At the Committee of Supply Debate on 3 March 2026, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced that Singapore’s foreign talent framework for the technology sector is being overhauled. From January 2027, a new ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track will be introduced under the existing Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass, replacing the standalone Tech.Pass that the Economic Development Board (EDB) has administered since 2021.
For Singapore-based tech founders, chief technology officers, and senior engineering leaders who have relied on Tech.Pass as their route to living and working in Singapore without being tied to a single employer, this is not a minor tweak. The administering agency changes from EDB to MOM, the validity structure changes, the salary test changes to recognise equity, and the evidentiary bar for “leadership at scale” is being raised. Existing Tech.Pass holders are not automatically converted and each will need to weigh whether to renew once more under the old scheme, apply fresh under the new track, or move to an alternative pass such as the Employment Pass or standard ONE Pass.
This article sets out exactly what MOM and EDB have confirmed so far, the practical differences between Tech.Pass and ONE Pass (AI and Tech), the transition timeline, and how founders and tech leaders in Singapore should approach the decision of whether to apply now or wait for the new track to open.
What Is Changing: From EDB’s Tech.Pass to MOM’s ONE Pass (AI and Tech)
Tech.Pass was introduced by EDB in 2021 as a personalised, employer-agnostic pass for established tech leaders, founders, and top-tier tech talent, allowing holders to found or lead businesses, invest in tech companies, work for more than one Singapore-based entity, and mentor or teach at institutes of higher learning, all without needing a separate work pass tied to a specific job. It has always sat outside the mainstream Employment Pass and ONE Pass frameworks, run by EDB rather than MOM.
The new arrangement folds tech talent into the ONE Pass family itself, as a dedicated AI and Tech track. According to MOM’s official Committee of Supply factsheet, the stated purpose is to “strengthen Singapore’s position as a global hub for AI and tech talent” and to “replace the existing Tech.Pass and offer more attractive terms.” The move brings tech talent administration under the same roof as the rest of Singapore’s pinnacle talent pass, first launched in 2023 for individuals across all sectors earning at least S$30,000 a month.
Why MOM Is Making the Change
Two problems with the old Tech.Pass structure appear to have driven the redesign. First, Tech.Pass’s fixed salary threshold of S$22,500 a month did not reflect how top AI and tech talent is actually paid: a meaningful share of compensation for senior engineers, researchers, and founders comes through Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Employee Share Ownership (ESOW) schemes rather than cash. Second, the two-year validity and one-time renewal structure created recurring administrative friction for individuals whose contribution to Singapore’s tech ecosystem was already well established. Aligning tech talent with the broader ONE Pass framework addresses both points at once.
Tech.Pass vs ONE Pass (AI and Tech): Side-by-Side Comparison
The table below summarises the confirmed differences based on MOM’s Committee of Supply 2026 factsheet and EDB’s published Tech.Pass criteria.
| Feature | Tech.Pass (current, until 27 January 2027) | ONE Pass (AI and Tech) (from January 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Administering agency | Economic Development Board (EDB) | Ministry of Manpower (MOM) |
| Validity period | 2 years on issuance, one further 2-year renewal only | Aligned with standard ONE Pass validity structure, longer than Tech.Pass’s original term |
| Salary threshold | Fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 (one of the qualifying routes) | At least S$30,000 a month for 12 consecutive months before application, combining a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 with vested non-cash components |
| Equity or stock options | Not counted toward the salary threshold | Vested ESOP/ESOW may be counted toward the S$30,000 threshold, subject to assessment |
| Company-level requirement | Applicant tied to a qualifying tech company, division, or venture capital firm meeting funding/revenue benchmarks | Same broad company categories retained: tech company, tech division, or tech venture capital firm, with valuation, revenue, AUM, or funding-raised thresholds |
| Experience requirement | At least 5 cumulative years in a leading role, assessed against 2-of-3 criteria | At least 5 cumulative years in a founder, C-suite, or senior technical role, clocked within the past 10 years, with more explicit evidentiary expectations |
| New applications accepted until | 27 January 2027, 2359hrs | Opens from January 2027 |
Verified Eligibility Criteria for ONE Pass (AI and Tech)
MOM’s official factsheet sets out the confirmed eligibility framework in two parts, company-level and individual-level criteria. At company level, the applicant’s current or last-held employment must be in a tech company, a tech division within a larger company, or a tech venture capital firm. That company must additionally meet at least one of: a valuation or market capitalisation of at least US$500 million, annual revenue of at least US$200 million, or at least US$500 million in assets under management. Tech companies that have raised funding of at least US$30 million are also eligible.
At individual level, the applicant must earn at least S$30,000 a month, assessed over 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the application date. This can be met through a combination of a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 and vested non-cash components such as ESOP or ESOW, which will be subject to MOM’s assessment. On the experience side, applicants need at least 5 cumulative years in a founder or C-suite role, or in a senior technical role such as a senior software engineer, with the relevant experience clocked within the past 10 years of the application date.
MOM has confirmed that further details of the eligibility criteria, including specific requirements for renewal applications, will be published on MOM’s work passes website closer to the January 2027 launch. Founders and leaders considering this track should treat the criteria above as the confirmed baseline and watch for the fuller renewal guidance before making final plans.
