Effective September 2023, the Singaporean government will start using a new Complementary Assessment Framework (COMPASS) for evaluating Employment Pass (EP) applications. COMPASS candidates can apply to new EP applications starting Sept. 1, 2023, and renewal EP applications from Sept. 1, 2024.
Under COMPASS, EP applicants must score a minimum of 40 out of 80 points to pass the evaluation.
The applications will be scored based on four categories:
- Salary– Individuals are required to meet the new EP salary requirements. The EP applicants will be awarded based on the standard salaries of local professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMET).
- Qualifications– Applicants will earn points based on their qualifications, such as education and equivalent work experience. Further information on qualifications is found here.
- Diversity– COMPASS will consider whether the applicant enhances the company's nationality diversity. No points will be awarded if the applicant's nationality makes up a significant amount of its current PMET employees.
- Support for local employment– Applications receive more points if the employing firm has a greater number of Singaporean PMETS compared to other companies in the same industry.
Candidates who do not meet the 40-point requirement can earn extra points by surpassing standards in specific categories or by gaining bonus points. However, those who fail to reach the 40-point threshold will be ineligible for Employment Passes.
The present Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertising requirement will continue to be in full effect. Companies with less than 25 PMET employees will automatically receive 10 points on the Diversity and Support for Local Employment categories. Candidates that earn at least 20,000 Singaporean dollars per month, are working a short-term position for less than one month, or are applying as an overseas intra-corporate transferee are excluded from COMPASS.
More information on COMPASS and how EP candidates will be scored is available on the Ministry of Manpower website.
Source:
- https://www.bal.com/bal-news/singapore-new-points-based-system-for-employment-pass-applications-to-be-implemented/
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