Update to Employment Pass Salary Criteria

1. From 1 January 2017, the qualifying salary for Employment Pass (EP) applications will be raised from $3,300 to $3,600. This change is part of the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) regular updating of the EP qualifying salary to keep pace with rising local wages, maintain the quality of our foreign workforce and enhance their complementarity to the local workforce.
2. MOM’s manpower policy framework is designed to meet the manpower needs of the economy, so that businesses can stay competitive and grow, and ultimately create more and better jobs in Singapore. The previous minimum EP qualifying salary update was in Jan 2014, from $3,000 to $3,300.
3. With effect from 1 January 2017, only new EP applicants who can command a monthly salary of $3,600 or more, subject to meeting other criteria on qualifications and experience, will be considered. Those with more years of experience are also required to command higher salaries commensurate with their work experience and skill sets, as per current practice.
4. We will provide lead time for businesses to make adjustments. Existing EP holders whose passes expire:
   1. Before 1 January 2017: Will be able to renew, for a duration of up to three years, based on existing EP criteria.
   2. Between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2017 (both dates inclusive): Will be able to renew, for a duration of one year, based on the existing EP criteria.
   3. 1 July 2017 onwards: Will have to meet the new criteria for renewal, for a duration of up to three years.
5. Employers are encouraged to use the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) on the MOM website to assess if their EP candidates will meet the new salary criteria. The SAT will be updated by Nov 2016.