Work passes
EP vs EntrePass: which pass should a founder apply for?
Both let a foreign founder work in their own Singapore company, but they are built for different businesses. For most founders the Employment Pass is the right route; the EntrePass is for a narrower, innovation-led profile.
By Travis Tay, Immigration Expert · Updated June 2026.
For most foreign founders the Employment Pass is the better route: you own the company, pay yourself a qualifying salary (from SGD 5,600 a month in 2026), and pass the COMPASS framework. The EntrePass is designed for venture-backed or innovative businesses and requires you to meet at least one innovation criterion, such as funding from a recognised investor or registered intellectual property. If your business is a normal, profitable operation rather than a funded startup, the Employment Pass usually fits better.
The Employment Pass, in brief
The EP is for professionals, managers and executives, including founders employed by their own company. You need a qualifying salary that rises with age, at least 40 points on COMPASS, and a company with real substance behind the application. It is the route most founders take, and the foundation of the path to permanent residence. The full picture is in the complete Employment Pass guide.
The EntrePass, in brief
The EntrePass is for entrepreneurs running a venture-backed or innovative business. The company must be, or be about to be, registered as a private limited company less than six months old, and you must hold at least 30 percent of the shares. Crucially, you must meet at least one innovation criterion, for example: funding from a recognised venture capital or private equity firm, registered intellectual property, having raised at least SGD 100,000 from a recognised investor, or support from a recognised incubator or accelerator. A normal trading business that does not meet an innovation criterion will usually be turned away.
Side by side
| Employment Pass | EntrePass | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most founders with a real, trading business | Venture-backed or innovation-led startups |
| Salary | Qualifying salary from SGD 5,600 (SGD 6,200 financial services), rising with age | No fixed qualifying salary, but business spending and hiring targets apply |
| Assessment | COMPASS points and company substance | At least one innovation criterion |
| Shareholding | You can own up to 100 percent | At least 30 percent |
| Company age | No limit | Under six months old, or not yet incorporated |
| Path to PR | Yes, the common route | Yes, with business milestones |
How to choose
Ask what your business actually is. If it is a normal, profitable operation, consultancy, trade, services, a small product business, the Employment Pass is almost always the cleaner route, because it does not demand an innovation criterion you would struggle to meet. If you are venture-funded, hold patents, or are building something a recognised investor or accelerator has backed, the EntrePass can be a strong fit and is designed for exactly that. Age of the company matters too: the EntrePass window closes once the company is more than six months old.
The mistake to avoid
The common error is forcing an EntrePass for an ordinary business because it sounds founder-appropriate, then failing the innovation test. If you do not clearly meet a criterion, the Employment Pass on a well-structured company is the stronger, more reliable path. We assess both against your real situation before recommending one.
Questions people ask
Which is easier to get, EP or EntrePass? +
For most ordinary businesses, the Employment Pass is more achievable, because the EntrePass requires you to meet at least one innovation criterion such as recognised funding or intellectual property. If your business is venture-backed or innovative, the EntrePass is designed for you.
Can I switch later? +
It is possible to move between passes as your business changes, but it is not automatic and each is assessed afresh. It is better to choose the right route at the start than to plan on switching.
Do both lead to PR? +
Yes. Both can lead to permanent residence, built on a real, contributing business. The EntrePass path is tied to meeting business milestones; the EP path is the more common route for founders.
What counts as an innovation criterion for EntrePass? +
Examples include funding from a recognised venture capital or private equity firm, registered intellectual property, having raised at least SGD 100,000 from a recognised investor, or support from a recognised incubator or accelerator. You need to meet at least one.
I own 100 percent of my company. Which pass? +
Full ownership is fine for the Employment Pass. The EntrePass only requires at least 30 percent, so ownership is rarely the deciding factor; the innovation criterion and the company's age usually are.
Related services
Not sure which pass fits?
We assess your business against both and recommend the route most likely to succeed.