Business, Employee Benefits, Medical Insurance
August 30, 2026

Work Visas in Singapore: The Complete 2026 Guide for Expat Employees

Singapore remains one of the world’s most attractive destinations for international professionals. Its strategic location, low corporate tax rates, strong rule of law, and world-class infrastructure make it a natural base for regional careers, entrepreneurial ventures, and senior leadership roles across Asia.

But before any of that begins, you need the right work pass.

Singapore’s work pass system is tiered, structured, and more rigorous than it was even two or three years ago. Salary thresholds have risen, the COMPASS points-based framework has been updated, and new pass categories have been introduced for top-tier global talent. If you are relying on information from 2023 or earlier, there is a good chance it is out of date.

This guide covers every major work pass available in Singapore in 2026, with current salary requirements, key eligibility conditions, and the one thing most visa guides leave out: what to do about insurance the moment your pass is approved.

How Singapore’s Work Pass System Works

Singapore does not have a single work permit. Instead, it operates a tiered work pass system, with different passes designed for different levels of skills, salary, experience, and professional profiles.

For most expatriate professionals working in Singapore, the main passes include the Employment Pass (EP), S Pass, Personalised Employment Pass (PEP), Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass (ONE Pass), and EntrePass. Family members of eligible pass holders may qualify for passes such as the Dependant’s Pass (DP) and Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP).

The application process depends on the type of pass:

Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass: The application must be submitted by the employer or an appointed employment agent on the employer’s behalf.

Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) and ONE Pass: Eligible candidates can apply directly to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), without requiring a specific employer to sponsor the application. These passes also provide greater flexibility to change employers, subject to the applicable requirements.

EntrePass: Eligible entrepreneurs can apply directly for the pass. It is intended for eligible foreign entrepreneurs who want to start and operate a business in Singapore.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is the governing authority for Singapore work passes. Eligibility criteria, salary thresholds, application requirements, and processing procedures may change from time to time. For the latest requirements and application information, refer to the official MOM website at mom.gov.sg.

Work Pass Summary at a Glance

Feature	S Pass	Employment Pass (EP)	PEP	ONE Pass	EntrePass
Best suited for	Skilled and mid-level professionals in eligible roles	Professionals, managers, executives, and specialists taking up a specific role	High earners wanting flexibility to change employers freely	Established global talent seeking maximum flexibility across employers and industries	Entrepreneurs building and operating an eligible business
Salary requirement	From SGD 3,300/month (SGD 3,800 financial services), increasing with age	From SGD 5,600/month (SGD 6,200 financial services), increasing with age	SGD 22,500/month	Generally SGD 30,000/month, or outstanding achievement	No minimum salary
Employer required?	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Who applies?	Employer or appointed agent	Employer or appointed agent	Candidate directly	Candidate, employer, or appointed agent	Entrepreneur directly
Tied to employer?	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Changing employers	New employer must apply for a new S Pass	New employer generally applies for a new EP	Can change without a new pass application	Can change without reapplying	Not applicable, pass is linked to the applicant’s business
Multiple employers	No	No	No	Yes, subject to requirements	Can operate own business
COMPASS required?	No	Yes, generally required	No	No	No
Validity	Up to 2 years initially, up to 3 on renewal	Up to 2 years initially, up to 3 on renewal	Up to 3 years, non-renewable	Up to 5 years, renewable	Up to 2 years initially, renewable subject to requirements

Figures above are a general guide only. Always confirm current thresholds and conditions directly at mom.gov.sg before applying.

Employment Pass (EP)

The Employment Pass is Singapore’s primary work visa for professionals, managers, and executives. It is the most common pass for expats taking up professional or managerial roles with a Singapore-registered employer.

Minimum qualifying salary (2026):

SGD 5,600 per month for most sectors
SGD 6,200 per month for financial services
Salaries scale upward with age: a candidate aged 45 or above must meet SGD 10,700 (most sectors) or SGD 11,800 (financial services)

These salary thresholds apply to new applications from 1 January 2025 and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2026. For new EP applications from 1 January 2027, the qualifying salary increases to SGD 6,000 per month for most sectors and SGD 6,600 per month for financial services, with the threshold continuing to increase progressively with age.

