Written Answer to PQ on Review of EP qualifying salary given CPF Ordinary Wage ceiling increase

NOTICE PAPER NO. 247 OF 2025 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 6 NOVEMBER 2025
QUESTION NO. 627 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Ms Lee Hui Ying

To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry has reviewed the qualifying salary thresholds for Employment Passes in view of the expected increase in the CPF Ordinary Wage ceiling for Singaporean employees from 1 January 2026.

Answer:

The Employment Pass (EP) qualifying salary is benchmarked to the top one-third of resident Professional, Manager, Executive and Technician (PMET) wages, inclusive of CPF contributions. MOM regularly reviews the EP qualifying salary, taking into account changes to total resident wages, rather than focusing on any specific wage component.

2. MOM has recently increased the EP qualifying salary in January 2025. We will continue to monitor and update the qualifying salary based on local wage trends, to maintain a level playing field for locals. As with past announcements, MOM will also continue to ensure sufficient time for employers to adjust where there are revisions.