Singapore has spent decades building its position as a place where international businesses can access Asian markets, capital, research capabilities and skilled professionals. But as competition for senior executives, founders and technical leaders intensifies globally, attracting companies alone is no longer enough. Singapore also wants the people who build companies, lead regional teams and create new industries.
The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass, or ONE Pass Singapore, is a central part of that strategy.
Unlike a conventional employer-sponsored work pass, the ONE Pass is personalized to the individual. Eligible holders can concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies in Singapore, subject to relevant employment contract terms. They do not need to reapply for a new pass every time they change jobs, and the pass can be granted for up to five years. ONE Pass holders are also exempt from the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) and Fair Consideration Framework job advertising requirements.
For a regional CEO, global founder, investment professional or senior specialist, that flexibility can fundamentally change how a move to Singapore is structured.
And in 2026, the scheme is becoming even more relevant. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced a new ONE Pass AI and Tech track from January 2027, designed to attract senior talent in critical and emerging technologies and replace the existing Tech.Pass.
This guide explains the ONE Pass Singapore eligibility criteria, S$30,000 salary requirement, benefits, application process, renewal rules and 2026 compliance developments that prospective applicants should understand.
The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass is a personalized Singapore work pass for top talent across sectors including business, arts and culture, sports, academia and research.
The scheme was designed differently from an ordinary Employment Pass because the pass is attached to the individual rather than a single employer.
This means a ONE Pass holder can potentially:
MOM also does not impose a foreign worker levy or quota on the ONE Pass.
This employer-independent structure makes the ONE Pass particularly relevant to professionals whose careers no longer fit the traditional "one employee, one company, one role" model.
A global founder, for example, may operate a Singapore company while serving on other businesses. A regional executive may transition between leadership roles. A senior specialist may participate in several parts of an industry ecosystem.
That flexibility is one reason ONE Pass should be understood as more than another Singapore work visa.
One of the most significant ONE Pass benefits is the ability to concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies in Singapore. MOM also confirms that ONE Pass holders do not require a Letter of Consent merely to hold a secondary directorship.
Compare this with the standard Singapore Employment Pass, which is connected to an employer and normally requires a new application when an individual moves to another employer.
The difference is particularly important for:
However, "flexible" does not mean completely unrestricted. ONE Pass holders should still review contractual obligations such as exclusivity, confidentiality, and conflicts of interest. MOM also requires prior approval before ONE Pass holders work in certain restricted occupations, including specified media- or religion-related roles.
First-time ONE Pass candidates may receive a pass valid for up to five years, with subsequent renewals also available for up to five years.
For senior global talent, this provides a longer planning horizon for regional leadership, business building, and family relocation.
Losing or changing one job does not automatically mean applying for a completely new ONE Pass. This can be especially valuable when a candidate's professional value comes from a wider network of companies, investments, or industry activities rather than one permanent position.
ONE Pass holders can apply for eligible family members to join them in Singapore.
A legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21, including legally adopted children, may be eligible for a Dependant's Pass. Common-law spouses, certain older unmarried handicapped children, unmarried stepchildren under 21 and parents may qualify for a Long-Term Visit Pass.
An important distinction is that spouses on eligible ONE Pass-linked Dependant's Passes can apply for a Letter of Consent to work in Singapore.
For globally mobile executives, founders and specialists, this can make relocation more practical because the career implications for the wider family can be considered alongside the main applicant's move.
MOM assesses ONE Pass candidates on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must meet the complete requirements of the eligibility category under which they apply.
There are three principal routes.
An applicant relying on current or last held employment must have earned a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000, or the equivalent in foreign currency, for the 12 consecutive months immediately before the application date.
Where the applicant's relevant employment was overseas, the person must also have worked for an established overseas company for those 12 consecutive months.
For ONE Pass purposes, an established company must have at least:
MOM may consider combined amounts from an organization's global offices on a case-by-case basis.
The company test can therefore be just as important as the applicant's salary.
A senior executive earning significantly above S$30,000 per month does not automatically satisfy this eligibility route if the required employer criteria and supporting evidence are not met.
An individual may also qualify through future employment in Singapore.
The applicant must be expected to earn at least S$30,000 in fixed monthly salary from an established Singapore-based company.
The future employer must satisfy the same established company benchmark of at least US$500 million in market capitalization or US$200 million in annual revenue. MOM states that an application under this route should be submitted only when the Singapore employment is due to start within six months.
This pathway may suit a multinational division head, senior executive or global specialist relocating to Singapore for a major regional role.
The ONE Pass is not exclusively a high-income executive scheme.
Individuals may apply without meeting the S$30,000 salary requirement if they have outstanding achievements in:
MOM and relevant agencies, including MCCY, MOE, NRF and A*STAR, holistically review the applicant's work and key achievements.
This is not simply a "well-known professional" route. Applicants need a strong evidence-based record demonstrating the significance of their achievements.
For academia and research candidates, MOM's ONE Pass document requirements specifically refer to significant publications, patents and technology disclosures achieved in the previous five years, together with a recommendation, endorsement or potential position document from a local host institution.