COMPASS: In addition to meeting the minimum salary, all EP applicants must score at least 40 points under the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS). COMPASS evaluates applications across four foundational criteria: salary relative to local peers, qualifications, workforce diversity contribution, and the employer’s local workforce support. Two bonus criteria are also available for shortage occupation roles and EDB-partnered firms. MOM publishes full COMPASS guidance and scoring tables at mom.gov.sg/compass.

Job advertising requirement: Before submitting an EP application, employers must advertise the role on MyCareersFuture for a minimum of 14 days, demonstrating fair consideration of local candidates under the Fair Consideration Framework.

Validity: Up to two years on first issue, up to three years on renewal.

Family: EP holders earning at least SGD 6,000 per month may sponsor a Dependant’s Pass for their spouse and unmarried children under 21.

S Pass

The S Pass is designed for mid-skilled associate professionals and technicians, including roles in engineering, manufacturing, IT support, healthcare, and allied health fields.

Minimum qualifying salary (2026):

SGD 3,300 per month for most sectors
SGD 3,800 per month for financial services
Salaries scale progressively with age, reaching SGD 4,800 (most sectors) and SGD 5,650 (financial services) at age 45 and above

Note: MOM has confirmed that the S Pass qualifying salary increases to SGD 3,600 per month for most sectors and SGD 4,000 per month for financial services for new applications from 1 January 2027, with the threshold continuing to increase progressively with age.

Quota: Employers are subject to a Dependency Ratio Ceiling limiting S Pass holders to 10% of the local workforce in the services sector, and 15% in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, and process sectors. Applications will be rejected if the employer’s quota is full.

Validity: Up to two years per pass, renewable.

Family: S Pass holders must earn at least SGD 6,000 per month to sponsor a Dependant’s Pass. Given that the base S Pass threshold is SGD 3,300, many S Pass holders at the lower salary bands will not qualify for dependant sponsorship. A Long-Term Visit Pass may be available in some circumstances, subject to MOM’s assessment.

Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)

The PEP was designed for high-earning foreign professionals who want greater employment flexibility than a standard EP provides. Unlike the EP, the PEP is not tied to a specific employer, allows holders to change employers without a new application, and provides a six-month window to search for a new role after leaving employment.

Eligibility: A last-drawn fixed monthly salary of at least SGD 22,500 for overseas foreign professionals, or the equivalent threshold for existing EP holders applying to convert to a PEP.

Validity: Up to three years, non-renewable. After the PEP expires, holders must switch to an EP, ONE Pass, or another qualifying pass if they wish to continue working in Singapore.

Family: PEP holders may sponsor a Dependant’s Pass for their legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21, with no separate SGD 6,000 salary threshold applying to PEP family eligibility. A Long-Term Visit Pass may also be available for a common-law spouse, unmarried stepchildren under 21, and parents, subject to eligibility.

ONE Pass (Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass)

Launched in January 2023, the ONE Pass is Singapore’s most prestigious work visa, designed to attract exceptional global talent in business, technology, arts, sports, science, and academia.

Eligibility: Applicants must meet one of the following:

A fixed monthly salary of at least SGD 30,000, either currently earned or offered by a Singapore employer
Outstanding achievements in arts, culture, sports, science, technology, or academia and research, assessed on a case-by-case basis by MOM

Key features: The ONE Pass is uniquely flexible. Holders may work for multiple employers simultaneously, start their own businesses, and change roles without reapplying. It is not tied to a single sponsoring employer, which distinguishes it fundamentally from the EP and S Pass.

Validity: Five years, with renewal assessed against average salary maintained during the pass period.

Family: ONE Pass holders may sponsor a Dependant’s Pass for their legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21, with no additional minimum salary threshold applying beyond the ONE Pass qualification itself. A Long-Term Visit Pass may also be available for a common-law spouse, unmarried stepchildren under 21, unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above, and parents, subject to ONE Pass family eligibility criteria.

EntrePass

The EntrePass is designed for foreign entrepreneurs establishing innovative or venture-backed businesses in Singapore. It is open to all nationalities and covers serial entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors.

Eligibility: Applicants must have either incorporated a private limited company registered with ACRA in the past six months, or intend to incorporate one following the application outcome. The business must be assessed as genuinely innovative, typically evidenced by venture funding, intellectual property, research collaboration, or a scalable technology proposition.

