S Pass in Singapore: Who Qualifies

The S Pass is Singapore’s work pass for mid-skilled staff — roles that sit below the professional-and-managerial level of the Employment Pass. It is applied for by your employer (or an appointed agent), and it comes with a salary test for you and a levy and quota for the firm. Here is how it works, with MOM’s current figures.

The qualifying salary

Your fixed monthly salary must meet a minimum that rises with age. For new applications since 1 September 2025:

• All sectors except financial services: from S$3,300 a month, increasing progressively with age up to about S$4,800 for a candidate in their mid-40s.
• Financial services: from S$3,800 a month, rising higher with age (up to about S$5,650).

As with the Employment Pass, “fixed monthly salary” is basic pay plus guaranteed monthly allowances — not bonuses or variable pay.

The levy and quota (your employer’s side)

For every S Pass holder, the employer pays a monthly foreign worker levy. Since 1 September 2025 this has been harmonised at S$650 across all sectors and levy tiers (a daily rate of S$21.37 applies for part-months). The levy starts when the pass is issued and ends when it is cancelled or expires.

MOM S Pass levy and minimum qualifying salary.

Separately, the number of S Pass holders a firm can employ is capped by a quota (a sub-Dependency Ratio Ceiling) that depends on its sector and its number of local employees.

Insurance, duration and renewal

• Medical insurance: the employer must buy medical insurance for S Pass holders; a Primary Care Plan (PCP) is also required for some workers (for example those in certain sectors or dormitories).
• Duration: a first-time S Pass is granted for up to 2 years, and a renewal for up to 3 years, never beyond one month before your passport expires.
• Changing jobs: if you switch employers, the new employer must apply for a new pass.

S Pass vs Employment Pass

Changing jobs and cancellation

An S Pass is tied to one employer. If you move to a new job, the current pass is cancelled and the new employer must apply for a fresh S Pass — subject to that firm’s quota and the salary rules at the time. The employer cancels the pass when you leave and pays the levy up to the cancellation date. Keep your own copy of your pass details, and don’t begin a new role until the new pass is issued — working on a cancelled or wrong pass is an offence.

The costs your employer carries

It helps to understand the full cost of hiring an S Pass holder, because it shapes offers:

• the monthly levy of S$650;
• medical insurance the employer must provide; and
• a Primary Care Plan for workers in certain sectors or dormitories.

None of these come out of your salary, but they are why some employers prefer an EP (no levy or quota) once a candidate’s pay clears the higher EP floor.

Planning ahead

• Check the salary floor for your age and sector, not just the minimum.
• Ask your employer about quota headroom before accepting.
• If family will join you, note the separate S$6,000 sponsor salary for a Dependant’s Pass — higher than the S Pass minimum.
• Keep your passport validity well ahead of the pass period.

General information only, from MOM, with the date each figure was checked. We are not an immigration agent; the final decision on any pass rests with MOM. Confirm the current rules on the official MOM page for your own case.