This is one of the most important areas to understand before applying for the ONE Pass Singapore.
Under MOM's current definition:
Fixed monthly salary = basic monthly salary + fixed monthly allowances.
The payment must not vary from month to month based on employee or company performance. Fixed food or housing allowances may form part of the calculation.
Variable allowances, overtime, bonuses, commissions, annual wage supplements, board fees, stock options, dividends, payments in kind, reimbursements and employer pension or provident fund contributions are generally excluded from fixed monthly salary.
Generally, the qualifying S$30,000 fixed monthly salary should come from one employer.
MOM gives a clear example: S$20,000 from Company A and S$10,000 from Company B does not meet the salary criterion. However, S$30,000 from one employer plus S$5,000 from another can satisfy the salary requirement because one employer already provides the qualifying S$30,000.
Other income sources may be assessed case by case.
This makes salary structuring and documentation critical. Applicants should not simply add every source of earnings, bonuses, equity compensation and investment income together and assume they have met the threshold.
In practical terms, the ONE Pass is most relevant when an individual's networks, leadership position or expertise extend beyond one employer.
Potential profiles include regional CEOs moving headquarters or senior management functions to Singapore; technology founders with global users, significant funding histories or successful exits; hedge fund, private capital and venture professionals; senior AI, semiconductor, quantum computing and deep-tech specialists; multinational division heads relocating Asian operations; and globally recognized professionals in sports, arts, culture, academia or research.
Singapore's policy intent has consistently focused on attracting individuals who can create wider opportunities and strengthen local ecosystems. MOM has described ONE Pass holders as highly targeted global talent whose networks and expertise can contribute to Singapore's growth.
This is why applicants should think beyond salary.
A strong ONE Pass application should make the candidate's eligibility pathway and documentary evidence easy to understand. For outstanding achievement cases in particular, a long CV is not necessarily the same as a clearly evidenced record of significant impact.
ONE Pass features are confirmed by MOM's current pass framework.
The EP salary comparison is also changing. Under Singapore's 2026 foreign workforce policy announcements, the general EP minimum qualifying salary will rise from S$5,600 to S$6,000, while the financial services minimum will rise from S$6,200 to S$6,600. The new thresholds apply to new applications from 1 January 2027 and renewals for passes expiring from 1 January 2028. Age-progressive salary requirements continue to apply.
For businesses reviewing their wider talent strategy, our analysis of the Singapore Budget 2026 EP and S Pass salary changes explains the upcoming thresholds in more detail.
Every ONE Pass application requires the applicant's passport particulars page, including amendments.
The remaining documents depend on the selected application category.
For current or last held employment in Singapore, MOM generally requires 12 consecutive months of payslips, the most recent IRAS Notice of Assessment or relevant tax return where applicable, and documents supporting other income sources if relied upon.
For overseas employment, applicants generally need 12 months of payslips, employment verification evidence from a background screening company, and current financial evidence concerning the employer. If appropriate third-party company data is unavailable, MOM may consider the latest audited profit and loss statements from a third-party auditor; management-signed documents are not accepted for this purpose.
For prospective Singapore employment, a signed employment contract or offer letter and recent financial information for the prospective employer are required.
Outstanding achievement applicants need documentation including a CV highlighting key achievements, with additional evidence for academia and research candidates.
The practical lesson is simple: document preparation should follow the eligibility pathway.
Submitting a generic executive profile with disconnected salary, corporate and achievement documents can make assessment more difficult.
Eligible candidates can apply directly. An appointed employment agency or employer may also submit the application on the candidate's behalf.
Determine whether the application is based on current or previous employment, prospective Singapore employment or outstanding achievements.
The evidence required will change depending on the route.
Review salary evidence, employer financial information and professional records before filing.
Overseas candidates should pay particular attention to whether the employer satisfies MOM's established company requirements.
The official MOM ONE Pass application process currently carries a S$105 application fee.
Most applications are processed within four weeks. Outstanding achievement applications may take longer where assessment by relevant agencies is required, and any request for additional information can also extend the processing time.
Successful applicants receive an In-Principle Approval, or IPA, letter.
The ONE Pass IPA gives the candidate six months to enter Singapore and have the pass issued.
The pass issuance fee is currently S$225, with a further S$30 fee for a Multiple Journey Visa where applicable. Fingerprint and photo registration may be required.
Yes. The ability to start and operate businesses is one of the defining ONE Pass benefits.
A ONE Pass holder is also recognized under ACRA's current local residency rules as a valid pass holder who may satisfy local residency requirements, subject to applicable FIN holder and pass issuer requirements.
This can be particularly relevant to foreign founders reviewing their Singapore company incorporation options.
However, obtaining a ONE Pass and incorporating a company are two separate compliance processes.
A Singapore company must meet the Companies Act requirements for directors and key officers. A local company requires at least one director who meets the local residency rules, and a company secretary must be appointed within six months of registration.
Singapore's corporate compliance environment has tightened significantly since 2025.
