EP qualifying salary and COMPASS C1 salary
Most candidates must first meet the age- and sector-dependent Employment Pass salary floor, then score at least 40 points under COMPASS, the Complementarity Assessment Framework. The score includes the candidate’s salary and qualifications, and the employer’s workforce.
- C1 salary: 0, 10 or 20 points against local professional salaries in the candidate’s sector and age group. This is separate from the qualifying salary floor.
- C2 qualifications: 0, 10 or 20 points depending on the qualification; a degree is not universally compulsory.
- C3 workforce diversity and C4 support for local employment: each can score 0, 10 or 20. Firms with fewer than 25 professional employees receive 10 points for each.
- C5 shortage occupation and C6 strategic economic priorities can add points where the specific conditions are met.
What salary is required in 2026?
| Age | 2026: general sectors | 2026: financial services |
|---|---|---|
| 23 or below | $5,600 | $6,200 |
| 30 | $7,223 | $7,982 |
| 40 | $9,541 | $10,527 |
| 45 or above | $10,700 | $11,800 |
These are fixed monthly salary floors for new applications from 1 January 2025 and renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2026. The floor rises for each year of age; use MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool for the exact age and application. From 1 January 2027, new applications use entry floors of $6,000 and $6,600. The corresponding renewal change applies to passes expiring from 1 January 2028.
How do qualifications help?
C2 awards 10 points for qualifying degree-equivalent or professional qualifications and 20 for qualifying top-tier awards. No qualifying award means zero C2 points, but does not automatically bar the application. Other criteria can make up the score. When relying on C2, provide acceptable qualification verification; MOM accepts defined verification agencies and eligible government or awarding-institution portals. A recognised institution is not a guarantee that every award scores or that a certificate is authentic.
Worked examples for a small firm.
| Illustrative profile, no bonuses | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No C2 award; C1 at 90th percentile or above | 20 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 40 |
| Qualifying degree-equivalent award; C1 at 65th–below 90th percentile | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 |
| Qualifying top-tier award; below C1 65th percentile | 0 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 40 |
These examples assume an employer with fewer than 25 professional employees and no bonus points. Every candidate must still meet the EP salary floor. Actual sector benchmarks and company data determine the result.
What if you qualify for a bonus?
C5 covers eligible roles on the Shortage Occupation List and can add 10 or 20 points, subject to conditions. C6 adds 10 where the employer meets an eligible strategic economic priorities programme. The role, credentials and employer participation must satisfy the current rules; a job title alone is insufficient.
What does the high-salary exemption change?
A fixed monthly salary of at least $22,500 exempts a candidate from COMPASS and the mandatory job-advertisement requirement under the Fair Consideration Framework. It does not guarantee an Employment Pass. Fair hiring and the remaining application requirements still apply.
The proposed salary should fit the role, the candidate’s experience and the business’s ability to pay. MOM may request further evidence, including proof that the declared salary will be paid. Depending on MOM’s request, supporting documents may include signed contracts and their values, bank statements and available funds, ongoing business records, company information or a website, and the candidate’s background and expertise. MOM does not require all of these documents for every application.
What should you check before applying?
Use MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool with accurate candidate and company details. Identify whether the gap is the basic salary floor, the COMPASS score, qualification evidence or company information. COMPASS has applied to new applications since 1 September 2023 and renewals of passes expiring from 1 September 2024, unless exempt.
Check the employer’s score as carefully as the candidate’s
C1 and C2 concern the candidate; C3 and C4 concern the employer. This distinction matters when comparing offers from different companies. The same candidate can have a different assessment with a different employer. Before relying on a score, confirm the employer’s recorded sector and workforce profile, and check that the salary, job and qualification entered into the assessment match the intended application.
For a small employer, the default firm-level points are a calculation rule, not evidence that its operations or employment documents will be accepted without further review. Our existing small-firm case shows one recorded assessment; it is not a promise that another small company will receive the same decision.
What to check under each criterion
| Criterion | Practical check |
|---|---|
| C1 — salary | Use the correct employer sector and candidate age; distinguish the qualifying floor from the points benchmark. |
| C2 — qualifications | Check the precise award and awarding institution, then obtain acceptable verification when relying on its points. |
| C3 — diversity | Review the employer’s recorded workforce profile rather than counting only the proposed team. |
| C4 — local employment | Check the relevant employer comparison; future recruitment plans are not existing employees. |
| C5 — shortage occupation | Match the actual duties and any specific qualification or experience checks to the listed occupation. |
| C6 — strategic priorities | Confirm the employer has the qualifying endorsement; do not assume every start-up receives this bonus. |
Record the assessment date and the inputs used. If salary, role, employer or qualification changes, revisit the calculation before filing. A screenshot with no record of its inputs is difficult to use when explaining why the application was planned that way.
A salary change needs a business explanation too
Suppose a proposed role needs a higher salary to resolve a points shortfall. Before changing the offer, compare the job responsibilities, the candidate’s relevant experience and the employer’s ability to pay that fixed amount each month. Work out how the change affects the company’s cash flow alongside rent, suppliers and other salaries.
A shareholder-funded company should distinguish funding already transferred from money that might be invested later. A signed customer contract should distinguish its total value from the amount payable this month. These are practical budgeting questions, not extra COMPASS points. For a request about employer evidence, use the company records guide.
What to prepare before an eligibility review
- Candidate age, nationality, current pass and proposed occupation.
- Fixed monthly salary and a description of the actual duties.
- Qualification title, awarding institution and any existing verification.
- Employer UEN, recorded activity and current workforce information.
- Any claimed bonus, with the specific basis for eligibility.
Keep uncertain items marked as uncertain. Do not select a qualification or shortage occupation merely because it produces a passing total. If the calculation depends on an unresolved item, that item needs checking before the application is submitted.
Frequently asked questions
Can qualifications remove the minimum salary requirement?
No. Qualification points may affect the COMPASS total, but the applicable qualifying salary remains necessary.
Is a passing score the same as approval?
No. The application must also meet the salary requirement and the remaining employment and document checks.
Should I calculate using the planned future workforce?
Use the employer information reflected in the relevant MOM tools. Keep proposed recruitment separate from existing employees.
Does a higher salary fix every problem?
No. It does not correct inaccurate qualifications, an unsuitable role or missing employer evidence.
Do I always need a degree?
No. Zero C2 points can be compensated through the other criteria, if the profile reaches 40 and meets the EP salary floor.
Does $22,500 guarantee approval?
No. At least $22,500 fixed monthly salary gives a COMPASS exemption, while the other EP requirements and evidence review still apply.
Official sources
Related guides
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