IMPACT — MEDIUM

The Singaporean government has provided updates on its points-based system for Employment Pass applications under the Complementarity Assessment Framework.

Key Points: 

  • Beginning Sept. 1, 2023, COMPASS will evaluate EP applications on a points-based system using four main categories:
    • Salary. Applications earn points by meeting benchmarks for local PMET salaries specific to the company’s classified sector.
    • Qualifications. Applicants will earn points based on if their qualifications were received at a top-tier institution, have a degree-equivalent qualification or if there is no degree equivalent. A list of top-tier institutions is available here.
    • Diversity. COMPASS awards more points to applications when the candidate’s nationality is from a small share of the company’s PMET employees. No points are earned if the company is applying to bring in a candidate whose nationality is already a significant share of its PMET employees.
    • Support for local employment. Applications earn more points if the company has a relatively higher share of locals among PMET employees compared to other companies in the same sector.
  • Applicants can receive bonus points if the job is on the skills shortages list or if the company partners with the government on strategic economic priorities.
  • COMPASS rewards zero, 10 or 20 points for each category based on whether the application does not meet, meets or exceeds expectations. Applicants who receive at least 40 points will be approved.

Additional Information: Singaporean authorities encourage employers to use the Workforce Insights tool on the myMOM Portal for benchmarking insights to help plan hiring decisions and workforce changes. More information regarding COMPASS and details on how each application will be evaluated is available here.

BAL Analysis: The Singaporean government has planned the upcoming changes to its work pass framework to attract more highly skilled foreign nationals to live and work in the country. BAL will continue to monitor the implementation of the changes to the framework and will provide more information as it becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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