Work pass and immigration advisory

What’s included

• Singapore Employment Pass, including COMPASS assessment
• ONE Pass, EntrePass and S Pass applications
• Dependant’s Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass applications
• Renewals, appeals and cancellations
• Permanent residence advisory, including the PTS scheme
• Malaysia Employment Pass and dependant pass applications

Work passes in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the UAE at a glance (October 2026)

Singapore and Malaysia admit foreign executives against published salary floors, Hong Kong tests the job or business against the local market, and the UAE ties residence to a work permit, an investment or a salary band. The table compares the main routes as at October 2026.

Item	Singapore	Malaysia	Hong Kong	UAE
Main pass for a hired executive	Employment Pass (EP)	Employment Pass, Categories I–III	GEP (professionals) employment visa	Work permit plus a residence permit
Salary test	From S$5,600 a month (S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age; higher from 1 January 2027	Basic salary of RM5,000, RM10,000 or RM20,000 a month, by category	No fixed figure; market-level pay	Follows the work permit; AED 15,000 (green) or AED 30,000 (golden, skilled) a month for long-term residence
Second test	COMPASS: 40 points, unless paid S$22,500 or more	ESD registration; JTKSM approval in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan; succession plan for Categories II and III from 1 January 2027	Normally a relevant degree	Medical test, Emirates ID and employer health insurance
Founder or investor route	EP through own company, or EntrePass	EP through own company once registered with ESD	GEP (investment as entrepreneurs)	Green (partner) or golden (AED 2m share of company assets) residence
Route without a job offer	ONE Pass: S$30,000 a month	DE Rantau Nomad Pass for remote workers	TTPS, QMAS and IANG	Green residence as a freelancer
Local hiring test	14-day MyCareersFuture advert, unless exempt	MYFutureJobs advert before most new EPs	Vacancy not readily filled locally	Emiratisation targets from 50 staff
Processing standard	10 business days online	5 working days once complete	Normally 4 weeks	5 working days (Work Bundle)
First validity	Up to 2 years; renewals up to 3	Up to 60 months	Up to 36 months	2 years on the mainland, renewable
Long-term route	Permanent residence (PTS scheme or GIP)	Residence Pass-Talent, up to 10 years	Right of abode after 7 years’ continuous ordinary residence	Golden residence, 10 years, renewable

Singapore EP and S Pass qualifying salaries in 2026 and from 1 January 2027

As at October 2026, an Employment Pass needs a fixed monthly salary of at least S$5,600 (S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age to S$10,700 (S$11,800) at 45 and above. New applications from 1 January 2027 need S$6,000 (S$6,600), rising to S$11,500 (S$12,700); renewals switch for passes expiring from 1 January 2028.

Threshold	Current	New applications from 1 January 2027; renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028
EP, general	S$5,600 at 23 or below, up to S$10,700 at 45 and above	S$6,000, up to S$11,500
EP, financial services	S$6,200, up to S$11,800	S$6,600, up to S$12,700
S Pass, general	S$3,300, up to S$4,800	S$3,600, up to S$5,100
S Pass, financial services	S$3,800, up to S$5,650	S$4,000, up to S$5,650
COMPASS C1 salary benchmarks	August 2025 release	August 2026 release; EP renewals switch for passes expiring from 1 July 2027
COMPASS and job advert exemption	S$22,500 a month	No change published
Dependant’s Pass; parents’ Long-Term Visit Pass	S$6,000; S$12,000 a month	No change published

Fixed monthly salary is basic salary plus fixed monthly allowances; bonuses, commissions and overtime do not count.

How COMPASS scores a Singapore Employment Pass application

After the salary test, an EP candidate needs 40 COMPASS points, unless paid S$22,500 a month or more, an intra-corporate transferee or hired for one month or less. Four criteria score 0, 10 or 20 points; two bonus criteria add up to 30.

Criterion	20 points	10 points	0 points
C1 Salary against local PMETs of the same sector and age	90th percentile and above	65th to below 90th	Below 65th
C2 Qualifications	Degree from a QS top 100 or highly reputed Asian university	Other degree-equivalent or professional qualification	None
C3 Candidate’s nationality as a share of the firm’s PMETs	Below 5%	5% to below 25%	25% or more
C4 Firm’s local PMET share against subsector peers	50th percentile and above	20th to below 50th	Below 20th
C5 Shortage Occupation List bonus	Listed job, nationality share below one-third	Listed job, share one-third or more	Job not listed
C6 Strategic Economic Priorities bonus	Not available	Firm in an eligible programme	Not in a programme

Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs get 10 points by default on C3 and C4, so a new company starts with 20. Qualification points need verification proof filed with the application.