Validity: One year initially, extendable in increments of up to two years, subject to meeting business development milestones reviewed at each renewal.

Family: EntrePass holders may sponsor a Dependant’s Pass for their legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21, and a Long-Term Visit Pass for a common-law spouse, unmarried stepchildren under 21, unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above, and parents, subject to the EntrePass holder meeting the required business criteria.

Dependant’s Pass (DP) and Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP)

For expatriates bringing eligible family members to Singapore, two main passes are relevant:

Dependant’s Pass (DP): Available to legally married spouses and unmarried children under 21 of eligible EP or S Pass holders, provided the main pass holder earns at least SGD 6,000 in fixed monthly salary. Family members of PEP, ONE Pass, and EntrePass holders may also qualify under their respective requirements. The DP is tied to the main work pass.

Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP): Covers certain family members who do not qualify for a DP, including common-law spouses, unmarried stepchildren under 21, unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above, and parents. For EP or S Pass holders, the main pass holder generally needs to earn at least SGD 6,000, or SGD 12,000 for parents.

For EP and S Pass holders, the employer or appointed employment agent applies for the DP or LTVP. For PEP, ONE Pass, and EntrePass holders, the main pass holder can generally apply directly.

The Application Process: What to Expect (EP and S Pass)

Singapore’s work pass applications are largely managed online through MOM. For an EP or S Pass application, the typical process is:

Job advertisement: The employer must generally advertise the role on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 days before applying, unless an exemption applies
Application submission: The employer or appointed employment agent submits the application and supporting documents through MOM’s EP eService
Processing time: Most EP applications are processed or given an update within 10 business days, although some cases may take longer
In-Principle Approval (IPA): If approved, MOM issues an IPA letter, which the candidate may use to enter Singapore if required, and which sets out the steps for pass issuance
Pass issuance: Once the candidate is in Singapore and the requirements are completed, the employer or appointed agent applies to issue the pass. The digital work pass can be accessed through the relevant MOM services, with the physical card delivered or collected according to MOM’s current process

If an application is rejected, MOM will provide the reason. Common issues include not meeting the qualifying salary or COMPASS requirements, where applicable, or insufficient supporting documentation. The employer or appointed employment agent may appeal rejected applications by addressing the specific rejection reasons and providing new information or clarification. The outcome will generally remain unchanged if no new information is provided.

Application processes, direct-application eligibility, and processing timelines differ for the PEP, ONE Pass, and EntrePass. Refer to the relevant sections above and to mom.gov.sg for the specific process applicable to each pass.

The Insurance Question Your Visa Guide Probably Did Not Answer

Most work pass guides stop at approval. But your visa status directly determines your access, or lack of access, to Singapore’s healthcare system, and understanding this connection is one of the most important steps a new arrival can take.

MediShield Life does not cover you. Singapore’s national health insurance scheme covers Citizens and Permanent Residents only. If you are in Singapore on any of the passes described above, you have no government-backed health coverage of any kind. Every medical cost, from a GP visit to a major hospitalisation, falls on private insurance or directly on you.

This matters immediately from your first day in Singapore, not from the moment you have had time to “sort out insurance.” A hospitalisation in the first week, before any private cover is in place, can generate a bill of SGD 20,000 to SGD 100,000 or more at a private hospital. In Singapore, that is not an uncommon scenario, because private hospitals are where most expats will seek care.

Your employer plan may not be enough. Many employers provide a group health plan as part of the employment package. But as we cover in detail in our employee benefits articles, standard group plans have significant gaps: low cancer treatment limits, restricted private hospital access, no cover for dependants in some cases, and coverage that stops the day your employment ends. For EP holders whose immigration status is tied to their employer, losing a job and losing insurance simultaneously is a real and serious risk.

Your family needs separate cover. Dependant’s Pass holders are not covered by MediShield Life either. Your spouse and children need their own private health insurance from the day they arrive in Singapore, independent of your employer plan. Newborns are particularly vulnerable: a baby born in Singapore to expat parents needs its own health insurance from birth, as it will not automatically be included on any existing policy.

