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The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of Singapore has announced the latest salary benchmarks under Singapore’s COMPASS system, which affects all Employment Pass (EP) applications. These new rules will apply to:

• New EP applications filed from January 1, 2026
• EP renewal applications where the pass expires on July 1, 2026

What Is COMPASS?

Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) is a points-based system used by Singapore to assess EP applications. It considers factors such as an applicant’s salary, qualifications, company diversity, and sector. Applicants need at least 40 points in total to qualify.

One key part of COMPASS is Category C1, which checks if the applicant earns a competitive salary based on their industry.

• Meeting the benchmark earns 10 points.
• Exceeding it by a set margin earns the maximum 20 points.
• Falling short earns zero points, meaning applicants must rely on other COMPASS factors to reach 40 points.

How the Salary Benchmarking Works

Every year, MOM publishes a salary benchmarking table for COMPASS. These tables set salary levels by industry, based on what local workers earn.

Here’s how it works:

• If the applicant’s salary meets the 65th percentile of local salaries in their industry, they get 20 points.
• If their salary is slightly below that, they might get 10 points.
• If their salary falls below the benchmark, they get 0 points under this category.

That means the employer will need to make up the points in other COMPASS categories to still reach the 40-point requirement.

Salary Rules Already in Place

Right now, the 2024 salary table applies to:

• New EP applications filed from January 1 to December 31, 2025
• EP renewal applications for passes expiring between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026

The new 2025 table will take over from January 2026 for new applicants and from July 2026 for renewals.

Don’t Forget the EP Minimum Salary

Before COMPASS even comes into play, applicants still need to meet the Stage 1 EP minimum salary. This is the basic monthly salary threshold needed to be considered for an EP in the first place. It varies based on age and sector and is reviewed regularly.

Why This Matters

If the applicant’s salary doesn’t meet the COMPASS benchmark, that’s an automatic zero under C1. That could make or break the application unless the employer earns enough points in other areas.

Employers planning to bring in foreign workers should double-check salary offers now, especially if they’re preparing to hire in 2026.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hiring foreign professionals in Singapore or planning to apply for an EP in the future, make sure you’re keeping an eye on the latest COMPASS salary benchmarks. Meeting those numbers is now a big part of getting approved.