Singapore EP Minimum Salary Calculator (2026)
Check the 2026 Singapore Employment Pass salary threshold by age and sector. The threshold rises with age — a 45-year-old needs roughly twice the minimum a 23-year-old does.
How the EP Salary Threshold Works
Singapore's Employment Pass minimum qualifying salary is age-tiered — older applicants need higher salaries to qualify, on the rationale that they should command higher wages commensurate with experience. Financial services attracts a premium of $600/month above general sectors. Only fixed monthly salary counts — variable pay is excluded.
Applicant Profile
infoVariable pay (bonus, allowances, stock) does NOT count toward the threshold
Result updates as you type
Required minimum salary
$7,700/mo
✗ Below threshold by $700/mo
Your salary
$7,000
fixed monthly
Annual
$84,000
fixed only
EP minimum salary
Need $700/mo more
COMPASS exemption
Need $15,500/mo more for exemption
PEP eligible
PEP requires $22,500/mo (foreign professionals only)
If you don't qualify for EP
S Pass
Meets S Pass minimum (S$3,300/mo, general sector)
Work Permit
No salary minimum, but sector-specific quotas and levies apply
PEP
PEP requires S$22,500/mo and is not a relevant fallback for under-EP applicants
Based on MOM 2026 EP minimum qualifying salary (general: $5,600–$10,700 age-tiered; financial services: $6,200–$11,800). Verify with MOM before applying.
2026 EP Thresholds at a Glance
| Age | General sector | Financial services |
|---|---|---|
| 23 (floor) | $5,600 | $6,200 |
| 28 | $6,800 | $7,500 |
| 34 | $8,200 | $9,000 |
| 40 | $9,500 | $10,500 |
| 45+ (ceiling) | $10,700 | $11,800 |
Approximate values, rounded up to nearest $100. The escalator is linear between age 23 and 45 floors.
EP Salary, Step by Step
The EP salary threshold is the first gate in EP eligibility. It precedes COMPASS scoring — applicants who fail the salary threshold cannot qualify for an EP regardless of how strongly they score on COMPASS criteria.
Worked example 1 — 25-year-old offer in tech: requires $5,600 (close to the floor) — most graduate-level tech offers clear this easily.
Worked example 2 — 40-year-old senior PM in banking: requires approximately $10,500/month for financial services. A $9,500 offer fails by $1,000/month and is non-negotiable on the salary side — the candidate either negotiates higher base or considers other pass types.
Worked example 3 — 50-year-old senior leader at $25,000/mo: clears every threshold (EP minimum, COMPASS exemption at $22,500, PEP eligibility). Most senior executives qualify under the auto-exemption — they don't need to score COMPASS at all.
Why the sector premium:financial services salaries are structurally higher across the global market, so MOM applies a $600 premium across all age tiers to maintain the “quality bar” for EPs in that sector.
Floor (age ≤23)
$5,600 / $6,200
General / financial services starting threshold
Ceiling (age 45+)
$10,700 / $11,800
General / financial services maximum
COMPASS exemption
$22,500/mo
Above this, COMPASS scoring is auto-waived
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EP minimum salary in 2026?expand_more
The Singapore Employment Pass minimum qualifying salary is $5,600/month for general sectors and $6,200/month for financial services, applicable to applicants aged 23 or below. Both thresholds rise with age — at 45 and above, the minimum is $10,700/month (general) or $11,800/month (financial services). The escalator is approximately linear between ages 23 and 45.
Does the EP salary threshold include variable pay?expand_more
No. Only fixed monthly salary counts toward the EP qualifying threshold. Bonuses, commissions, allowances, AWS, sign-on payments, and stock-based compensation are excluded for the threshold check. This is a common reason offers fail the EP check despite generous total comp packages.
What is the EP salary requirement for a 45-year-old?expand_more
Approximately $10,700/month for general sectors, or $11,800/month for financial services. The threshold caps at age 45 — applicants 45 and above face the same maximum threshold regardless of further age increases.
Is meeting the EP salary threshold enough to get the pass?expand_more
No. Since September 2023, you also need to pass COMPASS scoring (≥40 points across 6 criteria). Salary alone doesn't guarantee an EP. However, applicants earning ≥$22,500/month are auto-exempt from COMPASS — at that level, only the EP salary check applies.
What if my offer is below the EP threshold?expand_more
You may qualify for an S Pass instead — which has a lower minimum ($3,300/month general, $3,800/month financial services in 2026). Below S Pass minimums, a Work Permit is the alternative (no salary minimum but sector-restricted with quotas and levies). Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is only relevant for top earners ($22,500+) who want pass flexibility independent of employers.
How often does the EP salary threshold change?expand_more
MOM has revised thresholds in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2025. A 2026 Budget announcement signaled a planned increase to $6,000 (general) and $6,600 (financial services) — verify the effective date with mom.gov.sg before applying. Expect approximately annual or biennial revisions.
What's the difference between S Pass and EP salary requirements?expand_more
S Pass minimum is $3,300/month (general) or $3,800/month (financial services), with a similar age-tiered escalator. S Pass is sector-quota-limited (companies can only employ a fixed proportion of S Pass holders). EP has no headcount quota but COMPASS applies. Roughly: EP is for graduate / managerial roles; S Pass for mid-skilled technicians and supervisors.
Sources
- • MOM (mom.gov.sg) — Employment Pass eligibility and minimum qualifying salary by age
- • MOM Press Release (Mar 2024) — 2025 EP salary threshold revision
- • Budget 2026 — announced future increase to $6,000 / $6,600 (effective date pending confirmation)
Verified 2026-05-02. Thresholds revise approximately annually — verify with mom.gov.sg before submitting.