Singapore Updates Employment Pass Salary Rules for 2027

Singapore has released its next salary benchmarking table for the Employment Pass (EP), with new thresholds applying to applications from January 1, 2027. The changes matter to Indian professionals working in Singapore, as employers will need to meet the revised salary benchmarks to earn points under the COMPASS framework.

New COMPASS Salary Rules from 2027

The salary criterion, known as C1, is part of Singapore’s points-based COMPASS assessment. Depending on how an applicant’s fixed monthly salary compares with local salaries in the relevant sector, employers can receive 10 or 20 points under C1.

If the salary falls below the required benchmark, the applicant receives no C1 points. They must then make up the required score through other COMPASS criteria.

EP applications require at least 40 COMPASS points to qualify.

When the New Benchmarks Apply

The new salary table will cover:

• Initial EP applications: Filed from January 1, 2027
• EP renewals: Passes expiring from July 1, 2027

The existing benchmarks remain applicable to initial applications filed through December 31, 2026, and renewals for passes expiring through June 30, 2027.

What Foreign Professionals Should Know

The salary test is sector-specific, so there isn’t one universal minimum applicable to every job. MOM sets the benchmark against local salaries, with the C1 criterion requiring the foreign employee’s fixed monthly salary to meet or exceed the 65th percentile for the relevant sector.

For all foreign professionals, including Indians planning a job move or renewal in Singapore, timing matters. A salary that works under the 2026 benchmark may not deliver the same COMPASS points under the 2027 table.

MOM’s annual revision also reflects a broader trend: Singapore is tightening the link between foreign hiring and prevailing local salaries rather than relying on a single fixed salary floor.

Travelobiz Take:

We see this as a practical warning for Indian professionals targeting Singapore: check the 2027 salary benchmark early, especially before negotiating an EP offer or planning renewal.