Your Comprehensive
S-Pass Guide

S Pass icon representing Singapore’s work visa for mid-skilled foreign professionals, featuring a work badge or pass symbol.

What is the S Pass in Singapore?

The S Pass is a type of mid-level Singapore work pass that offers the flexibility for companies who would like to employ foreign workers in mid-level skilled positions (e.g. Associate Professionals and Technicians) that do not fulfil the criteria of the Employment Pass. S-Pass visa is a good option as compared to the Passe de emprego (EP) when your company does not have the budget to pay a high salary for EP. However, the key challenge is to obtain a quota for S-Pass as the sponsor company needs to have enough local full-time employees to be able to sponsor one S-Pass applicant. Read further to learn more about S-Pass.

Why the S Pass Matters for HR and Business Owners?

O Passe S is essential for HR professionals and business owners in Singapore looking to hire mid-skilled foreign workers to fill key roles where local talent may be limited. Meeting the minimum salary requirements is crucial for ensuring compliance and successful S Pass applications. As businesses face growing challenges in sourcing manpower, HR teams and global mobility managers can leverage the Passe S to solve critical talent shortages, ensuring that operations and expansion plans stay on track. For companies aiming to scale in Singapore, knowing how to apply for an S Pass effectively allows them to access a broader talent pool while maintaining compliance with local regulations. By strategically using the Passe S, businesses can support sustainable growth, manage labor costs, and strengthen their workforce capabilities.

S Pass Eligibility Criteria for 2025

  • Must be sponsored by a Singapore registered company;
  • The sponsoring company must have an available S Pass quota, which varies depending on the industry sector.
  • The applicant must earn a fixed-monthly income of 3,150 SGD per month, which is relative to the top one-third of the local APT workforce by age, ensuring the pass holder’s financial stability.
  • Declaration of applicant’s qualification is optional

S Pass Comparison to Other Work Passes

The S Pass is often compared to the Employment Pass, which is designed for professionals with advanced expertise in managerial or specialized roles. The Employment Pass has a higher qualifying salary requirement, with a minimum of $5,000 for non-financial sectors and $5,500 for the financial service sector. In contrast, the S Pass has a lower qualifying salary requirement, with a minimum of $3,150 for all sectors. While the Employment Pass targets highly skilled professionals, the S Pass is tailored for mid-level skilled workers, making it a more accessible option for companies looking to fill essential roles without the higher salary commitments.

See below for a Table of Comparison Between S-Pass and other Work Passes

Passe de empregoCartão de emprego personalizadoPasse técnicoS-PassAutorização de trabalho
- O "Employment Pass" está disponível para profissionais qualificados e com um bom nível de educação a quem tenha sido oferecido um emprego em Singapura.

- Necessidade de receber um salário mínimo.

- É válido por 2 anos e pode ser renovado por mais um ano; cada renovação futura tem a duração de 2 anos.

- Os proprietários e directores de empresas podem ser titulares deste cartão.

Ver a nossa lista completa dos critérios do Employment Pass para mais pormenores.
- Não pode exercer a sua própria atividade

- Deve cumprir o requisito de salário mínimo de S$12.000 - 18.000 por mês.

Ver o nosso lista completa dos critérios PEP.
- Salário mensal fixo de, pelo menos, S$20.000;
Ver a lista de Critérios de aprovação.

- Podem trabalhar para mais do que um empregador e podem criar a sua própria empresa.
- Para técnicos estrangeiros com qualificações médias em indústrias importantes como a farmacêutica, a eletrónica, a engenharia aeroespacial, a eletrónica, etc.
A entidade patronal ou o agente de emprego deve apresentar o pedido em nome do requerente.

- Os trabalhadores devem ter vários anos de experiência e um grau, diploma ou certificado que comprove que receberam a formação necessária para o domínio que escolheram.

- Os trabalhadores devem receber um salário mínimo mensal de $2.200; os trabalhadores com mais experiência devem receber um salário mais elevado, de acordo com a sua experiência e nível de competências.
- O S-Pass tem uma duração de 2 anos e pode ser renovado até 3 anos.

- O S-Pass tem requisitos em termos de quotas e de taxas. O número de trabalhadores abrangidos pelo S-Pass não pode exceder 15% do pessoal dos serviços da empresa ou 20% em todos os outros sectores. Quanto à quotização, as entidades patronais devem pagar uma quotização mensal por cada trabalhador do S-Pass para cobrir as despesas de saúde.

Ver lista completa de Critérios S-Pass.
- A autorização de trabalho destina-se a trabalhadores estrangeiros semiqualificados de países asiáticos seleccionados que trabalham nos sectores da construção, da indústria transformadora, da marinha, dos processos ou dos serviços (bem como a trabalhadores domésticos estrangeiros, amas e artistas).