Singapore work passes compared: EP, S Pass, ONE Pass, PEP and EntrePass

The Employment Pass suits professionals and founders paid by their own company, the S Pass mid-skilled staff, the ONE Pass and Personalised Employment Pass high earners, and the EntrePass venture-backed or innovative start-ups.

Pass	Who it is for	Main test	Validity	Processing, most cases
Employment Pass	Professionals, managers and salaried founders	Qualifying salary plus COMPASS	Up to 2 years; renewals up to 3	10 business days
S Pass	Skilled technicians and associate professionals	Qualifying salary; quota of 10% of the workforce in services; S$650 monthly levy	Up to 2 years; renewals up to 3	10 business days
ONE Pass	Top talent in business, arts, sports, academia and research	S$30,000 a month, or outstanding achievements	5 years, renewable	4 weeks
Personalised Employment Pass	High-earning EP holders and overseas professionals	S$22,500 a month; S$270,000 a year while held	Up to 3 years, not renewable	6 weeks
EntrePass	Founders of venture-backed or innovative start-ups	At least 30% of the company plus an innovation criterion, such as S$100,000 from an eligible investor	Up to 1 year, renewable	6 weeks

Each application costs S$105; issuance costs S$225, or S$100 for an S Pass.

How to apply for a Singapore Employment Pass, step by step

An EP application runs from salary and COMPASS checks, through a 14-day job advert where required, to an online filing that MOM normally decides or updates within 10 business days.

1. Check the qualifying salary for the candidate’s age and sector; applications submitted from 1 January 2027 use the new floors.
2. Score COMPASS at 40 points or more, or confirm an exemption.
3. Advertise on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days, with a salary range no wider than 2:1, unless exempt: fewer than 10 employees, a salary of S$22,500 or more, a role of up to 1 month or an intra-corporate transferee.
4. Collect the candidate’s written consent and verification proof for any qualification claimed, then file online and pay S$105.
5. On approval, the candidate has 6 months to enter Singapore and have the pass issued, for S$225.
6. File Dependant’s Passes with the EP or later, at S$105 plus S$225 each; most take up to 3 weeks.
7. If rejected, appeal within 3 months with new information; MOM processes 85% of appeals within 6 weeks.

An overseas company with no Singapore entity applies under EP Sponsorship, which takes up to 6 weeks.

Bringing a spouse, children and parents: family passes in each market

Singapore links family passes to salary, at S$6,000 a month for a spouse and children and S$12,000 for parents; Malaysia allows dependants in all EP categories; Hong Kong sets no fixed income figure; and UAE employees must earn AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 with accommodation.

Item	Singapore	Malaysia	Hong Kong	UAE
Spouse and children	Spouse and unmarried children under 21, on a Dependant’s Pass	Spouse, children under 18 and disabled children, on a Dependant Pass	Spouse or partner and unmarried children under 18	Spouse, sons under 25 and unmarried daughters
Income test	S$6,000 a month	Allowed in all EP categories since 1 June 2026	Support well above subsistence level, with suitable accommodation	AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus employer-provided housing
Parents	Long-Term Visit Pass, at S$12,000 a month	Long-Term Social Visit Pass	Only for permanent residents and residents without a limit of stay; parents aged 60 or over	Green residence holders can sponsor first-degree relatives
Can the spouse work?	Needs their own EP, S Pass or DP-Work Permit, or a Letter of Consent to run their own business	Needs their own EP	Yes, for dependants of GEP, QMAS and TTPS holders	Needs a work permit, like any worker

Worked example: a founder relocating with a family of four

A 46-year-old founder moving with a spouse and children aged 10 and 15 qualifies on salary in Singapore and Malaysia, on the business case in Hong Kong and on asset value in the UAE.

