{"id":6038,"date":"2025-02-05T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-05T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dollarsandsense.sg\/business\/?p=6038"},"modified":"2025-02-05T20:05:02","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T12:05:02","slug":"foreign-worker-quota-in-singapore-what-is-it-and-how-to-calculate-it-for-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dollarsandsense.sg\/business\/foreign-worker-quota-in-singapore-what-is-it-and-how-to-calculate-it-for-your-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete Guide To Foreign Worker Quota In Singapore: Eligibility And How To Calculate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Foreign workers in Singapore complement the local workforce to grow the economy and add diversity to its skillsets. As at December 2023, over 1.5 million foreigners were working in Singapore.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this represents about 40% of Singapore’s total workforce, there are stringent restrictions placed on foreigners who want to come to Singapore for work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is guided by the different types of work passes that foreign workers can come here to work on, as well as having quota restrictions. The most common work passes that businesses can apply to bring in their foreign workforce include Work Permits, S Pass and Employment Pass (EP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read Also: Guide To Work Passes In Singapore: Work Permits, S Pass and Employment Pass (EP)<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quota Restrictions For Employment Pass (EP) Holders<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are no quota restrictions or foreign worker levies for Employment Pass (EP) holders in Singapore. Workers holding an EP tend to be more highly skilled foreign professionals, managers and executives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of applying a quota on the number of EPs a business can employ or charging a levy, the government controls the quality of such employees by setting a qualifying salary – set at the top one-third of local PMET salaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qualifying salaries start from $5,600 and increase progressively with age, up to $10,700 for those aged 45 and above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age<\/strong><\/td>EP qualifying salary<\/strong> (before 2025)
(except financial services sector)<\/td>		Revised EP qualifying salary from 2025<\/strong> 
(except financial services sector)<\/td><\/tr>
23 or below<\/td>$5,000<\/td>$5,600<\/td><\/tr>
24<\/td>$5,250<\/td>$5,832<\/td><\/tr>
25<\/td>$5,500<\/td>$6,064<\/td><\/tr>
26<\/td>$5,750<\/td>$6,295<\/td><\/tr>
27<\/td>$6,000<\/td>$6,527<\/td><\/tr>
28<\/td>$6,250<\/td>$6,759<\/td><\/tr>
29<\/td>$6,500<\/td>$6,991<\/td><\/tr>
30<\/td>$6,750<\/td>$7,223<\/td><\/tr>
31<\/td>$7,000<\/td>$7,455<\/td><\/tr>
32<\/td>$7,250<\/td>$7,686<\/td><\/tr>
33<\/td>$7,500<\/td>$7,918<\/td><\/tr>
34<\/td>$7,750<\/td>$8,150<\/td><\/tr>
35<\/td>$8,000<\/td>$8,382<\/td><\/tr>
36<\/td>$8,250<\/td>$8,614<\/td><\/tr>
37<\/td>$8,500<\/td>$8,845<\/td><\/tr>
38<\/td>$8,750<\/td>$9,077<\/td><\/tr>
39<\/td>$9,000<\/td>$9,309<\/td><\/tr>
40<\/td>$9,250<\/td>$9,541<\/td><\/tr>
41<\/td>$9,500<\/td>$9,773<\/td><\/tr>
42<\/td>$9,750<\/td>$10,005<\/td><\/tr>
43<\/td>$10,000<\/td>$10,236<\/td><\/tr>
44<\/td>$10,250<\/td>$10,468<\/td><\/tr>
45 or above<\/td>$10,500<\/td>$10,700<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: MOM<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The qualifying salary criteria for the financial services sector requires EP holders to earn at least $6,200 a month, and up to $11,800 for those aged 45 and above. The increments follow a similar trajectory to the table above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, EP holders will also have to pass COMPASS, a points-based system to help you access talent from around the world<\/a>. COMPASS, or complementarity assessment framework, comprises 6 attributes: C1) Salary; C2) Qualifications; C3) Skills Bonus (shortage occupations list); C4) Diversity; C5) Support for local employment; and C6) Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are further restrictions, including requiring employers to advertise roles on the MyCareersFuture website, under the Fair Consideration Framework<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quota Restrictions For S Pass Holders<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The minimum qualifying salary criteria for S Pass holders is $3,150 a month and up to $4,650 for those aged 45 and above. For S Pass holders in the financial services sector, the minimum qualifying salary is $3,650 and increases progressively with age, up to $5,650 for those 45 and above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These qualifying salary criteria are also slated to go up to $3,300 (for all other sectors) and $3,800 (for the financial services sector) in 2025 for new applications and 2026 for renewals..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sector <\/strong><\/td>From 1 Sep 2023 for renewals<\/strong><\/td>From 1 Sep 2023 for new applications \/ 
From 1 Sep 2024 for renewals<\/strong><\/td>		From 1 Sep 2025 for new applications \/ 
From 1 Sep 2026 for renewals<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
All 
(except financial services)<\/strong><\/td>		$3,000
<\/strong>(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $4,500 at age 45 and above)<\/td>		$3,150
<\/strong>(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $4,650 at age 45 and above)<\/td>		At least $3,300 <\/strong>(to be finalised)<\/td><\/tr>
Financial services<\/strong> <\/td>$3,500<\/strong>
(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $5,500 at age 45 and above)<\/td>		$3,650
<\/strong>(increases progressively with age from age 23, up to $5,650 at age 45 and above)<\/td>		At least $3,800 <\/strong>(to be finalised)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: MOM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unlike E Pass (EP) holders, the number of S Pass holders a business can hire is also limited by a quota. This is because S Pass holders are mid-level skilled employees. Also unlike hiring EPs, businesses must pay a foreign worker levy when they hire S Pass holders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quotas or sub-dependency Ratio Ceilings (DRCs) are also different, based on your business activity. This is capped as a percentage of your workforce:<\/p>\n\n\n\n