新加坡不同工作准证对比完整指南

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关键精华

• Singapore’s work pass system spans multiple tiers from Work Permits for semi-skilled roles to the ONE Pass for elite global talent, each with distinct salary thresholds, quota rules, levy obligations, and mobility rights.
• Premium passes (ONE Pass and PEP) offer the greatest flexibility, but both carry steep income requirements.
• Employment Pass approval depends on more than salary – candidates must also clear COMPASS, a six-criteria scoring framework that benchmarks against local PMET percentiles, diversity ratios, and sector-specific shortage lists.
• S Pass hiring has a direct cost structure – quota caps and monthly levies make headcount planning critical, and a commonly missed detail is that local staff earning below S$1,600 count as only half a headcount toward quota calculations.
• Misidentifying the appropriate pass for a candidate wastes time, risks rejection, and in some cases, costs the hire entirely.

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新加坡工作准证

• 就业准证（EP）
• S准证
• 工作许可（WP）
• ONE通行证
• 个性化就业准证 (PEP)
• 入场通行证
• 技术通行证

Singapore’s work pass system has changed significantly over the years. Salary floors are higher, quota calculations now hinge on what you pay your local staff, and COMPASS scoring benchmarks vary sharply by industry and age.

A 35-year-old software engineer and a 35-year-old banker face entirely different Employment Pass (EP) requirements. This guide gives you a clear breakdown of every major pass type: who it suits, what it costs to qualify, and what changed.

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Singapore’s Work Pass System

Singapore issues work passes across six distinct tiers, each targeting a different profile of foreign workers, from elite global executives to semi-skilled tradespeople. Salary thresholds, quota restrictions, levies, and flexibility differ considerably between them. The table below maps every major pass type at a glance, so you can immediately identify which category applies to your next hire.

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The Premium Tier: ONE Pass and Personalised Employment Pass

ONE Pass – Built for Exceptional Global Talent

此 海外网络与专业知识（ONE）通行证 sits at the top of Singapore’s work pass system. Holders can work for multiple companies simultaneously, a privilege no other pass allows. The qualifying bar is high: a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000. Individuals with outstanding achievements in academia, sports, or the arts may bypass the salary requirement entirely. The pass is valid for five years.

From 1 Jan 2027, a new AI and Tech track will be introduced, replacing the current Tech.Pass. It is designed to improve Singapore’s ability to attract top international talent in critical and emerging technologies, including AI and quantum computing. Applicants must meet bolstered eligibility criteria, such as salary thresholds and experience in founder, C-suite or technical roles.

Personalised Employment Pass – Mobility Without Employer Ties

The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is issued to the individual, not the employer. That distinction matters: PEP holders can switch jobs without cancelling and reapplying for a new pass. The trade-off is a strict income obligation – holders must earn at least S$270,000 annually, regardless of how many months they work in a given year.

Unemployment gaps of more than six months void the pass. Starting a business or taking on directorship roles requires transitioning to an EntrePass or ONE Pass instead.

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For Founders and Tech Leaders: EntrePass and Tech.Pass

EntrePass – For Venture-Backed and IP-Driven Founders

此 入场通行证 is designed for foreign entrepreneurs launching genuinely innovative businesses – not general retail or basic consultancy. Applicants must hold at least 30% shareholding in their company and demonstrate at least one of the following: secured venture capital funding, acceptance into a recognised incubator or accelerator, proprietary intellectual property, or an active institutional research collaboration.

Getting the pass is only the first step. Renewals are gated by escalating Total Business Spending and Local Workforce metrics, forcing founders to demonstrate genuine economic contribution over time.

Tech.Pass – For Proven Technology Leaders

此 技术通行证 targets senior technology operators and builders with a strong track record – people who may not be launching a startup but bring significant expertise to Singapore’s technology sector needs. From 1 Jan 2027, the Tech.Pass will be replaced by the upcoming AI and Tech track under the ONE Pass.

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The Employment Pass and COMPASS: What the 2026 Updates Mean in Practice

Salary Thresholds – Current Requirements and What is Coming

The EP carries no quota ceiling and no monthly levy, making it the most operationally flexible route for hiring foreign professionals. The financial bar, however, keeps rising.

