EP renewal: what MOM actually checks.
A first Employment Pass is granted partly on promise. Renewal is granted on evidence. The founders who are surprised at renewal are usually the ones who treated the first approval as the finish line.
By Travis Tay, Immigration Expert · Updated June 2026.
At renewal, MOM re-scores you against the current rules and looks for proof the business actually operated. From 1 January 2026 the revised qualifying-salary floors and the COMPASS framework apply to renewals, not just new applications. Expect scrutiny of company financials, often the last 12 months of bank statements, the salary you actually paid yourself, and CPF contributions for any local staff. A company that actually traded and hired renews smoothly; a dormant one does not.
Why the first renewal catches people out
The first EP is assessed on a business plan and a credible setup. By the first renewal, usually two to three years later, MOM can see what actually happened. A first Employment Pass is also sometimes issued for only one year rather than two, when MOM wants to assess whether the business is real, which brings that first review forward. If the company traded, paid the declared salary and contributed to the economy, renewal is straightforward. If it sat dormant while the founder treated the pass as the goal, the gap shows. The rules also moved: from 1 January 2026 the higher salary floors and COMPASS apply at renewal, so a pass that cleared the bar a few years ago must be re-scored against today's numbers.
What they look at
| What MOM checks | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| Current salary vs 2026 thresholds | You still clear the floor and score under COMPASS |
| Salary actually paid | The declared salary was real, not just on paper |
| Company financials and tax filings | The business actually operated |
| Up to 12 months of bank statements | Real trading activity and inflows |
| CPF for local employees | The company supports local employment |
The deeper renewals get harder, not easier
People assume renewals get easier with time. The opposite can be true. A first renewal may only have one or two financial years to show. By the second renewal MOM can ask for up to three years of financials, and the bar for "is this a contributing business" is higher. Each cycle, the evidence of a real, operating company matters more, which ties directly to the substance described in what MOM looks for in your company.
What to do from day one
- Pay yourself the salary you declared, on a proper payroll
- Keep clean books and file company tax on time with IRAS
- Maintain real bank activity that reflects real trading
- Hire at least some local staff and pay their CPF as you grow
- Re-check your COMPASS score against the 2026 thresholds before the renewal window
How we keep you renewal-ready
Renewal is not a separate event we scramble for; it is the product of how the company was run from day one. Our compliance service keeps the bookkeeping, payroll, CPF and filings in order so the evidence is already there when the renewal window opens, and we re-score your COMPASS profile against the current rules before you file.
Questions people ask
Do the new 2026 thresholds apply to renewals? +
Yes. From 1 January 2026 the revised qualifying-salary floors (SGD 5,600 general, SGD 6,200 financial services, rising with age) and the COMPASS framework apply to renewals as well as new applications. A pass that comfortably cleared the bar a few years ago should be re-scored. The floors rise again to SGD 6,000 and SGD 6,600 for new applications from 1 January 2027 and for renewals from 1 January 2028.
Do I need three years of financials to renew? +
Not at the first renewal, where you may only have one or two financial years. By later renewals MOM can ask for up to three years, and expects to see a business that actually operated.
What if my company has not traded much? +
That is the hardest renewal case. A dormant company with little activity, no local hiring and minimal bank movement struggles, because renewal is assessed on evidence of real operation. The fix is to build real activity well before the renewal window.
Does paying CPF for staff really help? +
Yes. CPF contributions for local employees are strong evidence that the company is a real employer supporting local employment, which helps both COMPASS and the overall renewal assessment.
How long does a renewal take? +
A clean renewal is often processed in a few weeks once submitted, but apply well before expiry. If the company's substance is questioned it can take longer and may require additional documents.
Related services
Stay renewal-ready, from day one.
We keep your financials, payroll and CPF in order so renewal is built on evidence, not a scramble.