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Three different questions hide behind this search. Can an Employment Pass (EP) holder be a director of another company? Can an owner get an EP through their own company? Or is the EntrePass the better pass? MOM answers the first clearly and the second only partly. Checked .
Can an EP holder be a director of another company?
Yes, with a Letter of Consent (LOC) from the Ministry of Manpower. MOM treats directorship duties as work, so an EP holder cannot take a board seat in a second company without one. MOM generally approves an LOC only when two things are true:
- the company is related by shareholding to the EP holder's employer, as shown in ACRA records, and
- the directorship relates to the EP holder's primary employment.
MOM states approval within 5 weeks. The LOC is valid up to the expiry or cancellation date of the current EP. Before you apply, make sure your employer has no objection. After approval, register the directorship with ACRA. Unpaid volunteer work for charitable purposes needs no LOC.
Which pass fits an owner?
| Your situation | Pass to look at | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign founder of a venture-backed or innovative private limited company, holding at least 30% | EntrePass | MOM backing tests, such as at least S$100,000 raised in one round |
| Owner who will work in their own company on a salary | Employment Pass through the company | Salary line, COMPASS score of 40, MOM's view of the business |
| Employee who joins a related company's board | Existing EP plus an LOC | Shareholding link and the link to the main job |
| Owner who wants a Personalised Employment Pass | Not available | MOM excludes business owners |
Can you get an Employment Pass through your own company?
MOM's EP application is filed by the employer, and an employer can be your own company. MOM then applies its usual tests. The candidate must meet the minimum fixed monthly salary, which for general sectors is currently S$5,600 at age 23 and below and rises to S$10,700 at age 45 and above. The application also has to pass COMPASS with 40 points unless an exemption applies, such as a fixed monthly salary of S$22,500 or more.
The honest gap is capital. ACRA accepts a company with share capital of S$1, but MOM does not publish a minimum paid-up capital for an owner's EP on the pages we read. Some providers advise a figure well above that. Treat it as the provider's opinion, not a rule, and ask MOM or a provider for the current view.
A small point in your favour. Firms with fewer than 25 professionals, managers, executives and technicians get a default 10 points on each of two COMPASS firm criteria. See the COMPASS page for the full scoring.
What does the EP application cost?
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | S$105 |
| Issuance fee | S$225 for each pass |
| Multiple-entry visa, if applicable | S$30 |
MOM says standard applications are processed or given an update within 10 business days. The first pass runs up to 2 years and renewals up to 3 years. Before filing, the employer must advertise the job on MyCareersFuture, and the company's turnover information for the past 3 years must be updated.
What does an owner need from ACRA first?
The company must exist before the EP is filed through it. A private company in Singapore needs at least one director who is ordinarily resident, aged 18 or older, and a company secretary within six months of registration. Foreigners must use a corporate service provider to reserve the name and register. ACRA counts a valid EP holder as a local resident, so once you hold the pass, you can meet the resident-director rule yourself. Until then you need another resident director. Read register a company in Singapore as a foreigner for the order of steps.
What about your family?
An EP holder earning at least S$6,000 a month can sponsor a spouse and unmarried children under 21 for a Dependant's Pass.
Want a provider to set up the company and prepare the pass file? Use the quote form on this page and we pass your request to suitable providers.
Sources
- MOM, Taking up secondary directorship: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass/taking-up-secondary-directorship (LOC rules, 5 weeks)
- MOM, Employment Pass eligibility: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass/eligibility (salary line, COMPASS pass mark and exemptions)
- MOM, Apply for an Employment Pass: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass/apply-for-a-pass (fees, 10 business days, MyCareersFuture)
- MOM, Eligibility for Personalised Employment Pass: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/personalised-employment-pass/eligibility (business owner exclusion)
- MOM, EntrePass eligibility: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/entrepass/eligibility (30% holding, backing tests)
- ACRA, Foreigners registering a business: https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/foreigners-registering-a-business-in-singapore/requirements-for-local-residency (local resident definition, CSP rule)
- ACRA, Choosing company directors and other key officers: https://www.acra.gov.sg/register/business/registering-different-business-structures/local-company/appointing-company-directors-other-key-officers/ (director and secretary rules)