From 1 January 2025, the baseline qualifying salary is S$5,600 per month for non-financial sectors and S$6,200 for financial services. From 1 January 2027 (affecting renewals from 2028), the non-financial baseline rises to S$6,000, with age-adjusted maximums reaching S$11,500 for candidates aged 45 and above. Financial services will rise to S$6,600, up to S$12,700.

How COMPASS Works – The Six Criteria

Clearing the salary threshold gets an application into the room. Passing COMPASS gets it approved. Candidates need a minimum score of 40 points across six criteria:

• C1 – Salary Benchmark: 失分 local Professional, Manager, Executive, and Technician (PMET) percentiles by sector and age. Falling below the 65th percentile earns zero points. For example, a 30-year-old ICT professional now needs S$8,971 to earn 10 points and S$13,959 for the full 20.
• C2 – Education: Top 100 QS-ranked universities and Singapore’s autonomous universities earn 20 points. Other degree-equivalent qualifications earn 10 points. No degree-equivalent qualification earns zero, though candidates can still pass COMPASS by scoring sufficiently across the remaining criteria.
• C3 – Diversity: Candidate’s nationality making up less than 5% of the firm’s PMET headcount earns 20 points; 5% to below 25% earns 10 points; 25% or more earns zero. Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs score 10 points by default.
• C4 – Local Employment Support: Firms at the 50th percentile and above for local PMET share relative to their sector earn 20 points; 20th to below 50th percentile earns 10 points; below the 20th percentile earns zero. Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs score 10 points by default.
• C5 – Shortage Occupation List (SOL): Jobs on the SOL where the candidate’s nationality forms less than one-third of the firm’s PMETs earn 20 points; one-third or more earns 10 points. Covers AI engineers, green economy roles, agritech specialists, and select finance positions.
• C6 – Strategic Economic Priority Bonus (SEP): Participation in at least one eligible government programme earns 10 bonus points, valid for up to three years.

The 5-Year Technology Employment Pass

Standard Employment Passes run for two years initially, three years on renewal. Tech professionals aged 36 or below earning at least 每月10,700新元 can qualify for a five-year pass upfront – a meaningful operational advantage for companies building long-term technical teams.

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S Pass: What Mid-Level Hiring Actually Costs

What are the eligibility requirements for an S Pass in Singapore? The S Pass targets associate professionals, technicians, and tradespeople, and it operates very differently from the EP. Two constraints shape every hiring decision: a hard quota on how many S Pass holders a firm can employ, and a monthly levy charged per foreign hire.

The current baseline salary sits at 每月3,300新元 for new applicants in general sectors and S$3,800 for those in financial services, climbing with age. By 2027, the ceiling for candidates reaches S$3,600 in general sectors and S$4,000 in financial services. Services sector firms face a quota cap of 10% of total headcount，一个 S$650 monthly levy per holder from September 2025.

The detail most companies miss: local staff earning below the S$1,600 Local Qualifying Salary only count as half a headcount (0.5).

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Work Permits: The Foundational Labour Tier

Work Permits cover semi-skilled workers in construction, manufacturing, marine, and services – roles that local workers largely do not fill. Foreign dependency is capped across the board: for example, manufacturing firms cannot exceed 60% combined foreign headcount across both S Pass and Work Permit holders.

Budget 2026 introduced targeted levy hikes for basic-skilled workers in heavy industrial sectors to push employers toward automation. Higher-skilled cohorts in the same sectors face no equivalent increase – a deliberate incentive to upgrade existing workers rather than cycle through cheap replacements. Performing Artiste passes have been abolished for new applicants entirely.

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The Fair Consideration Framework: A Precondition, Not a Formality

Before any EP application for a role, employers must advertise the position on MyCareersFuture for 14 days and genuinely consider local candidates. Companies found pre-selecting foreign candidates face a minimum 12-month debarment from hiring foreign workers – egregious cases draw 24 months. That effectively freezes a firm’s entire foreign workforce pipeline.

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InCorp 的下一步发展

Singapore’s 2026 framework rewards companies that treat workforce planning as a strategic function rather than an administrative one. Getting the pass type wrong, missing a quota calculation, or misreading COMPASS criteria costs time, money, and in some cases, the hire entirely

InCorp’s immigration specialists help businesses identify the right pass for every candidate, prepare compliant applications, and manage quota and levy obligations across multiple hiring cycles. 立即联系 InCorp to keep your workforce strategy ahead of Singapore’s requirements.

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