- É válido por um período máximo de 2 anos e pode ser renovado.

- É necessária uma quota para a autorização de trabalho

Ver o nosso lista completa dos critérios para a autorização de trabalho.

Quota de S-Pass

All new companies that have never applied for any work permit and S-Pass before are required to update their company business activity by declaring to the MOM, which is essential for employing a foreign worker. Once you have declared your business activity, your S-Pass quota will be reflected if you have hired any locals for more than 3 months (excluding this month and last month).

Para saber mais sobre a quota do S-Pass, pode consultar os detalhes abaixo:

  • Todos os sectores de serviços: 13% da força de trabalho total da sua empresa

  • Todos os outros sectores da indústria: 20% do total da mão de obra

Therefore, if you are in the service industry, you are looking at approximately 8 local employees to 1 S-Pass holder. While for all other sectors, you need to have at least 4 local to be able to hire 1 S-Pass holder.

If you are unsure about how to calculate your S-Pass quota, contact us for a Free Eligibility Assessment Today.

Taxa de imposição S-Pass

Para o sector dos serviços:

NívelPercentagem da quotaTaxa de imposição mensalTaxa de imposição diária
Básico / Nível 1Até 10% da força de trabalho total da empresa330 SGD10,85 SGD
Nível 2Mais de 10% a 13% da força de trabalho total da empresa650 SGD21,37 SGD

Para todos os outros sectores, excluindo os serviços:

Nível

Percentagem da quota

Taxa de imposição mensal

Taxa de imposição diária

Básico / Nível 1

Até 10% da força de trabalho total da empresa

330 SGD

10,85 SGD

Nível 2

Mais de 10% a 20% da força de trabalho total da empresa

650 SGD

21,37 SGD

Documentos necessários para o S-Pass

  • Cópia digitalizada dos dados biográficos do passaporte;
  • Último perfil comercial ou da ACRA da empresa patrocinadora
  • Applicant’s education certificate (verified by approved vetting agency)

S Pass Application Process

For submission of the S Pass applications, you can either engage a third-party agency or request your employer to submit the application. You need to have access to the Conta EPOL for the submission of the S-Pass.

  • Ensure that:

    • The applicant meets the minimum monthly salary (SGD $3,150, higher for older or more experienced candidates). Meeting these requirements is crucial for obtaining S Pass approval.

    • The employer has quota availability under the Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC).

    • The applicant holds relevant qualifications (e.g., diploma or technical certificates).

    • The company meets sector-specific requirements (levies, quotas, etc.).

  • Applicant’s passport bio-data page copy.

  • Educational certificates (must be from accredited institutions).

  • Completed S Pass application form.

  • Employer’s latest business profile from ACRA (for newly registered companies).

  • Written consent from the applicant authorizing the employer to apply.

  • HR or employer logs into MOM’s EP Online system to submit the pass online application.
  • Fill out the S Pass application form and upload supporting documents.
  • Pay the non-refundable application fee of SGD $105 via GIRO, VISA, or MasterCard.
  •  

Application outcome is typically available within 10 business days (may take longer depending on the case).

  • If approved, download the IPA letter via EP Online.

  • The IPA letter is valid for 60 days and allows the applicant to enter Singapore if they are overseas.

Before issuing the S Pass, ensure:

  • The applicant completes a pre-employment medical exam (if required).
  • The company has arranged for medical insurance (minimum SGD $15,000 coverage per year).
  • All quota, levy, and DRC conditions are fulfilled.
  •  
  • Log into EP Online to issue the pass and pay the issuance fee (SGD $100).

  • Request for delivery or collection of the S Pass card.

  •  

If required, schedule an appointment at the MOM Employment Pass Services Centre (EPSC) for biometric registration.

The card will be delivered to the registered address within 4 working days after successful registration.

Common Reasons for S Pass Rejections

When your S-Pass application is rejected, you are given 3 months from the date of rejection to file an appeal against the rejection. Before you proceed, you are advise to log in to your EPOL account to review the rejection reasons. You must review the rejection reasons carefully so that you can prepare all the required support documents and justification targeting the reason of rejection.

Below are the typical rejection reasons for S-Pass Application:

  • Incomplete or inaccurate documentation

  • failing to meet the salary and qualification criteria

  • applying without sufficient S Pass quota

  • Non-compliance with MOM’s regulatory requirements (e.g. discrepancies between job descriptions and actual duties).

