Recently, the Lianhe Zaobao reported that starting from February 27th, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority will no longer issue physical Long-Term Visit Passes, Student Passes, and Dependant’s Passes, as they will be replaced by electronic passes.
For those who have been keeping an eye on overseas immigration news, Singapore has introduced several new policies in various areas. One notable change is coming to the Employment Pass (EP) application process in September this year. In this article, we will share a success case and provide you with the latest strategies for applying for the Singapore EP.
Singapore Employment Pass application will adopt a scoring system
1. A higher threshold for EP and S Pass
Last year, alongside the announcement of the February Budget, the Singapore government revealed that starting from September 2023, the minimum salary threshold for EP and S Pass would be increased:
EP:
From September 1, 2022, the minimum salary threshold for employees in the financial sector will be raised from SGD 5,000 to SGD 5,500, and for other sectors from SGD 4,500 to SGD 5,000.
S Pass:
The minimum salary threshold will be raised in three stages on September 1 of 2022, 2023, and 2025.
The foreign worker levy (FWL) for the first tier (up to 10% of the company’s workforce) will also be raised in three stages on September 1 of 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Subsequently, Minister for Manpower, Tan See Leng, announced in Parliament that from September 2023, EP applicants will undergo assessment based on multiple dimensions in addition to meeting the salary threshold.
2. EP applications to adopt a scoring system
Starting from September 1, 2023, EP candidates must go through a two-stage qualification framework. In addition to meeting the minimum salary requirement (Stage 1), EP candidates must also pass a points-based complementary assessment framework called COMPASS (Stage 2).
Four categories of scoring:
This assessment consists of four major scoring items, which are:
- Salary,
- Educational Qualifications
- Diversity of Employee Nationalities
- Number of Local Employees
Salary and educational qualifications are considered as “Individual Factors”, while diversity of employee nationalities and number of local employees are considered as “Company Factors”. Each category can score a maximum of 20 points, with a minimum of 0 points. The total score must reach 40 points in order to be eligible for EP application/employment.
Bonus points:
If the employee is applying for a job on the “Job on the Shortage Occupation List”, an additional 20 points will be awarded.
If the company meets specific assessment criteria for innovation or internationalization, an additional 10 points will be awarded.
In simple terms, diversity of employee nationalities is similar to the bonus points awarded to minority ethnicities in the domestic college entrance examination. The rarer the nationality of employees in the company, the higher the score. Overall, EP applicants who score a total of 40 points or above are eligible to apply for EP.
Note: For detailed scoring mechanisms, you can leave a message or send a private inquiry to our overseas advisory team.
The venturing story of Mr. G
Mr. G, a 43-year-old who previously studied finance management at a prestigious university in Southwest China, holds a bachelor’s degree, has been working as a Chief Financial Officer in a technology company in China since 2021. With years of experience in finance and a keen interest in financial management and investment, G Mr. has been planning to expand his business internationally and broaden his horizons.
After understanding Mr. G’s requirements, the customer manager from Go Global Gem provided him with a solution to register and establish a company in Singapore, obtain a self-employed EP (Employment Pass), and build his business network in Singapore. This would also provide an opportunity to apply for Singapore Permanent Residency (PR) after two years.
Mr. G was highly satisfied with the identity planning solution provided by Go Global Gem and decided to sign up for the self-employed EP program. He successfully obtained the EP approval on January 28, 2023, realizing his goals of expanding his business and identity planning.
As we reflect and summarizes the successful case of assisting Mr. G in obtaining his EP, here are some practical tips for EP applicants to increase their chances of approval:
| Foundational criteria | Points |
| C1. Salary (Individual)
Fixed monthly salary compared to local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) salaries in sector by age |
|
| l ≥ 90th percentile | 20 |
| l 65th to < 90th percentile | 10 |
| l < 65th percentile | 0 |
| C2. Qualification (Individual) Based on candidate’s qualifications |
|
| l Top-tier institution | 20 |
| l Degree-equivalent qualification | 10 |
| l No degree-equivalent qualification | 0 |
| C3. Diversity (Firm-related) Share of candidate’s nationality among firm’s PMETs.* |
|
| l < 5% | 20 |
| l 5 to < 25% | 10 |
| l ≥ 25% | 0 |
| C4. Support for local employment (Firm-related) Firm’s share of local PMETs within its sector* |
|
| l ≥ 50th percentile | 20 |
| l 20th to < 50th percentile | 10 |
| l < 20th percentile | 0 |
| Bonus criteria | |
| C5. Skills Bonus – Shortage Occupation List (Individual) | |
| Job on the Shortage Occupation List | +20 |
| C6. Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus (Firm-related) | |
| Firm meets specific assessment criteria on innovation or internationalisation activities | +10 |
Note: The information is from the official website of MOM.
A hundred reasons to choose Go Global Gem
1. Comprehensive Product Line for Worry-Free Choices
Go Global Gem offers a wide range of services including investment immigration, skilled migration, passport and visa services, overseas education and real estate, company registration, bank account opening, retirement reunion, and identity renewal, covering over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Each project has a complete vertical product line, providing customized solutions for clients’ overseas expansion needs.
2. Experienced Project Development Team for Peace of Mind
Go Global Gem’s international project development center is composed of a team of nearly 100 experts, including business specialists, investment experts, tax and legal experts, and lawyers from various countries. They adhere to the principles of legality, safety, effectiveness, and risk-free, with project security as the benchmark, making every effort to ensure the safety of clients’ assets and identity, providing peace of mind.
3. Online Services for Smooth Communication
Go Global Gem provides VIP membership services for clients, with full-process project progress control, thoughtful and meticulous services, and comprehensive protection of clients’ privacy. Dedicated consultants provide one-on-one services, private conversations, and encrypted group chats. Safety and privacy are always the top priority.
4. Strong Government Relations for Hassle-Free Submissions
To better serve clients and provide timely immigration information, Go Global Gem maintains good relations with government agencies, embassies, overseas banks, funds, charitable organizations, and other institutions in various countries for a long time. Our professionalism and credibility have been praised by local overseas agencies, and we have established good cooperative relationships with government agencies in various countries to help clients with hassle-free submissions.
For Singapore EP applications, the assessment criteria are diverse, and the salary requirements increase with age. Moreover, the eligibility criteria for Singapore EP will be raised in September this year. If you have plans for overseas expansion, seize the opportunity now with Go Global Gem.
For enquires please reach out to us:
Email: info@goglobalgem.com