Singapore: Employment Pass Rule Improvements Forthcoming
September 2, 2022
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At a Glance
The Singapore government will introduce several changes to the current Employment Pass (EP) rules that will benefit eligible applicants. These changes include:
- Starting January 1, 2023, eligible applicants will be able to apply for the new Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass;
- Starting September 1, 2023, the top 10% of EP holders will continue to be exempt from the Fair Consideration Framework job advertising requirement and the upcoming Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) and will continue to be eligible for the Personalised Employment Pass;
- Starting September 1, 2023, experienced professionals in government specified tech occupations on the COMPASS Shortage Occupation List will become eligible for a five-year EP, compared to the typical initial EP duration of two years; and
- All EP and S Pass applicants must now only comply with Fair Consideration Framework job advertising for 14 days, down from the previous 28-day requirement. Lastly, the government decreased its processing time of EP applications to 10 business days.
The situation
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Communications and Information of Singapore have announced enhancements to Singapore’s existing Employment Pass (EP) framework.
A closer look
| Change | Details | Impact |
| New Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass |
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| Benefits for the top 10% of EP holders |
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| Longer EP duration for specific tech occupations under the COMPASS Shortage Occupation List |
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| Shorter FCF job advertising duration for EP and S Pass and faster processing times for EP applications |
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Background
- Competition for top talent. The changes are in line with the Singapore government’s aim to ensure that the country competes in the global fight for top talent, considering the skills gaps that exist in the country. Similarly, in January 2021, the government opened 500 spots for qualified foreign nationals in the technology sector to apply for the Tech.Pass. Further, in September 2023, the MOM will start using a new points-based evaluation framework called the COMPASS for new EP applications.
Looking ahead
It is likely that the Singapore government will likely continue to enhance general work pass rules, such as those for the S-Pass, by introducing benefits like reduced processing times and other incentives for highly-qualified foreign nationals to ensure that companies in Singapore are bringing in and retaining top talent.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
