EP salary benchmarks by sector, and why overpaying can backfire.
Founders assume a bigger salary always means a stronger Employment Pass. Singapore benchmarks your salary against your own industry, so the right number is the one that is both credible for your sector and high enough to score.
By Travis Tay, Immigration Expert · Updated June 2026.
An Employment Pass salary has two jobs. It must clear the qualifying-salary floor, which in 2026 is SGD 5,600 a month for most sectors and SGD 6,200 for financial services, rising with age. And it must score under the COMPASS C1 criterion, which compares you against local professionals in your sector. The strongest number is credible for your industry, supportable by your company's finances, and high enough to score, not simply the largest figure you can write down.
The minimum is just the floor
Meeting the qualifying salary makes you eligible to be considered. It does not, by itself, make you competitive under COMPASS. The floor scales with age, and financial-services roles sit higher.
| Age | Most sectors | Financial services |
|---|---|---|
| 23 and below | SGD 5,600 | SGD 6,200 |
| Around 30 | ~SGD 6,800 | ~SGD 7,600 |
| Around 40 | ~SGD 9,000 | ~SGD 10,500 |
| 45 and above | SGD 10,700 | SGD 11,800 |
COMPASS benchmarks you against your sector
Under the C1 salary criterion, your fixed monthly salary is compared with what local professionals in your industry earn at your age. Sit at or above the top of that range and you score 20 points; sit in the middle band and you score 10; fall below and you score 0. The same salary can be strong in one sector and weak in another, which is why a number copied from a friend in a different industry is a poor guide. The full points picture is in COMPASS explained.
Why overpaying can backfire
It is tempting to simply set a very high salary to maximise C1. Two things make that a mistake. First, your salary must be consistent with your company's finances: a salary the business plainly cannot fund is exactly the kind of inconsistency that triggers a closer review, as covered in why MOM reviews applications. Second, a salary far above the norm for a small company in a modest-paying sector simply looks staged. The goal is a number that is genuinely supportable, not theatrical.
Setting the right number
We set your salary where three things meet: it clears the floor for your age and sector, it scores well against the C1 benchmark, and the company's capital and revenue can credibly sustain it. For many founders that means pairing a sensible salary with strengths elsewhere, a recognised qualification, a Shortage Occupation List role, or a diverse, locally supported team, rather than relying on salary alone. A founder who is short on points may also lift them by upgrading a qualification.
The bottom line
Clear the floor, score under COMPASS, and keep the number believable for your business. That balance is the one we calibrate for every founder, because a salary that scores but cannot be sustained helps no one at renewal.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum Employment Pass salary in 2026? +
SGD 5,600 a month for most sectors and SGD 6,200 for financial services, rising with age to about SGD 10,700 and SGD 11,800 at age 45 and above. From 1 January 2027 the floor rises to SGD 6,000 and SGD 6,600, with renewals from 1 January 2028.
Can I just pay myself a very high salary to pass? +
It can backfire. The salary must be consistent with the company's finances and credible for your sector. A figure the business cannot fund is a common trigger for MOM to request more documents.
What if my sector pays modestly? +
Then a moderate salary may still score, because COMPASS benchmarks you against your own sector. You can also make up points through qualifications, a Shortage Occupation List role, or a diverse, locally supported team.
Does a high enough salary skip COMPASS? +
Yes. A fixed monthly salary of about SGD 22,500 or more exempts you from COMPASS and qualifies you on salary alone, though most founders are not paying themselves that in the early years.
Does my salary affect EP renewal? +
Yes. From 1 January 2026 the revised floors and COMPASS apply to renewals too, and the company must have actually paid the salary it declared, so set a number you can sustain.
Related services
Set a salary that scores and stays credible.
We calibrate your salary to your sector, your COMPASS profile and your company's finances.