Guide to Singapore S Pass: Eligibility, Validity & Quota

The Singapore S Pass allows foreigners of mid-range skill level who earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$2,500* to work in Singapore. Employers must make S Pass applications on behalf of a job candidate according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). If you’re considering work visas in Singapore, you should also look into if you qualify for Employment Passes.

S Pass applications are assessed based on multiple criteria including salary, education qualification, skills, job type, and work experience.

*The minimum qualifying salary for S Pass will be raised to S$3,000 from 1 September 2022 for new applications.

Another work visa which could also be used is the Employment Pass (EP). One of the primary advantages of the Employment Pass is to  start a business in Singapore and thus become self-employed.

A common occurrence we see is that S Pass holders have high enough salaries to meet the minimum salary requirement of EPs at S$4,500. If you can qualify for an EP, consider discussing with your employers to upgrade your pass.

If there is reluctance, discuss an arrangement of setting up your own company and your employer can contract work to you. This means less HR administrative procedures for them, less cost on levies, and a step towards personal and financial freedom for you.

As mentioned, foreigners of mid-range skill level such as technicians who plan to work in Singapore may apply for the Singapore S Pass. Here are some of the qualifying criteria:

*The revised minimum fixed monthly salary will be increased progressively from 2022 to 2025 as detailed in the table below. It will require higher salaries to secure the S Pass in years to come.

The Singapore S Pass has a validity of up to 2 years and will be renewable for as long as the employee remains in the registered Company. It will have to be renewed every 2 years.

Source: Ministry of Manpower

Work Permit (WP) holders who wish to apply for the Singapore S Pass must ensure that they meet the preceding requirements.

Every company has a quota on the Singapore S Pass. For employers, you should also note that there are changes to the quota and levy for this specific work visa.

According to the latest release by MOM, the number of S pass holders a company can employ is limited to the following:

*The quota for these sectors will be reduced from 18% to 15% from 1 January 2023.

As for the levies, you can refer to the MOM website directly here.

The documents needed for an employer to submit your S Pass application are listed below:

The purchase and maintenance of medical insurance is a requirement for S Pass application. The insurance coverage must be worth at least S$15,000 per year for each worker’s inpatient care and day surgery during the person’s stay in Singapore.

If you’re an applicant of the Singapore S pass, you may also consider these additional insurances for expats.

Singapore S Pass applicants whose fixed monthly salary is more than S$6,000 a month may apply for the Dependant’s Pass (DP) for their family members. The DP application and supporting documents may either be submitted together with the S Pass application or separately.

For S Pass holders who earn less than S$6,000 per month, they are not allowed to bring in their dependants such as spouses, children, and other family members.
Should the children of such S Pass holders wish to study in mainstream public schools in Singapore, they will have to pass a Qualifying Test (QT) or the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS).

You can also look into the top international schools we have collated here, along with the types of enrolments.

When your S Pass application has been rejected, you have 3 months from the date of rejection to file an appeal. Before doing so, log into your EPOL account to review the rejection reasons so as to prepare all the needed supporting documents and justifications in line with the reason for rejection. You should only appeal when you are capable of directly addressing the reason for the rejection

Of course, it should also be noted that the Singapore S Pass is not the only work visa which could possibly be used by one who plans to live and work in Singapore. Another such pass is the Employment Pass (EP).