You should only appeal when you know the reason of rejections for your S-Pass application and have the documentation proof to justify and counter the rejection. However, in some cases, you are not given a rejection reasons and you would need an agency’s help to review the rejection careful and advice on how to proceed with the next step. To file an appeal, only your employer or an authorised (appointed) employment agent is able to log in to the EPOL account to file for the appeal. Once logged into the EPOL account and all the required documents should be uploaded. If you are not sure of how to proceed with an appeal, you may reach to One Visa for a risk-free rejection review to assess on your chance of success.

Steps to Appeal an S Pass Rejection

Carefully read the rejection notice from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to identify the specific reason(s) for the rejection.

Determine if the rejection was due to quota limits, salary benchmarks, qualifications, job mismatch, or documentation errors. Rectify these issues before proceeding.

Prepare additional or revised supporting documents, such as updated educational certificates, a revised employment contract, or clarification letters, depending on the rejection reason.

Write a formal appeal letter explaining how the issues have been addressed, why the candidate is suitable for the role, and how your company meets the S Pass application requirements.

Log into MOM’s EP Online portal, locate the rejected application, and select the option to submit an appeal. Upload the necessary documents and appeal letter.

After submission, regularly check the status of the appeal on EP Online. The appeal process typically takes around 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the complexity.

Be ready to provide additional information if MOM requests further clarification during the appeal process.

Passe de Dependente ou Passe de Visita de Longa Duração para Membros da Família

S- Pass holders are eligible to bring their direct family members and parent to Singapore under  the Passe de dependente ou Passe de visita de longa duração. Ver abaixo os critérios de elegibilidade:

Categoria de membro da família

Tipo de passe a solicitar

Married Spouse & Unmarried Children below 21 year-old (including those that are legally adopted).
* Work pass holder must earn a minimum fixed-salary of 6,000 SGD per month.

Passe de dependente
Common-law spouse, unmarried handicapped children above 21 year-old & unmarried step-children below 21 year-old.
* Work pass holder must earn a minimum fixed-salary of 6,000 SGD per month.

Passe de visita de longa duração

Pais
** Work pass holder must earn a minimum fixed-salary of 12,000 SGD per month
Passe de visita de longa duração

Securing Singapore Permanent Residency with S-Pass

As a S-Pass holders are eligible to apply for the Singapore PR after working for at least 6 months in Singapore. However, the Singapore Permanent Residency follows a different set of criteria. PR is assessed based on your contribution to Singapore as an individual, your family profile, and your ability to integrate into the Singapore culture. There is no fixed number of years that you have to stay to be eligible for SPR.

 

Infographic showing the key criteria for a successful Singapore PR application, including eligibility requirements, salary criteria, and application process.

Renewing an Existing S Pass

An existing S Pass can be renewed beginning six months prior to its expiry date. The renewal process requires continued compliance with the initial eligibility conditions, and the employer must submit a renewal application to the MOM. The renewal incurs a fee of $100 per renewal, and the employer must also provide updated documents, such as the candidate’s passport and employment contract. The renewal process typically takes up to 10 business days. Ensuring timely renewal and accurate documentation helps maintain the employment status of the S Pass holder without any disruptions.

Why Engage Appointed Employment Agent for your S-Pass Application?

Are you considering applying for S Pass in Singapore? With the constantly changing immigration policies, it can be a daunting and challenging process. But don’t let that stop you from pursuing your goals.

A One Visa é uma agência de imigração totalmente licenciada (EA No.: 10C2994) em Singapura, com mais de 10 anos de experiência em imigração. Temos um historial comprovado de prestação de serviços excepcionais e de sucesso para os nossos clientes. Não se arrisque com o seu futuro; deixe-nos ajudá-lo a navegar no sistema de imigração de Singapura e a atingir os seus objectivos pessoais e profissionais.

Contacte-nos para uma avaliação gratuita da elegibilidade hoje mesmo!

 

Precisa de ajuda com o seu pedido de S-Pass?

O One Visa ajudou milhares de profissionais como como você a mudarem-se para Singapura

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Perguntas frequentes

O prazo de processamento do cartão de emprego é de 3 semanas após a sua apresentação. Em certos casos, como o pedido de documentos adicionais do MOM ou a apresentação de um recurso, são necessárias mais 3 a 5 semanas após a apresentação dos documentos adicionais ou do recurso.
Sim, mas o seu salário fixo deve ser de, pelo menos, 6000 SGD por mês.
Não, a menos que actualize o seu passe para EP
Sim. Dependendo do sector industrial, para o sector dos serviços é 13% da força de trabalho total e para todos os outros sectores é 20% da força de trabalho total da empresa
Sim, desde que a sua entidade patronal disponha da quota do S-Pass e que cumpra os requisitos.

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