The complete guide to visas, residence permits, and administrative procedures for EU and non-EU nationals looking to settle in Singapore.
6
Routes covered
Direct PR
GIP for investors
Jul. 2026
Updated
Free · Results in 3 minutes
Overview
Singapore — from salary thresholds to PR through capital.
Singapore organizes professional immigration in tiers of salary thresholds, administered by the MOM: S Pass (SGD 3,300), Employment Pass (5,600, plus the COMPASS framework), PEP (22,500), ONE Pass (30,000). Add the EntrePass for innovative founders and, at the top, the GIP — permanent residence through investment, from SGD 10M. One rule runs through the whole system: only the employer can apply.
MOM · ICA · EDB
Three administrations
40 points
COMPASS pass mark (EP)
Employer
The only one who can apply
Three administrations share the system. The MOM (Ministry of Manpower) manages all work passes — and since COMPASS, the Employment Pass has two tiers: a salary threshold that rises with age, then 40 points on a framework that also scores your degree, the employer's diversity, and its share of local employment. The ICA issues the Student's Pass via the SOLAR system and formalizes residences. The EDB processes the GIP, the permanent residence route through investment — SGD 10M minimum, reserved for established entrepreneurial profiles. No nomad visa, no retirement visa: Singapore openly runs a system entirely geared toward employment, innovation, and capital.
Which route for your situation in Singapore?
Free assessment · Results in 3 minutes · No commitment
Available visas and permits
The main visas we support.
Click a permit to see the requirements, required documents, timelines, and practical tips. Each of these visas comes with full guidance in your nomadpass space.
EP
Employment Pass (EP)
The standard pass · salary threshold + COMPASS
COMPASS 40 pts2 + 3 years
›
Salary threshold
SGD 5,600/month (6,200 in finance), rising with age
At 45 and over
≈ SGD 10,700 (11,800 in finance)
COMPASS
40 points · exemption at SGD 22,500/month
Filing
Employer only, via EP Online
Salary is no longer enough: COMPASS also scores your degree, the diversity of nationalities at the employer, and its share of local employment. Part of the score depends on the company, not on you. And an employer of record (EOR) cannot sponsor — the MOM requires the actual employer.
SP
S Pass
Technicians and associate professionals
Quota + levy2 years
›
Salary threshold
SGD 3,300/month (3,800 in finance), rising with age
Employer quota
10% (services) · 15% (other sectors)
Levy
≈ SGD 650/month, paid by the employer
Jan. 2027
Thresholds raised to SGD 3,600 / 4,000
The real cost exceeds the salary: the quota and levy weigh on the employer, and a shrinking local workforce can block renewals. At a salary close to the EP threshold, the Employment Pass (no quota, no levy) often becomes the better option.
ENT
EntrePass
Innovative founders · no salary threshold
Innovation1 + 2 years
›
Criterion (at least one)
Recognized VC, registered IP, research, incubator
Company
ACRA < 6 months, ou à créer après approbation
Processing
≈ 8 weeks (MOM + economic agencies)
Renewals
Milestones for local spending and jobs created
The route for most founders remains an EP sponsored by their own company (from SGD 5,600/month in salary). The EntrePass is for funded or IP-intensive projects that can't yet pay that salary — conventional trade and consulting excluded.
ONE
ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise)
The top of the system · SGD 30,000/month
SGD 30,0005 years
›
Threshold
SGD 30,000/month over 12 months, or a future Singapore employer
Exceptional route
Arts, sports, science, research — no threshold
Flexibility
Multiple activities without re-applying · spouse on LOC
Duration
5 years, the longest in the system
A personal pass, not tied to an employer: freely create, run, and combine activities. Between SGD 22,500 and 30,000, the PEP already offers a personal pass — without the multi-activity option. Annual declaration of activities and income to the MOM.
STU
Student's Pass
Studies · the ICA's SOLAR system
SGD 90Work capped at 16 hrs
›
Fees
SGD 30 (application) + SGD 60 (issuance)
Filing
SOLAR, initiated by the institution, 1 month ahead
Student work
16 hrs/wk max, approved institutions only
Post-study
No scheme — you'll need to land an EP or S Pass
No job-search visa after graduation: you must secure a work pass before the student pass expires. Local graduates score COMPASS points — a lever to use during your final year, not after.
GIP
GIP — Global Investor Programme
Permanent residence through investment
From SGD 10MDirect PR
›
Option A
SGD 10M into a Singapore company
Option B
SGD 25M into a GIP-select fund
Option C
Family office · SGD 50M deployed (AUM ≥ 200M)
Fee / timeline
SGD 20,000 · ≈ 12 months + a 6-month AIP
The SGD 2.5M threshold still circulating online has been obsolete since 2023, and the fee rose to 20,000 in May 2025. The GIP is won on track record — passive investors are turned away. Already on an EP? The classic PR route (PTS) is the proportionate path.
This list presents the main residence permits, which cover the vast majority of relocation situations. It is not exhaustive: other specific visas exist for particular situations, available from the country's official authorities.
Not sure which permit to choose?
Our assessment identifies the right visa in 3 minutes
Competent authorities
The official bodies for your procedure.
The competent authorities vary depending on your nationality and your project.
Processes the Global Investor Programme: profiles, interview, Approval-in-Principle. The current factsheet is authoritative on thresholds.
Regulatory news
Recent changes to Singapore's immigration rules.
Mar 2026
Singapore — Budget 2026: salary-threshold increase enacted for January 1, 2027 (EP: SGD 6,000/6,600 · S Pass: SGD 3,600/4,000). Filing in 2026 = current thresholds.
Info
By project
Your situation, your visa.
Select your profile to access the detailed guides.
6 visas and permits are covered for Singapore, including Employment Pass (EP) · S Pass · EntrePass (innovative entrepreneurs). The free assessment identifies the one that fits your situation in 3 minutes.
How long does it take to get a visa for Singapore?
From 10 days to about 17 months depending on the visa. For example, Employment Pass (EP): 10 business days online · 2 to 8 weeks end to end with the checks.
How much does a visa for Singapore cost?
Official fees depend on the visa. For example, Employment Pass (EP): SGD 105 (the application) + SGD 225 (the issuance) — at the employer's expense.
Is the information on Singapore up to date?
Yes: every sheet cites its official sources (MOM — Employment Pass: the SGD 5,600 / 6,200 thresholds rising with age, an increase to 6,000 / 6,600 on January 1, 2027, MOM — COMPASS: 40 points across 4 foundational criteria + 2 bonuses, an exemption at SGD 22,500/month, MOM — S Pass: the SGD 3,300 / 3,800 thresholds, rising to 3,600 / 4,000 on January 1, 2027) and carries a verification date. Last verified: 2026-10-06.