Tighter Evidentiary Expectations
Compared with Tech.Pass’s more flexible “2-of-3” style qualifying routes, the language MOM has used for the AI and Tech track (leadership of teams at scale, material product impact, or internationally recognised research output) signals a shift toward requiring more clearly documented evidence: verifiable team size and reporting lines for leadership claims, demonstrable product or revenue outcomes tied to the applicant’s own role, and, for research-led applicants, publication or citation records that establish international recognition. Applicants should expect to substantiate claims with organisation charts, board minutes, cap tables, or peer-reviewed output rather than relying on a CV narrative alone.
Key Transition Dates and Timeline
- 3 March 2026: MOM announces the new ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track at the Committee of Supply Debate, confirming it will replace Tech.Pass.
- Until 27 January 2027, 2359hrs: EDB continues accepting new and renewal Tech.Pass applications.
- 28 January 2027: EDB stops accepting any new or renewal Tech.Pass applications.
- From January 2027: MOM opens the new ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track.
- Ongoing: Existing Tech.Pass holders may remain on their current pass until its natural expiry, regardless of the cut-off date.
One nuance worth flagging for anyone whose Tech.Pass renewal window falls before 28 January 2027: they may still renew once more under the existing Tech.Pass criteria, provided they meet the renewal requirements, rather than being forced immediately onto the new track. This gives a subset of current holders a genuine choice rather than a hard cut-off.
What Existing Tech.Pass Holders Should Do
Current Tech.Pass holders have three broad options, and the right one depends on where each individual sits in their renewal cycle and their long-term plans in Singapore.
Option 1: Stay on Tech.Pass until expiry. Nothing compels an existing holder to switch early. A Tech.Pass remains valid on its original terms until it lapses, and holders can continue operating exactly as before in the interim.
Option 2: Renew Tech.Pass one more time, if the window allows. Anyone whose renewal falls due before the 27 January 2027 cut-off should assess, well ahead of time, whether they meet the existing criteria and whether a further two years on the old terms suits their plans better than an earlier move to the new track.
Option 3: Transition to ONE Pass (AI and Tech), or another pass entirely. Holders whose profile has strengthened since their original Tech.Pass approval (higher compensation, larger team leadership, a more senior title, or a step up in company valuation) may find they qualify comfortably for the new track once applications open. Others whose current role or company profile sits closer to the mainstream ONE Pass, an Employment Pass assessed under COMPASS, or the EntrePass for earlier-stage founders should have that comparison mapped out well before their Tech.Pass expires.
Should You Apply Now or Wait? Practical Guidance for Founders and Tech Leaders
For founders and leaders who do not yet hold a Tech.Pass and are weighing their options today, the calculus depends on timing and eligibility strength.
If you comfortably meet the current Tech.Pass criteria and your circumstances make an application practical before the window closes, applying now under Tech.Pass secures a further two years of certainty on terms that are already well understood, without waiting for MOM to publish the fuller detail on the AI and Tech track. This may suit founders who need an immediate, employer-agnostic basis to found or lead a Singapore entity.
If your compensation relies heavily on unvested equity, or your leadership evidence is stronger on the “material impact” and “internationally recognised” dimensions than on a strict two-year Tech.Pass reading, it may be worth waiting for the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track to open and for MOM’s fuller eligibility guidance to be published, particularly given the ability to count vested ESOP/ESOW toward the salary threshold. This is likely to favour senior operators and researchers whose cash salary alone would not clear S$30,000 a month.
Either way, engaging a firm that tracks both EDB and MOM guidance closely, and can run the eligibility comparison against your specific profile, will save time. Founders relocating to Singapore should also factor in related steps such as company incorporation, tax residency planning, and, where relevant, broader relocation pathways for high-net-worth individuals and available grants such as the Startup SG Founder grant for early-stage Singapore-incorporated ventures.
Where a Licensed Employment Agency Can Help
Work pass strategy for tech founders and senior leaders often intersects with broader immigration planning: dependants, spouses on Letters of Consent, and follow-on Permanent Residence applications all depend on getting the initial pass strategy right. Our associated licensed employment agency works alongside our corporate secretarial and tax teams to assess eligibility across Tech.Pass, ONE Pass, and standard Employment Pass routes, and to prepare the supporting evidence MOM and EDB expect to see.
Conclusion
The shift from Tech.Pass to ONE Pass (AI and Tech) is one of the more consequential immigration policy changes for Singapore’s tech sector in recent years. It moves administration from EDB to MOM, raises the salary bar to S$30,000 a month while finally recognising equity compensation, and tightens the evidentiary standard for leadership and impact claims. Existing Tech.Pass holders are not forced to move immediately, but every founder, chief technology officer, and senior technical leader affected by this change should map out their own timeline now rather than waiting until the 27 January 2027 cut-off is imminent.
For founders also thinking about long-term wealth and succession planning alongside their immigration strategy, our directors can point you toward specialists in personal financial planning as part of a broader relocation conversation.
To speak with the team at Raffles Corporate Services, you can email [email protected] or call, SMS, or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133. We are happy to assist with any queries.
The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services
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