By KYN AI Advisory Team — AI implementation specialists, Singapore
MOM charges S$105 when you apply for a new Employment Pass and S$225 for each pass issued, plus S$30 for a Multiple Journey Visa where it applies. That is S$330 in government fees for an approved pass, or S$360 with the visa. The larger cost is the salary: the qualifying floor is S$5,600 a month for most sectors today and S$6,000 for new applications from 1 January 2027. This article builds the total, separates fees you pay MOM from fees you pay an agent, and flags the costs that are easy to miss.
What are the MOM fees for an Employment Pass?
MOM lists the fees on its page for applying for an Employment Pass.
| Item | Fee | When paid | |---|---|---| | Application fee | S$105 | At submission, by GIRO, Visa, Mastercard or Amex | | Issuance fee | S$225 per pass | When the approved pass is issued | | Multiple Journey Visa | S$30 per visa, if applicable | At issuance |
If the candidate needs no visa, the government cost is S$330. The application fee is due at submission, before MOM decides the case, so a weak application can cost S$105 before it succeeds. Ask MOM how it treats the fee on a rejected case before you plan around a refund.
Timing, per the same MOM page: an online application is processed or given an update within 10 business days. For an overseas company without a Singapore-registered office, most cases take up to 6 weeks. The pass is issued once the candidate is in Singapore, and the card arrives within 5 working days after registration or document verification.
What salary does the candidate need?
Salary is the main cost and the main gate. MOM publishes the qualifying salary on its Employment Pass eligibility page.
| Sector | Now, for age 23 or below | Now, for age 45 or above | |---|---|---| | All except financial services | S$5,600 | S$10,700 | | Financial services | S$6,200 | S$11,800 |
| Sector | From 1 Jan 2027, age 23 or below | From 1 Jan 2027, age 45 or above | |---|---|---| | All except financial services | S$6,000 | S$11,500 | | Financial services | S$6,600 | S$12,700 |
The 2027 figures apply to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals expiring from 1 January 2028. The floor rises with age. MOM's examples at age 35 for non-financial sectors show S$8,382 now and S$9,000 from 1 January 2027. At age 30 they show S$7,223 and S$7,750.
A candidate also needs 40 points under COMPASS, MOM's points framework. Candidates with a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 are exempt from COMPASS, among other conditions.
What does an Employment Pass really cost in a year?
Take a 35-year-old hire in a non-financial role, applied for in 2027, at the qualifying floor of S$9,000 a month.
| Item | Amount | |---|---| | Salary, 12 months at S$9,000 | S$108,000 | | MOM application and issuance fees | S$330 | | Multiple Journey Visa (if needed) | S$30 | | Job advertisement on MyCareersFuture | Required before applying; staff time | | Agent fee, if used | Agent's quote | | Relocation, housing support, insurance | Your policy |
The government fee is 0.3% of the first-year salary. The pass is a small line next to the salary it requires. If you add an agent, quote the full scope and compare it with the S$330 you would pay to MOM yourself.
CPF does not appear in this sheet. The CPF contribution table covers Singapore Citizens and PRs from their third year of PR status, and Employment Pass holders are outside it. See CPF contribution rates 2027 for the cost of local hires.
What do agents charge?
Agent fees vary by firm and scope, and no regulator publishes a rate. Do not budget from a number you read on a blog. Ask each agent for a fixed quote that states:
- what is included: job advertisement, application, issuance, card collection, renewal;
- what happens if MOM rejects the application, and whether a resubmission is charged;
- whether MOM fees are passed through at cost;
- turnaround time and who is named on the application.
You can apply yourself. MOM's steps are public: get written consent from the candidate, advertise the job on MyCareersFuture before applying, submit through EP eService with your company's turnover information for the past 3 years, pay S$105, print the in-principle approval letter, bring the candidate in, then pay S$225 within 6 months of approval to issue the pass.
What validity and renewal costs should you plan for?
MOM's key facts page gives validity of up to 2 years for first-time candidates and up to 3 years for renewals. Experienced tech professionals with skills in shortage may be eligible for a 5-year pass.
Plan for a renewal at the end of each term. Renewals expiring from 1 January 2028 meet the higher salary floor, so a hire on the 2026 floor needs a raise by then if their salary sits near the minimum. Put the date in the hire's file on the day of approval.
How long does the process take end to end?
Add the MOM stages to your own steps. From MOM's published sequence, the steps are consent, advertisement, application, decision, entry, issuance and card registration.
| Stage | Who controls it | Time stated by MOM | |---|---|---| | Written consent from the candidate | You and the candidate | Not stated | | Job advertisement on MyCareersFuture | You | Not stated | | Online application, decision or update | MOM | Within 10 business days | | Overseas company with no Singapore office | MOM | Within 6 weeks for most cases | | Entry and issuance, within 6 months of approval | Candidate and you | Pass issued once the candidate is in Singapore | | Fingerprints and photo registration | Candidate | Within 2 weeks of the notification letter | | Card delivery | MOM | Within 5 working days of registration |
A realistic plan for a hire from overseas allows time for each stage and for the candidate's notice period. Set the start date after the card stage, not after approval. The candidate can enter only after approval, so travel and housing commitments made earlier carry risk.
Which costs do founders miss?
- The floor moves. A salary set at S$5,600 for a young hire in 2026 will not pass for a new application in 2027 or a renewal in 2028.
- Lead time. An online case can take up to 10 business days for an update, plus the advertising period and the candidate's notice. Start earlier than the start date implies.
- Rejection risk. A COMPASS score under 40 ends the application. Check the score before you make an offer.
- Admin time. Document collection, portal steps and card registration take hours. Count them.
- Compliance records. Keep the in-principle approval, the issued pass details and the renewal date in one register.
Where KYN fits
KYN builds operations systems in your own cloud account. A register of work passes with expiry dates, renewal reminders at a set lead time and an owner for each case is a small build. The system does not apply to MOM, and it does not decide eligibility. Filings and approvals wait for a named person, and every action is logged with the actor.
The first 14 days are a review of your stack and interviews with your team. A full build ships in under 90 days. See operations systems and security.
Frequently asked questions
Is the S$105 application fee refundable if MOM rejects the application?
Do not assume so. MOM's page lists the S$105 as payable at submission, before the decision. Confirm refund treatment with MOM before you rely on it.
Can I apply for an Employment Pass without an agent?
Yes. MOM publishes the steps, and the application runs through EP eService. An agent adds service and speed, not eligibility.
Does the 2027 salary floor apply to my current Employment Pass holder?
Not on their current pass. MOM applies the higher floors to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals expiring from 1 January 2028. A holder near the minimum may need a raise to renew.
Checked 30 October 2026.
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