Employment Pass and S Pass Salary Floors Rise in 2027: A Plain Guide for Workers and Employers

If you work in Singapore on an Employment Pass or S Pass, or you hire people who do, salary floors matter. They decide who can get a pass and who can renew one. In March 2026, the Ministry of Manpower confirmed the next round of increases.

From 1 January 2027, new Employment Pass applicants will need a fixed monthly salary of at least 6,000 Singapore dollars, up from 5,600. The S Pass minimum for new applicants rises to 3,600 Singapore dollars, up from 3,300. Older applicants and the financial services sector face higher figures.

The Numbers Side by Side

The qualifying salary rises with age, because MOM expects older candidates to bring more experience. The exact amount for your age is set on MOM's official salary tool.

When Renewals Are Affected

There is a gap between new applications and renewals. New applications follow the higher floor from 1 January 2027. For renewals, the higher floor applies to passes expiring from 1 January 2028. That gives current pass holders and their employers about a year to adjust.

• New Employment Pass or S Pass application from 1 January 2027: new floor applies.
• Renewal of a pass expiring in 2027: current floor applies.
• Renewal of a pass expiring from 1 January 2028: new floor applies.

COMPASS Still Applies

For the Employment Pass, meeting the salary floor is only the first step. Applicants must also pass the COMPASS points framework, which looks at salary compared with local professionals in the same sector, qualifications, workforce diversity at the firm and support for local employment. A salary that just meets the floor may not score well on COMPASS.

What Workers Should Do

1. Check your pass expiry date and note whether it falls before or after 1 January 2028.
2. Use MOM's official salary tool to see the floor for your age and sector.
3. Talk to your employer early if your salary is close to the new floor.
4. Keep payslips and your contract ready for renewal.

What Employers Should Do

Employers planning to hire from abroad in 2027 should budget for the new floors now. For current staff, review salaries before renewal dates, and plan for the S Pass floor to keep rising. MOM has said it expects the S Pass minimum to reach around 4,000 to 4,500 Singapore dollars by about 2030.

Employers should also remember that the salary must be a fixed monthly salary. Bonuses and allowances that are not fixed generally do not count.

Why Singapore Keeps Raising the Bar

MOM reviews the floors regularly so that foreign professionals complement, rather than undercut, the local workforce. The increases also follow wage growth among local professionals. For workers, this means the pass is a mark of higher skill; for employers, it means foreign hiring costs more each year.

A Simple Example

Imagine a software engineer in her early thirties who holds an Employment Pass that expires in March 2028. Her pass renewal will follow the new 2027 floor, because her pass expires after 1 January 2028. If her fixed monthly salary is below the new floor for her age, her employer will need to review her pay before renewal, or the renewal may not be approved.

Now imagine a colleague whose pass expires in October 2027. His renewal follows the current floor. However, if he changes employer and a new application is made in 2027, the new floor applies to that application, because it counts as a new pass.

These examples show why dates matter so much. Two people in the same office can face different rules depending on when their pass expires and whether they change jobs.

Dependants are linked to the main pass holder. If the main pass is not renewed, dependant passes are affected too. Families should keep this in mind when planning school terms, leases and long trips.

Before You Rely on Any Figure

This reflects the Ministry of Manpower factsheet of March 2026. Rules, fees and dates change, so check the official government website on the day you act. For questions about your own case, speak to a licensed immigration lawyer or an authorised representative. World Visa Academy is a training academy; it does not file applications or guarantee any visa or outcome.

The Honest Summary

Salary floors for both passes rise for new applications on 1 January 2027, and for renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028. Check your numbers, plan early and remember that COMPASS still decides Employment Pass approvals.

Key takeaways

• From 1 January 2027, new Employment Pass applicants need at least 6,000 Singapore dollars a month.
• The S Pass minimum rises to 3,600 Singapore dollars for new applications from the same date.
• Renewals follow the new rates for passes expiring from 1 January 2028.
• The financial services sector has higher floors for both passes.