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COMPASS stands for Complementarity Assessment Framework. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in Singapore uses it to score Employment Pass (EP) applications. You need 40 points to pass. A candidate whose fixed monthly salary is S$22,500 or more is exempt. Checked against MOM pages.
How does COMPASS fit with the EP salary rule?
An EP application passes two tests in order. First the candidate must meet the qualifying salary. Then the application is scored under COMPASS, unless an exemption applies. A high COMPASS score does not rescue a salary below the line.
| Sector | Minimum fixed monthly salary now | From |
|---|---|---|
| General sectors | S$5,600 at age 23 and below, up to S$10,700 at age 45 and above | S$6,000 up to S$11,500 at age 45 and above |
| Financial services | S$6,200 up to S$11,800 at age 45 and above | S$6,600 up to S$12,700 at age 45 and above |
The figure rises with age from 23 to 45. For the full salary picture see employment pass salary.
What are the six COMPASS criteria?
Four are foundational and two are bonuses. The first two describe the candidate. The next two describe the employer.
| Criterion | What MOM looks at | Points |
|---|---|---|
| C1 Salary | Fixed monthly salary against local professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) salaries in the sector, by age | 0, 10 or 20 |
| C2 Qualifications | Whether the degree comes from a top-tier institution | 0, 10 or 20 |
| C3 Diversity | The candidate's nationality as a share of the firm's PMETs | 0, 10 or 20 |
| C4 Support for Local Employment | The firm's share of local PMETs compared with its subsector | 0, 10 or 20 |
| C5 Skills Bonus | Job is on the Shortage Occupation List | plus 20 |
| C6 Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus | Firm meets MOM's investment, innovation, internationalisation or transformation criteria | plus 10 |
How are the points given for each criterion?
MOM publishes a scoring rubric. These are the bands as MOM prints them.
- C1 Salary. A salary from the 65th percentile up to below the 90th percentile of local PMET salaries earns 10 points. A salary below the 65th percentile earns none. The top band earns 20.
- C2 Qualifications. A top-tier institution earns 20 points. A degree-equivalent qualification earns 10. No degree-equivalent qualification earns none.
- C3 Diversity. A nationality that is under 5% of the firm's PMETs earns 20 points. A share from 5% up to below 25% earns 10.
- C4 Support for Local Employment. A local PMET share at or above the 50th percentile of the firm's subsector earns 20 points. From the 20th up to below the 50th percentile earns 10. Below the 20th earns none.
MOM updates the salary benchmarks every year, so the percentile line for C1 moves. Use MOM's own salary benchmark tables for the exact figure for your sector and age.
What do small firms score?
Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs score 10 points on C3 and C4 by default. MOM counts employees earning at least S$3,000 a month as PMETs for this purpose. A new company with a handful of staff therefore starts with 20 points before the candidate's own salary and qualifications are counted.
What are the bonus points worth?
The Skills Bonus gives 20 points for a job on the Shortage Occupation List. The bonus drops to 10 points if the candidate's nationality is one third or more of the firm's professional staff. MOM checks work experience, qualifications and industry accreditation, and restricts the approved candidate to that occupation.
The Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus gives 10 points to firms that take part in agency-approved programmes and meet MOM's criteria. It applies per EP application.
Who skips COMPASS?
MOM applied COMPASS to new applications from and to renewals from .
Three groups. Candidates with a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500, intra-corporate transferees, and roles lasting one month or less. MOM states this on its EP eligibility page.
Can a company owner pass COMPASS?
Owners who apply for an EP through their own company are scored the same way. A new company with few staff gets the small-firm default on C3 and C4, which helps. MOM also looks at whether the business is genuine. Read employment pass for a company director before you apply.
What if you score under 40?
The application does not pass. Common fixes are a higher offered salary, a candidate with a qualification from a top-tier institution, or a job on the Shortage Occupation List. Some founders look at the EntrePass instead, which has its own criteria and is not scored under COMPASS.
Want a provider to handle the filing? Use the quote form on this page for the next step.
Sources
- MOM, Eligibility for Employment Pass: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass/eligibility (salary lines, 40-point pass mark, exemptions, criteria list)
- MOM, COMPASS scoring rubric, Annex A (point bands, small-firm default, PMET proxy)
- MOM, Details on COMPASS bonus criteria (C5 and C6)
- MOM, COMPASS C1 salary benchmarks: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass/upcoming-changes-to-employment-pass-eligibility/complementarity-assessment-framework-compass/compass-c1-salary-benchmarks (65th percentile, yearly updates)
