Work passes in Singapore for Australians: EP, ONE Pass and the Work Holiday Pass

Short answer: almost every Australian working in Singapore holds an Employment Pass, and the rules for getting one are tightening again from 1 January 2027.

The short version

• The Employment Pass (EP) needs a minimum salary of S$5,600 a month at age 23 or below, rising to S$10,700 at 45 and over. Financial services pays more: S$6,200 to S$11,800 [1].
• From 1 January 2027, new applications need S$6,000 to S$11,500 (S$6,600 to S$12,700 in financial services). Renewals face the new floor for passes expiring from 1 January 2028 [1].
• Most EP applications must also score 40 points under COMPASS, unless the fixed salary is S$22,500 a month or more [1].
• The ONE Pass is for top earners on S$30,000 a month and for outstanding people in arts, sport and research. It lasts five years [2].
• Young Australians have two working holiday routes: a 12-month programme for ages 18 to 30, and a six-month pass for ages 18 to 25 [3][4].

The passes at a glance

The Employment Pass, step by step

Stage one: the salary floor

MOM sets a minimum fixed monthly salary that rises with age, on the logic that older candidates should bring more experience. Today the floor runs from S$5,600 for candidates aged 23 or below to S$10,700 for those 45 and over, and from S$6,200 to S$11,800 in financial services [1]. At 44 it's S$10,468 outside finance [1].

The 2027 increase matters if you're negotiating now:

Source: Ministry of Manpower [1].

Fail stage one and no number of COMPASS points will save the application [1].

Stage two: COMPASS points

COMPASS, the Complementarity Assessment Framework, scores the application out of four core criteria plus two bonuses. You need 40 points [1]. Each criterion scores 0, 10 or 20 [7]:

1. Salary (C1). How your pay compares with local professionals in the same sector. Top-decile pay earns 20.
2. Qualifications (C2). A degree from a top-tier institution earns 20; a degree-equivalent earns 10. Your employer may need to verify it [7].
3. Diversity (C3). How many of the firm's professionals share your nationality. Australians often score well here because they're a small share of most workforces.
4. Support for local employment (C4). How the firm's local hiring compares with peers.
5. Bonus: shortage skills (C5). Up to 20 points if the role is on the Shortage Occupation List.
6. Bonus: strategic priorities (C6). 10 points for firms in certain government programmes.

Smaller firms with fewer than 25 professionals get a default 10 points on C3 and C4 [7]. You're exempt from COMPASS if your fixed monthly salary is at least S$22,500, if you're an overseas intra-corporate transferee, or if the role lasts a month or less [1].

Before the application: the job ad

Your employer usually has to advertise the job on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days and must not make an offer during that time [8]. They don't have to if the company has fewer than 10 staff, the salary is S$22,500 or more, the role lasts a month or less, or you're an intra-corporate transferee [8]. This is why a "yes" from a Singapore hiring manager can still take a few weeks to turn into a pass.

Fees and timing

The employer pays S$105 to apply and S$225 when the pass is issued [9]. Most online applications get a result or an update within 10 business days [9]. First passes run for up to two years and renewals for up to three [5].

The ONE Pass

The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass is MOM's pass for top talent across all sectors. The main route requires a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000, either in your last job (held for 12 consecutive months) or in a new job with an established Singapore company [2]. The S$30,000 must come from one employer; two part-time salaries that add up don't count [2]. There's also a route for outstanding achievement in arts, culture, sports, academia or research, with no salary test [2].

The pass lasts five years and can be renewed for five more if you keep earning at that level or run a Singapore company that employs at least five locals at or above the EP salary floor [2]. MOM has also announced an AI and tech track from 28 January 2027, which counts some non-cash pay such as share options [2].

The two working holiday options

Australians are lucky here, with two separate routes. People mix them up all the time.

Work and Holiday Visa Programme (ages 18 to 30)

This is the one built for Australians and New Zealanders. You need to be 18 to 30 when you apply and hold a university degree or have done at least two years of full-time undergraduate study [3]. It gives you up to 12 months [3]. You can work for registered companies and organisations, but you can't freelance and can't stay with one employer for more than six months [3].

Work Holiday Programme (ages 18 to 25)

This one is based on where you study, not your passport. You must be 18 to 25 and an undergraduate or graduate of a university recognised by the government of Australia or one of nine other places, including the UK, US, Japan and New Zealand [4]. It allows six months in Singapore, and the scheme is capped at 2,000 pass holders at any one time [4].

If you're 25 or under and eligible for both, the 12-month programme usually makes more sense.

Bringing your family

If you hold an EP or S Pass and earn at least S$6,000 a month fixed, you can sponsor a Dependant's Pass for your legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 [6]. Other family members may be able to get a Long-Term Visit Pass [6].

The big catch for couples: since 1 May 2021, a Dependant's Pass holder who wants to work needs their own work pass, such as an EP, and can't simply work on a Letter of Consent [10]. If your partner plans to work, factor their pass into the move from day one.

Questions we hear a lot

Can I look for work in Singapore as a tourist? You can visit visa-free for short stays, but you can't start working until your pass is issued.

Does my Australian degree count for COMPASS? It can earn points, but your employer may need to verify it through an approved channel [7].

Should I wait until 2027 to apply? No. The higher salary floor applies to new applications from 1 January 2027 [1], so applying earlier can help if your pay sits close to the line.

For real-world experiences of the process, ask in Cooee Singapore, our Facebook group for Australians in Singapore.

Sources

1. Eligibility for Employment Pass – Ministry of Manpower
2. Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass eligibility – Ministry of Manpower
3. Work and Holiday Visa Programme eligibility – Ministry of Manpower
4. Work Holiday Programme eligibility – Ministry of Manpower
5. Employment Pass key facts – Ministry of Manpower
6. Dependant's Pass eligibility – Ministry of Manpower
7. COMPASS framework for Employment Pass – Forvis Mazars Singapore
8. Consider all candidates fairly – Ministry of Manpower
9. Apply for an Employment Pass – Ministry of Manpower
10. Dependant's Pass holders who wish to work must apply for a work pass – Allen & Gledhill

Keep reading

• Moving to Singapore from Australia: the complete guide
• Renting in Singapore as an Australian
• Are you still an Australian tax resident once you move?
• Leaving Australia: the checklist before you go