New work pass requirements from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

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Work pass requirements

Singapore regularly updates its work pass framework to balance the needs of foreign talent with fair employment outcomes for local workers. Staying on top of these requirements is an important part of employment compliance and something our tax services practice actively supports.

Here are the key changes businesses employing foreigners should be aware of:

  •  From 1 January 2027, the monthly minimum salary to qualify for a new Employment Pass (EP) will increase from S$5,600 to S$6,000 . For the financial service sectors, which operate under higher salary norms, the threshold will increase from S$6,200 to S$6,600. For renewals of EPs, this new rule will apply from 1 January 2028. This transition period is intended to provide businesses with sufficient time to adjust. For more background on EP eligibility criteria, our article on Singapore’s updated Employment Pass and S Pass salary thresholds outlines the minimum qualifying salaries that candidates must meet. 
  • From 1 July 2026, the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) will be raised from S$1,600 to S$1,800. The LQS was introduced by MOM to ensure businesses do not hire local employees on a token pay just to improve their Pass and Work Permit dependency ratio ceilings i.e. in order to hire more foreign employees. 
  • Under the Fair Consideration Framework (“FCF”) job advertising requirements, employers are exempted from advertising job vacancies on MyCareersFuture if the fixed monthly salary for the position is at least S$22,500. There are no changes to the exemption relating to the minimum number of employees (i.e. less than 10 employees).

The Ministry of Manpower is constantly reviewing requirements to ensure fair employment for local workers while managing the need for foreign talent in Singapore.

While MOM will publicise these requirements/measures widely, it may not be possible to inform every employer or employee directly about each new set of requirements. Employers and employees are strongly advised to check the MOM’s website (http://www.mom.gov.sg) for all the latest information.

Keeping up with these changes can be complex, particularly for businesses managing a mix of local and foreign headcount across different pass types. Forvis Mazars can assist you with your application for the relevant work passes in Singapore and navigate through the important changes in MOM rules from time to time.   

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