1. Singapore: a fixed monthly salary of S$13,000 from the founder’s own company clears the S$11,500 floor for age 45 and above.
2. Singapore COMPASS: it applies below S$22,500. With fewer than 25 PMETs, C3 and C4 give 10 + 10; a QS top 100 degree adds 20, making 40, while another degree adds 10, so C1 must reach the 65th percentile.
3. Singapore job advert: with fewer than 10 employees, none is needed.
4. Singapore family: S$13,000 is above S$6,000 (Dependant’s Passes) and S$12,000 (parents’ Long-Term Visit Passes). Fees for four: 4 × (S$105 + S$225) = S$1,320.
5. Malaysia: a 100% foreign-owned Sdn Bhd needs RM500,000 paid-up capital to register with ESD. A basic salary of RM20,000 is Category I; the spouse and children get Dependant Passes, and the elder child moves to a Long-Term Social Visit Pass at 18.
6. Hong Kong: the GEP investment route sets no fixed sum. Fees for four: 4 × HK$1,900 = HK$7,600, and the children remain dependants until 18.
7. UAE: a 100% share of AED 2,500,000 of company assets clears the AED 2,000,000 golden residence test, and golden holders can sponsor a spouse and children. A 50% share (AED 1,250,000) would mean 5-year green residence instead.

Assumptions: applications filed in February 2027; general sector; government fees only, excluding Malaysian and UAE permit fees, which vary by route.

Which market suits a relocating founder, a hired executive or a founder who stays abroad?

It depends on the test each person passes most easily: salary in Singapore and Malaysia, the business case in Hong Kong, and investment or salary in the UAE. A founder with capital but a modest salary fits the UAE investor routes, Hong Kong’s entrepreneur route or Singapore’s EntrePass, which set no salary floor.

Profile	Singapore	Malaysia	Hong Kong	UAE
Founder relocating	EP through own company, or EntrePass if venture-backed or holding registered IP	EP through own company once registered with ESD	GEP (investment as entrepreneurs)	Golden residence with an AED 2m share of company assets; otherwise green residence
Hired executive	EP from S$5,600 (S$6,000 from 1 January 2027); ONE Pass from S$30,000 a month	EP category set by basic salary	GEP (professionals) at market-level pay	Work permit; golden residence from AED 30,000 a month in skill levels 1–2
Founder who stays abroad	No pass, but the company needs a locally resident director, such as a citizen, permanent resident or EP holder	No pass, but one director must reside in Malaysia	No pass and no director residence rule; the company secretary must be Hong Kong-based	Golden residence can be kept through more than 6 months abroad; other permits lapse after 180 days abroad, with exceptions
High earner wanting flexibility	ONE Pass or PEP	Residence Pass-Talent after 3 years, at RM15,000 a month	TTPS Category A (HK$2.5 million income) or QMAS	Green residence as a freelancer, or golden residence

Common work pass mistakes for founders and employers

Most refusals and delays come from salary definitions, timing and family eligibility rather than the candidate’s profile.

• Counting the wrong pay: Singapore includes fixed allowances, but rejects packages where they make up a major share; Malaysia counts basic salary only.
• Filing on 2026 figures in 2027: Singapore EP and S Pass applications from 1 January 2027 must meet the new floors.
• Editing a live job advert: changing the salary or occupation restarts the 14 days, and an advert closed for 3 months or more cannot be reused.
• Assuming children stay dependants: the limit is 21 in Singapore, 18 in Malaysia and Hong Kong, and 25 for sons in the UAE.
• Letting an approval lapse: a Singapore EP approval lasts 6 months and an S Pass approval 60 days; UAE residence must be completed within 60 days of entry, and overstay costs AED 50 a day.
• Appealing without new facts: MOM will not change the outcome unless the appeal brings new information.

Work pass terms explained

These terms appear in work pass forms and guidance across the four markets.

• COMPASS: MOM’s points framework for Employment Passes, with a pass mark of 40.
• In-Principle Approval (IPA): MOM’s approval letter, used to enter Singapore and have the pass issued.
• Letter of Consent: MOM permission for certain family pass holders to work.
• PTS scheme: ICA’s permanent residence route for Employment Pass and S Pass holders.
• Global Investor Programme (GIP): EDB’s permanent residence route for investors, from S$10 million.
• ESD: the Expatriate Services Division of Malaysia’s Immigration Department.
• GEP: Hong Kong’s General Employment Policy for professionals and entrepreneurs.
• Green and golden residence: UAE long-term permits of 5 years and of 5 or 10 years.