Singapore’s Employment Pass (EP) framework changed fundamentally on 1 September 2023 when the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) took effect. The shift from a flat qualifying salary test to a points-based system has caught out countless employers and candidates — particularly those whose applications would have sailed through under the old rules. The good news is that COMPASS is mathematically transparent: if you can score the application accurately before submission, you can predict the outcome with high confidence.

This guide walks through the four foundation criteria and two bonus criteria, shows how points are awarded, and gives you a simple way to score your own application before you spend the S$105 application fee with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). It builds on our earlier criteria for Employment Pass piece and our broader overview of work passes.

Note: COMPASS applies to new EP applications and EP renewals. It does not apply to the ONE Pass, jobs paying S$22,500 or more in fixed monthly salary, or short-term EPs of one month or less.

How COMPASS Works in 30 Seconds

An applicant must score at least 40 points in total across four foundation criteria. Each criterion awards 0, 10, or 20 points. Two optional bonus criteria can add up to a further 30 points. The criteria measure both the candidate’s individual attributes (salary, qualifications) and the employer firm’s contribution to the local workforce (workforce diversity, support for local employment).

The MOM Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) on the MOM website allows you to score an application in advance — we strongly recommend running this for every candidate before submitting.

The Four Foundation Criteria

C1: Salary

Compares the candidate’s fixed monthly salary against the local Professional, Manager, Executive, and Technician (PMET) wage benchmark for the candidate’s sector and age group. The benchmarks are published by MOM and updated annually.

20 points: Salary at or above the 90th percentile of local PMET salaries for the sector and age band.
10 points: Salary at or above the 65th percentile.
0 points: Below the 65th percentile (note: this also means the salary is below the qualifying salary minimum).

C2: Qualifications

Awards points based on the candidate’s highest formal qualification, with extra weight given to graduates of top-ranked universities (per MOM’s curated list).

20 points: Degree from a top-tier institution (per MOM’s list).
10 points: Degree-equivalent qualification.
0 points: No degree-equivalent qualification.

The “top tier” list draws from QS, THE, US News, and ARWU rankings, and is refreshed periodically. Degrees must be verified by an MOM-accepted body — typically Dataflow Group for non-Singapore qualifications.

C3: Diversity (Firm-Level)

Measures how diverse the employer’s PMET workforce is by nationality. The fewer dominant nationalities, the higher the score.

20 points: Candidate’s nationality forms less than 5% of the firm’s PMET workforce.
10 points: Candidate’s nationality forms 5% to less than 25%.
0 points: Candidate’s nationality forms 25% or more.

This criterion has caught out many companies with concentrated workforces. A startup with five Indian co-founders applying for a sixth Indian engineer will score 0 on C3.

C4: Support for Local Employment (Firm-Level)

Compares the firm’s share of local PMET employees against industry benchmarks.

20 points: Firm’s share of local PMETs is in the top one-third of the industry.
10 points: Firm’s share of local PMETs is in the middle one-third.
0 points: Firm’s share of local PMETs is in the bottom one-third.

For very small firms (fewer than 25 PMETs), C4 scores 10 points by default. Firms below this threshold are not benchmarked.

The Two Bonus Criteria

C5: Skills Bonus

Awards points if the candidate’s job is on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) — currently 27 occupations across IT, financial services, and other sectors.

20 points: Job on the SOL and candidate’s skills match (verified by qualification or experience).
10 points: Job is on a Strategic Economic Priority list but not the SOL.
0 points: No skills match.

C6: Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus

Awards 10 points if the firm is partnering with the Government on innovation or internationalisation initiatives — for example, participation in EDB or Enterprise Singapore programmes that target strategic capabilities. This bonus is rarely awarded to most SMEs.

COMPASS Score Card Example

Criterion Maximum Points Example A: Tech Startup Example B: Bank Hire
C1 Salary (vs. sector benchmark) 20 10 (65th percentile) 20 (90th percentile)
C2 Qualifications 20 10 (degree) 20 (top-tier degree)
C3 Diversity 20 0 (concentrated workforce) 20 (diverse firm)
C4 Local Employment 20 10 (small firm default) 10 (middle third)
C5 Skills Bonus 20 20 (SOL match) 0
C6 Strategic Bonus 10 0 0
Total 110 50 ✅ 70 ✅

Both candidates clear the 40-point threshold. Note how Candidate A — who would have failed without C5 (the SOL bonus) — gets over the line precisely because her job is on the Shortage Occupation List. Strategic role-coding can therefore make a meaningful difference.