From 9 June 2025, businesses providing corporate services in or from Singapore must register with ACRA as Corporate Service Providers where applicable. Registered CSPs are subject to anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and proliferation financing obligations. The new framework also restricts nominee director appointments conducted as a business to arrangements through registered CSPs that have assessed the nominee as fit and proper.
Foreign founders must engage a CSP to reserve a business name and register a business structure in Singapore.
From 16 June 2025, companies incorporated under the updated framework also face enhanced filing requirements relating to the Register of Registrable Controllers and Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders. Relevant information is filed at incorporation, while subsequent changes to the central registers generally need to be filed within two business days after the company's private register is updated.
For a global executive starting several Singapore ventures, this is an important point: ONE Pass employment flexibility does not remove Companies Act, beneficial ownership, accounting or tax compliance obligations.
Using professional corporate secretarial services can help founders maintain the corporate records and statutory filings associated with an active Singapore company.
A five-year pass should not be confused with a five-year period without reporting responsibilities.
MOM may require ONE Pass holders to participate in an annual notification exercise.
The information requested can include:
Pass holders required to participate will receive an email from MOM with further instructions.
MOM's ONE Pass framework also directs holders to notify the Ministry about professional activities and annual income by 31 January of the following year where required.
Changes to a residential address or mobile number must generally be updated within two weeks. Certain changes to personal information and passport details must also be notified through the relevant MOM process.
Applicants should therefore maintain organised employment, income and business activity records throughout the five-year pass period rather than attempting to reconstruct them only when renewal approaches.
The ONE Pass is renewable for another period of up to five years if the holder meets one of MOM's renewal routes.
The holder must have either:
Earned at least S$30,000 in fixed monthly salary on average over the previous five years in Singapore;
or
Started and be operating a Singapore-based company employing at least five locals, with each earning a gross monthly salary of at least the prevailing EP minimum qualifying salary.
A renewal application can be submitted up to six months before the pass expires.
The second renewal route is particularly important for founders.
It shows why incorporation should not be treated as a paper exercise. A company needs genuine operations and qualifying local employment if the holder intends to rely on the business-based renewal criterion.
One of the most significant Singapore work pass developments announced in 2026 is the ONE Pass AI and Tech track.
MOM will introduce the track in January 2027, replacing the existing Tech.Pass. The policy is intended to strengthen Singapore's position as a global hub for AI and technology talent, including talent in critical and emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing.
The announced criteria recognize that senior technology leaders are not always compensated entirely through cash salary.
Under the planned AI and Tech track, candidates may meet the ONE Pass fixed monthly salary criterion through a combination of cash and qualifying non-cash compensation components, including Employee Stock Option Plans and Employee Share Ownership arrangements.
The announced company-level criteria include relevant employment in a tech company, a technology division within a company or a tech venture capital firm.
The company may meet the required scale through at least US$500 million in valuation or market capitalization, US$200 million in annual revenue or US$500 million in assets under management. Tech companies that have raised at least US$30 million in funding may also qualify under the announced criteria.
The individual salary criterion remains at least S$30,000 per month for the 12 consecutive months before application under the announced framework.
MOM has stated that further details, including renewal eligibility for the AI and Tech track, will be published on its website.
For AI founders and senior technical executives with substantial equity-based remuneration, this development could materially change ONE Pass planning from 2027.
The ONE Pass should not be marketed as a guaranteed or fixed-time pathway to Singapore Permanent Residence.
PR is a separate immigration assessment conducted by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.
ICA publicly states that its PR assessments consider factors such as family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency. The assessment also considers an applicant's potential contribution, ability to integrate and commitment to sinking roots in Singapore.
Accordingly, statements suggesting that ONE Pass holders have a guaranteed six-month eligibility window or that most successful applicants obtain PR within a specific 12-to-18-month period should be treated cautiously unless supported by ICA policy.
ONE Pass status may support a strong professional and economic profile, but it does not itself guarantee PR approval.
Businesses and founders planning for a longer Singapore presence can review our Singapore PR Application Guide 2026 for a broader overview of the factors involved.
An unsuccessful applicant has three months from the rejection date to appeal.
However, MOM specifically advises that an appeal should be made only where the issues identified in the rejection advisory can be addressed. Submitting the same information again is unlikely to change the outcome.
Before appealing, the applicant should review:
The selected eligibility route; salary classification and continuity; whether the employer satisfies established company criteria; the quality and recency of corporate financial evidence; and whether professional achievements have been clearly substantiated.
Where the candidate cannot address the ONE Pass eligibility concern, a different Singapore work pass may be more appropriate.
The ONE Pass gives exceptional global talent greater freedom to build a professional presence in Singapore. But the pass is only one part of a wider relocation or business strategy.
Rather than treating immigration, incorporation and compliance as separate administrative tasks, ATHR helps businesses build a coordinated Singapore setup from the beginning.
👉 Planning to establish or expand your business presence in Singapore? Talk to ATHR Corporate Services and build a compliant foundation for your next stage of growth.
The ATHR Content Team is a group of professional writers from Singapore and the Philippines, committed to delivering informative, practical, and engaging content for business owners across Southeast Asia.
