Is it possible to self-apply to the EP or S Pass?

No. Applications by any EP, S Pass or Work Permit are to be filed by the employing company registered in Singapore or by a licensed employment agent. You as a candidate, must also have written consent.

Does working pass have the upper age?

There is no hard limit to how old an EP can be, but the qualifying salary rate goes up with age, so it progressively becomes harder (and expensive to the employer) to hire an EP who is 45 years old or older unless they are earning a very high pay rate.

How can I work in Singapore legally in case I am self-employed?

In case you want to start and operate a new business, you can apply to the Entrepass.z You have selected long-term main options: a personalised Employment Pass (PEP), or sponsored Employment Pass.

Singapore Legal Work Visa for Foreign Applicants

Singapore As a global financial, technological and even trading hub, Singapore continues to be the ultimate destination to ambitious foreign applications. With the economy still in transition to the high-value economy, the government, via the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Singapore, has streamlined its work pass system to the state where only the best foreign talent is absorbed into the workforce.

The Three Pillars the Singapore Work Passes Explained.

The process of MOM work visa application is based on the division of the candidates according to the salary, qualifications, and position.3 These are the key passes to the jobs with the visa sponsorship Singapore:

S Pass- Mid-Skilled Workers

The S Pass is designed as an option to the mid-skilled technical employees and specialists that correspond to some educational and salary requirements.

Minimum Salary: SG3,150/month (SG3,300/month in financial services).
Quota: More importantly, S Pass holders will have a quota (at present 10 percent or 15 percent of the total workforce of the company, depending on the sector) and a monthly Foreign Worker Levy Singapore.
Eligibility:Should have a degree, diploma or other technical certificates.

Special Passes to Best Talent and Exclusive Cases

Singapore has also rolled out special passes to get the best world talent within the shortest time possible:

Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass): Introduced in 2023, the elite pass is available to high-earners ( S $30 000 fixed monthly salary ) or high-performers in areas such as arts, research or even sports.8 It provides an unprecedented degree of flexibility, such as the ability to work and operate in multiple companies at the same time.
Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) Singapore: To EP holders who have high earnings (S122,500 monthly salary) or foreign professionals (S122,500 monthly salary), the programme provides job flexibility during the six months in between employment.
Tech@SG Visa: A foreign talent scheme Singapore A foreign talent scheme aimed at assisting fast-growing tech firms in recruiting core tech team members within a short period of time.11 (e.g., Tech jobs Singapore to expats such as AI Engineers).

The COMPASS Framework Decoding the 40-Point Hurdle

The COMPASS scoring framework Singapore is the conclusive stage two examination to all Employment Pass students. You have to achieve 40 points on four basic criteria and two bonus criteria.

Bonus Criteria (C5 & C6)

C5 Skills Bonus (Shortage Occupation List – SOL): The maximum amount of bonus points is 20 on occupations such as some Healthcare jobs Singapore of foreign nurses or on specific deep-tech jobs where local skills are not common.
C6 Strategic Economic Priorities: Companies that are involved in certain activities in the areas of innovation or international salivation can receive up to 10 bonus points.
Expert Advice (E-A-T): take the official MOM Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) online before your employer applies.15 This will automatically determine your approximate score and will also determine whether you are eligible to work in Singapore on the Singapore Employment Pass (EP) or not.

Application Roadmap Getting Started

The whole process of sponsoring the working visa of foreigners in Singapore is initiated and administered by the employers through the online services of the MOM.

Job Offer: You need to have a signed employment contract with a Singapore-registered company.
Pre-Assessment: The company applies the SAT to make sure that you pass the salary mark as well as the 40 COMPASS points.
Advertising (FCF): In the case of EP roles (except when exempt), the advertisement of the job is made on MyCareersFuture during 14 or longer days.
Application: The employer/agent makes the application online through MOM work visa application.
Processing Work permit processing time Singapore normally takes 10 business days to process online EP applications, although it may take up to 8 weeks in case of complicated matters or foreign companies.
IPA (In-Principle Approval): You are issued with a IPA letter upon approval which serves as a single-entry visa to you entering Singapore.
Issuance of the Pass: You fill in some formalities in the country of your arrival (medical check, photo/fingerprint registration) and are issued with the pass.

Other Passes Considerations of importance

Work Permit (WP): This is applied in unskilled/manual jobs (e.g. Construction Work Permit Singapore) of particular source nations, which are being subjected to stringent quotas and Foreign Worker Levy Singapore.
Dependant Pass (DP): This is given to spouse and children of eligible EP or S Pass holders to stay in Singapore. The Pass (DP) of dependents is now mostly subjected to application by the spouse to obtain his/her individual work pass, although the same can be subject to exceptions regarding current DP holders.

FAQs

Is it possible to self-apply to the EP or S Pass?

No. Applications by any EP, S Pass or Work Permit are to be filed by the employing company registered in Singapore or by a licensed employment agent. You as a candidate, must also have written consent.
Does working pass have the upper age?

There is no hard limit to how old an EP can be, but the qualifying salary rate goes up with age, so it progressively becomes harder (and expensive to the employer) to hire an EP who is 45 years old or older unless they are earning a very high pay rate.
How can I work in Singapore legally in case I am self-employed?

In case you want to start and operate a new business, you can apply to the Entrepass.z You have selected long-term main options: a personalised Employment Pass (PEP), or sponsored Employment Pass.

Final Thoughts

Singapore has established itself as a talent attraction hub in the world as seen in the qualifying salary and the all-embracing COMPASS system. By complying and satisfying these strong requirements of Singapore Employment Pass (EP), you prove to be valuable to the economy of the country. The hard work that you will demonstrate in the course of your application process to the MOM work visa is a step towards a successful long term employment in the bustling Lion City.

Disclaimer

This job information is only educated and informational and it is through the prevailing market trends and available information in the public about the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) work pass regulations. Salaries, eligibility standards and visa obligations will change as per changes in policy by the MOM, do not rely on any information given in the website of the official COMPASS grading protocols and remuneration rates before filing any application and spending any finances.