Pass-Through Exemptions: When COMPASS Doesn’t Apply

Three situations bypass COMPASS entirely:

  • Salary ≥ S$22,500/month: Candidates earning at or above this fixed monthly salary are exempt from COMPASS scoring.
  • Short-term EP (1 month or less): Used for short visits or pilot engagements.
  • Overseas intra-corporate transferee (ICT): Senior management transferred from a related entity for up to 2 years (extendable) under WTO commitments.

These exemptions are narrow. Most employers should assume COMPASS applies and score the application accordingly.

Scoring Tips That Move the Needle

Tip 1: Anchor Salary to the 90th Percentile Where Possible

Each 10-point step up on C1 is worth a full failure-mode rescue elsewhere. Hiring managers often underestimate how steep the percentile curve is — a candidate at the 64th percentile scores 0, while one at the 65th scores 10 and one at the 90th scores 20. Where competitive economics permit, push the salary slightly to land in a higher percentile band.

Tip 2: Watch the Diversity Trap (C3) for Small Companies

If your PMET workforce is fewer than ten people, even one or two same-nationality hires can push C3 to 0. Consider sequencing hires to mix nationalities, or pairing the EP application with a local hire that improves both C3 and C4 scores.

Tip 3: Code the Job Against the Shortage Occupation List

If the role legitimately falls within an SOL category, ensure the SSOC code on the application reflects this. Misclassification (e.g., calling a “Software Engineer” a “Project Manager”) can cost a clean 20 points on C5.

Tip 4: Improve C4 Through Active Local Hiring

The Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) requires job ads to be posted on MyCareersFuture.sg for at least 14 days before submitting an EP application (with limited exemptions). Use the FCF window to make a genuine local hire — this typically improves your C4 ranking over time and signals good faith to MOM.

Tip 5: Bundle EP With Family Pass Planning

If the EP holder will bring spouse and children, plan Dependant’s Pass (DP) and Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) applications in parallel. Note that DP eligibility now requires the EP holder to earn at least S$6,000/month, and LTVP for parents requires S$24,000/month.

Common Reasons Applications Fail

From our experience handling EP applications, the recurring failure patterns are:

  • Salary just below the 65th percentile: Frequently a S$300–S$700/month gap that, if closed, would have triggered a 10-point pickup.
  • Concentrated workforce on C3: Founders building teams from their home country.
  • Unverified or weak qualifications: Diploma-level qualifications scoring 0 on C2.
  • Mis-coded job titles: Generic “Manager” or “Specialist” titles missing SOL bonus opportunities.
  • FCF non-compliance: Failure to post on MyCareersFuture for the full 14-day window.

Renewals: COMPASS Applies Then Too

EPs are issued for up to 2 years initially and 3 years on renewal. COMPASS applies at renewal, so the firm-level metrics (C3 and C4) must be sustained across the validity period. A firm that scored 20 on C4 at first application but slipped into the bottom third by renewal may suddenly find a 20-point hole to fill — sometimes through salary increases or other restructuring.

Plan ahead. Review COMPASS scores six months before renewal so there’s time to remediate.

Conclusion

COMPASS rewards a clear-eyed view of both the candidate and the firm. The 40-point bar is achievable for most legitimate hires, but it punishes lazy applications — those that don’t run the SAT first, don’t optimise role coding, or assume the old qualifying salary test still applies.

For employers running multiple EP applications, building a small internal scorecard (calculate predicted COMPASS for every offer before extending it) tends to lift approval rates significantly. For one-off applications, the MOM Self-Assessment Tool is the gold-standard predictor.

If you would like assistance scoring an upcoming EP application, advising on FCF compliance, or preparing the full submission package, our work pass team at Raffles Corporate Services handles end-to-end EP, S Pass, and Dependant’s Pass applications via our affiliated MOM-licensed agency.

— The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services