Singapore: New Assessment Framework for Employment Pass Applications Forthcoming

March 7, 2022

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Country / Territory

At a Glance

  • The Ministry of Manpower will use a new points-based evaluation framework called the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) for new Employment Pass (EP) applications starting September 2023 and EP renewals starting September 2024.  
  • Under COMPASS, applicants will need to score at least 40 points which will consider several employee and employer-related criteria such as the salary level and qualifications of the applicant, as well as levels of nationality diversity and support for local employment by the employer.  
  • The government will apply the COMPASS evaluation in addition to the standard requirement under which applicants must meet the minimum qualifying salary for EP applications.  

The situation

Effective September 2023, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will start using a new evaluation framework called Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) for new Employment Pass (EP) applications and will also apply the new evaluation framework to EP renewals starting September 2024.

In addition to the minimum qualifying salary requirement for EP eligibility, applicants will need to score at least 40 points under the new COMPASS framework, which evaluates applications using a points-based system for each of the following foundational and bonus criteria based on both employee and employer-related attributes to ensure complementarity with Singaporean workers: 

  Employee-Related Attributes Employer-Related Attributes
Foundation Criteria
    • Salary. COMPASS will account for sectoral differences in salary norms. The EP applicant earns points by meeting sector-specific benchmarks for local professional, managerial, executive and technical salaries.  
      • MOM regularly publishes labour market statistics, including resident income statistics, which provide an overview of wage trends. 
    • Qualifications. Graduates of the top 100 universities based on international rankings will earn 20 points; those with degree-equivalent qualifications will earn 10 points; and those with no degree-equivalent qualifications will not earn any points. 
    • Diversity. COMPASS will consider whether the candidate improves nationality diversity in the firm. 
      • More points will be awarded to applications where the candidate’s nationality forms a small share of the firm’s PMET employees. No points will be earned if the firm applies for an EP where the candidate’s nationality currently forms a significant share of its PMET employees. 
Bonus Criteria
    • Skills Bonus based on Shortage Occupation List (SOL). More points will be awarded if an EP applicant applies for a role that is on the SOL. The MOM will publish a SOL by March 2023 (and will regularly review it). 
    • Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus. COMPASS recognises companies that are undertaking ambitious innovation or internationalisation activities in partnership with the Singaporean government. These companies should also have the ability to provide good jobs for locals.  
    • This factor is meant to strengthen Singapore’s economic competitiveness through the development and growth of firms that can contribute to economic innovation and global linkages. 

Applications earn points based on whether they meet (10 points), exceed (20 points), or do not meet expectations (0 points) per criteria, relative to other employees and employers. 

  • New evaluation framework. This is the first time the MOM is introducing a points-based system in evaluating Work Passes for foreign nationals. The system is aimed at helping companies select highly qualified foreign professionals as well as improving workforce diversity. Recently, the MOM also introduced stricter job advertising requirements to promote fair employment practices with employers. The new system is part of the government’s continuing effort to protect the local labor market given the weakness in the job market and its uncertain growth outlook. 
  • Regular increases to EP application requirements. Requirements for EP applications such as the qualifying salary requirements have been regularly adjusted by the government to ensure that these support employment opportunities for locals. The last increase to the minimum salary levels came last September 2020 and the latest one will be in effect in September of this year. It is likely that the minimum salary amounts will continue to increase. 
  • COMPASS Pre-Assessment Tool forthcoming. MOM is working on the COMPASS Pre-Assessment Tool (PAT) and expects it to become available to employers by September 2023; this tool will help give employers an indicative COMPASS score for the EP applicant before submitting the application online. 
  • Expansion of COMPASS in the future. The new COMPASS framework may likely be applied to other Work Pass categories such as the S Pass as the government deems necessary. 

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].  

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