The moment your work pass is approved, and ideally before you arrive in Singapore, a conversation with an independent insurance broker should be on the checklist.

How Diot-Siaci Asia Can Help

At Diot-Siaci Asia, we support expatriate professionals and their families from before they arrive in Singapore and throughout their time here. Whether you hold an EP, S Pass, PEP, ONE Pass, EntrePass, or Dependant’s Pass, we help you understand your existing coverage and identify the right protection for your personal and corporate needs.

As an independent broker, we are not tied to any single insurer. We compare options across the full Singapore and international market and recommend what is genuinely most appropriate for your visa status, your family structure, and your plans for the years ahead.

Our personal insurance advisory for new arrivals covers:

Personal health insurance and hospital and surgical cover
International health insurance (IPMI) for globally mobile professionals
Top-up insurance to supplement your employer’s group plan
Maternity insurance for those planning a family (with important timing considerations)
Life and critical illness cover
Home contents insurance for your Singapore residence
Personal liability insurance

Book a free insurance review for new arrivals

WhatsApp our team directly

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum salary for an Employment Pass in Singapore in 2026?

SGD 5,600 per month for most sectors, and SGD 6,200 per month for financial services. These are the entry-level thresholds for younger applicants, scaling upward with age. See the comparison table above for full detail across all pass types, and mom.gov.sg for the latest figures.

What is COMPASS and do I need to pass it?

COMPASS is the Complementarity Assessment Framework used by MOM to evaluate EP applications specifically. All EP applicants must score at least 40 points across criteria including salary, qualifications, workforce diversity, and the employer’s local hiring record. It does not apply to the S Pass, PEP, ONE Pass, or EntrePass. Full COMPASS details are at mom.gov.sg/compass.

Do expats need health insurance in Singapore, regardless of which work pass they hold?

Yes. MediShield Life, Singapore’s national health insurance scheme, covers Citizens and Permanent Residents only. Every work pass described in this guide, EP, S Pass, PEP, ONE Pass, and EntrePass, leaves the holder with no government healthcare safety net. Private health insurance is essential from the first day of arrival, regardless of which pass you hold.

Does my work pass type affect what insurance I can arrange?

Not directly for personal health insurance, which is available to expats on any work pass. What does differ is whether an employer-provided group plan exists at all. EP and S Pass holders typically have one, since their pass is tied to an employer. PEP, ONE Pass, and EntrePass holders are not tied to a single employer, and if they are not drawing a salary through a conventional employment structure, they may have no employer-provided plan whatsoever, making personal or international health insurance the only line of cover from day one.

What happens to my insurance if I lose my job or change employers in Singapore?

If your health insurance is provided solely through your employer’s group plan, it stops when your employment ends, with no grace period. This applies to EP and S Pass holders whose pass is tied to that employer. A personal top-up plan or international health insurance policy, arranged independently of your employer, continues regardless of what happens to your job.

Do Dependant’s Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass holders need their own health insurance?

Yes. Family members on a DP or LTVP are not covered by MediShield Life and are not automatically covered under the principal pass holder’s personal insurance. Each family member needs their own health insurance arranged, ideally as part of a family plan structured at the same time as the principal applicant’s cover.

As an EntrePass holder running my own business, what insurance do I need to think about beyond personal health cover?

Beyond your own personal health insurance, EntrePass holders operating a business in Singapore should also consider commercial insurance for the business itself, such as work injury compensation for any staff, general liability, and business protection cover, alongside employee benefits if you take on employees. These are separate considerations from your personal work pass and family insurance needs.

How long does it take to get a Singapore Employment Pass, and when should I arrange insurance?

After the mandatory 14-day MyCareersFuture job advertisement period, most EP applications are processed or given an update within 10 business days, although some cases take longer. Total time from advertising start to physical pass issuance is typically around four weeks for straightforward cases. Personal health insurance should ideally be arranged before you relocate, or immediately upon arrival, rather than waiting for the pass process to fully conclude.

Related Articles

Diot-Siaci Asia is a licensed independent insurance broker in Singapore, specialising in personal health insurance, international medical insurance, employee benefits, and personal insurance for expats and professionals across Asia. For work pass and immigration advice, please consult a licensed MOM employment agent or immigration specialist.