Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has released the latest COMPASS C1 salary benchmarks, providing employers with updated salary thresholds for Employment Pass (EP) candidates under the COMPASS framework. The new benchmarks will apply to:
- New Employment Pass (EP) applications from January 1, 2027
- EP renewals for passes expiring from July 1, 2027
Under COMPASS, the C1 Salary criterion assesses an EP candidate’s fixed monthly salary against local PMET salaries based on the candidate’s age and the employer’s sector.
Candidates can receive:
- 10 points – salary meets or exceeds the 65th percentile of local PMET salaries for the relevant sector and age
- 20 points – salary meets or exceeds the 90th percentile
- 0 points – salary falls below the 65th percentile
The benchmarks are reviewed annually to reflect prevailing local salary conditions, meaning employers should not assume that a salary which previously secured C1 points will continue to do so for future applications or renewals.
An Important Distinction for Employers
The COMPASS C1 salary benchmark is NOT the same as the EP qualifying salary.
From January 1, 2027, the minimum EP qualifying salary will separately increase to:
- S$6,000 for all sectors except financial services
- S$6,600 for the financial services sector
Both thresholds increase progressively with age.
An EP candidate must first meet the applicable EP qualifying salary before being assessed under COMPASS. Unless exempted, the application must then achieve at least 40 COMPASS points.
Candidates earning at least S$22,500 in fixed monthly salary remain exempt from COMPASS.
What Should Employers Do Now?
With 2027 workforce planning already underway for many organizations, employers should consider reviewing upcoming new hires and renewals early.
In particular:
- Confirm the organization’s MOM sector classification
- Check the candidate’s age-specific C1 benchmark
- Determine whether the proposed salary attracts 0, 10 or 20 C1 points
- Recalculate the candidate’s overall COMPASS score
- Pay particular attention to cases sitting close to a C1 salary threshold
For candidates who rely on C1 points to achieve the required COMPASS score, early assessment and salary planning can be critical.
The latest update reinforces an important aspect of Singapore’s Employment Pass framework: meeting the minimum qualifying salary alone does not necessarily mean that an application will satisfy COMPASS.
Source: Ministry of Manpower (Singapore)
This alert is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact Newland Chase directly for case-specific guidance.