Services · Pillar 04
Singapore work pass advisory
Singapore work pass advisory at Anlian Group runs under MOM Employment Agency licence EA20C0327. We advise on and prepare applications for the senior end of the Singapore work pass landscape — Employment Pass (EP), Tech.Pass, ONE Pass, EntrePass, and Dependant's Pass / Long-Term Visit Pass for accompanying family. We do not pursue S Pass engagements; ALG's advisory threshold starts at EP and above. Application decisions rest with the Ministry of Manpower, or with the Economic Development Board (EDB) for Tech.Pass; ALG prepares, submits, and manages clarification cycles.
The pass categories we cover
- Employment Pass (EP) — the standard senior PMET pass. Qualifying salary is S$5,600/month for general roles and S$6,200/month for financial services roles (figures effective from 1 January 2025; MOM reviews salary floors annually around September), with higher floors for older candidates under MOM's age-tiered scale. The COMPASS points-based framework — in force for new EPs since 1 September 2023 and for renewals since 1 September 2024 — sets a 40-point pass mark across four foundational criteria and two bonus criteria.
- Tech.Pass — administered by the Singapore EDB rather than MOM. Senior technology operators with at least S$22,500/month last drawn fixed monthly salary, and verifiable scale-up tenure — lead role at a tech company with valuation ≥US$500M, OR funding ≥US$30M raised within the past 36 months, OR a product with ≥100,000 monthly active users. Two-year initial pass, renewable.
- ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass) — for top earners and outstanding individuals. Requires last drawn fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 for the past 12 months at an established firm with market capitalisation ≥US$500M or annual revenue ≥US$200M, OR demonstrated outstanding achievement in arts, sports, sciences, academia, or research. Five-year pass with employer mobility.
- EntrePass — for foreign founders of innovative Singapore ventures. Venture-evaluated rather than salary-evaluated; assessment covers innovation evidence, funding traction, and Singapore-based business plan. Phase 2 — sub-page launches by 2026-07-20.
- Dependant's Pass / Long-Term Visit Pass — family accompaniment for the primary pass holder. Dependant's Pass for spouses and unmarried children under 21 of EP / Tech.Pass / ONE Pass holders earning a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000 (raised from S$5,000 with effect from 1 September 2024); LTVP for common-law partners, step-children, and parents in defined circumstances. Phase 2 sub-page.
Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) was closed to new applications from 1 September 2023 and is not a path we recommend or pursue. Existing PEP holders considering renewal or transition options can still engage us; the typical advice today is a transition route rather than continuation under PEP.
What we actually do on a work-pass engagement
Work-pass advisory is not a forms-filing service. The decision early in the engagement — which pass to pursue — frequently determines whether the application approves. We map the candidate's career history, last-drawn salary trajectory, sector, education, and family circumstances against all of the senior-tier passes, recommend the right primary pass, and identify the realistic Plan B if uncertainty exists.
From there: COMPASS profile design and employer-side fair-consideration documentation (for EP); employer-scale evidence assembly and Singapore activity narrative (for Tech.Pass); fixed-monthly-salary continuity verification across 12 months (for ONE Pass); venture documentation, innovation evidence, and Singapore activity plan (for EntrePass); or sponsor coordination and family unit packaging (for Dependant's Pass / LTVP). We prepare the application packet, lodge the submission via EP Online for EP, or the relevant EDB / MOM channel for Tech.Pass and ONE Pass, manage MOM or EDB clarification requests, and support the renewal cycle.
Common confusions worth clarifying
Tech.Pass is not a MOM pass. Tech.Pass is administered by EDB through a separate scheme; the issuing authority, evaluation criteria, and renewal mechanics differ from MOM-administered passes. The Tech.Pass holder still has Singapore work-pass rights, but the supervising regulator and the renewal evidence base are EDB's, not MOM's.
PEP is closed to new applications. The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) was closed to new applications from 1 September 2023. ONE Pass replaces the high-earner segment of what PEP previously served. Advisors still listing PEP as an active option for new candidates are working from outdated playbooks.
EP qualifying salary is age-tiered, not flat. The headline figures (S$5,600 general, S$6,200 financial services) apply to candidates in their early-career age band. Older candidates require higher salaries on a sliding scale set by MOM. Salary alone does not pass an EP application — COMPASS scoring also gates pass-level cases below the senior threshold.
Track record on file
ALG has prepared and submitted work-pass applications across EP, Tech.Pass, ONE Pass, and accompanying family passes for cross-border founders, senior operators, and family relocations. Anlian Group has been operating since 2018; the MOM Employment Agency licence (EA20C0327) covers our work-pass advisory practice. Specific approval texture is shared under engagement letter, not on the public site.
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Next step
Work-pass engagements always begin with a strategy call. The decision on which pass to pursue is itself a substantial conversation — and one that should happen before any application is filed. For straightforward EP applications with a clear sponsor and a clean COMPASS profile, the proposal route can move faster.