
The EP qualifying salary is S$5,600 a month for candidates aged 23 or below, rising with age to S$10,700 at 45 and above. In financial services it is S$6,200 to S$11,800. A 30-year-old needs at least S$7,223 (S$7,982 in financial services).
How many points do you need to pass COMPASS?
You need 40 points. A candidate with a degree (10 points) and a salary between the 65th and 90th percentile for the sector (10 points), at a firm with fewer than 25 PMETs (10 + 10 points), scores exactly 40 and passes.
Who is exempt from COMPASS?
Candidates earning a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 are exempt from COMPASS, as are overseas intra-corporate transferees and roles of one month or less. They still need to meet the EP qualifying salary.
What is the S Pass minimum salary?
The S Pass qualifying salary is S$3,300 a month at age 23 or below, rising to S$4,800 at 45 and above (S$3,800 to S$5,650 in financial services). For new applications from 1 January 2027 it rises to S$3,600 (S$4,000 in financial services) at the bottom of the scale.