The Employment Pass is issued to foreign professionals, managers and specialists who have a job offer in Singapore and meet the qualifying monthly salary and other eligibility criteria.

It is not subject to foreign-worker quotas or levies, but the employer must comply with the Fair Consideration Framework and, for many cases, the COMPASS assessment.

The S Pass caters to foreign mid-skilled workers such as technicians or supervisors, who meet minimum salary criteria and whose employer satisfies quota (Dependency Ratio Ceiling) and levy obligations.

It is designed for roles that complement but do not replace local workforce, and employer must apply via the correct process under the Ministry of Manpower.

The Work Permit is for semi-skilled or basic-skilled foreign workers from approved source countries who work in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process or services.

Employers must comply with quota limits (DRC), levy payments and worker welfare obligations. The permit is heavily regulated and aims to support labour-intensive industries in Singapore.

The Fair Consideration Framework requires Singapore-based employers to advertise job vacancies and give fair local candidates the opportunity to apply before submitting Employment Pass or S Pass applications for foreign workers.

It aims to safeguard local employment opportunities and is a prerequisite in many foreign-worker visa processes in Singapore.

The Dependency Ratio Ceiling is a foreign-worker quota mechanism whereby employers in specified sectors must ensure the number of S Pass or Work Permit holders does not exceed a defined percentage of their total workforce.

It varies by industry (for example 35% for services) and is key to managing foreign manpower in Singapore.

The Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) is a points-based evaluation introduced by the Ministry of Manpower to assess Employment Pass applications.

Applicants (and their employers) must meet a minimum score (typically 40 points) across criteria such as salary, qualifications, workforce diversity and support for local employment. It became effective for new EP applications from September 2023.

The Ministry of Manpower is the Singapore government agency responsible for managing foreign-worker regulations including the issuance of work passes (EP, S Pass, Work Permit), setting foreign-worker quotas (DRC), levy schedules and compliance frameworks (FCF, COMPASS).

Employers hiring foreigners must align with MOM’s policies and procedures to ensure lawful and efficient operations.