Singapore: New Salary Benchmarking Table by Sector Now Available

The situation

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has released the upcoming salary benchmarking table for the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS), which will apply to initial EP applications from January 1, 2026, and EP renewal applications of passes expiring from July 2026.

A closer look

• Points under the salary criterion. The number of points awarded under COMPASS is based on the salary benchmarking tables, which are divided into different industry sectors. EP applicants can earn 10 points, or the maximum number of points (20), depending on their salary. If the salary does not meet the requirements of the COMPASS benchmarking table, no points will be awarded under COMPASS category C1 and the applicant would have to earn points under other COMPASS criteria to qualify for an EP or EP renewal.
• Current salary benchmarks. In August 2024, the MOM released the current salary benchmarking table, which applies to initial EP applications from January 1, 2025 until December 31, 2025, and EP renewal applications of passes expiring from July 1, 2025 until June 30, 2026.
• EP salary requirement. EP eligibility remains subject to meeting the Stage 1 EP qualifying salary. This requirement is independent of COMPASS or the C1 salary criterion and should be regarded as a prerequisite for approval.

Impact

To earn points under the C1 salary criterion, employers must ensure that their foreign employees meet the minimum salary requirements specified in the COMPASS benchmarking table. Failure to meet these salary thresholds will result in the foreign national’s inability to qualify for points under category C1, which is necessary to contribute to the minimum 40 points required to obtain or renew an EP.

Background

COMPASS is the points-based evaluation system introduced by MOM for initial Employment Pass (EP) applications filed from September 2023, and EP renewal applications of passes expiring from September 2024. To qualify for points in the C1 salary criterion under COMPASS, a foreign national’s fixed monthly salary must meet or exceed the 65th percentile of local salaries within their specific sector.

Looking ahead

The MOM releases a new salary benchmarking table annually. We will release alerts as the table is updated.

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].