Singapore COMPASS EP Points Calculator 2026 — Check Your Employment Pass Eligibility Score
Enter your salary, qualifications, nationality diversity, employer’s local employment profile, and any skills or strategic-sector bonuses — calculator scores your COMPASS points across all six criteria and checks whether you clear the 40-point threshold and minimum salary requirement.
Enter your details to calculate your COMPASS score
C1–C6 breakdown → score bar → salary check → PDF
Singapore COMPASS EP Points 2026 — Understanding the Six-Criteria Scoring Framework
COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) is the points-based system MOM uses to evaluate Employment Pass applications, scoring candidates across six criteria worth up to 80 points total. You need at least 40 points to qualify — but COMPASS is only HALF the story, since you must ALSO meet the minimum fixed monthly salary threshold (S$5,600 general sector, S$10,500 financial services) as a completely separate, independent gate. This calculator scores both requirements together so you can see your genuine, complete eligibility picture.
COMPASS Criteria Summary (Illustrative)
| Criterion | Max Points | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| C1: Salary Benchmark | 20 pts | Your salary vs local PMET salary distribution in your role |
| C2: Qualifications | 20 pts | Your educational qualifications and institution tier |
| C3: Diversity | 10 pts | Your nationality’s representation within the firm |
| C4: Local Employment Support | 10 pts | Your employer’s local PMET employment ratio |
| C5: Skills Bonus | 10 pts | Whether your skills are on MOM’s shortage list |
| C6: Strategic Priorities Bonus | 10 pts | Whether you work in a designated strategic sector |
These figures are illustrative reference points only — always verify current, exact COMPASS scoring criteria directly at the official MOM COMPASS portal before relying on this information for an actual EP application.
How This COMPASS EP Points Calculator Works
Select Your Sector
Choose general or financial services to determine your minimum salary threshold.
Score Each Criterion
Select the option that best matches your situation for C1 through C6.
Review Your Score Bar
See your total COMPASS score visualised against the 40-point threshold.
Check Combined Eligibility
See whether you clear BOTH the COMPASS threshold and minimum salary gate.
3 Singapore COMPASS Examples — A Strong All-Round Applicant, a Salary-Gate Failure Despite High COMPASS Score & the Value of the C5 Skills Bonus
Example 1: A Strong All-Round Applicant Clearing Both Gates
Example 2: A High COMPASS Score That Still Fails on Salary Alone
Example 3: The Meaningful Value of the C5 Skills Bonus for a Borderline Applicant
3 Expert Tips — COMPASS and Salary Are Genuinely Separate Gates, C1/C2 Carry the Most Weight & Verify Your Specific Scoring With Official MOM Tools
COMPASS Score and Minimum Salary Are Genuinely Separate, Independent Gates
As illustrated clearly in Example 2, it’s critically important to understand that clearing the 40-point COMPASS threshold does NOT automatically mean you’ve satisfied the EP’s minimum salary requirement — these represent two genuinely separate, independent gates that BOTH must be cleared simultaneously: why this distinction matters so much: a candidate could theoretically score very highly on COMPASS (qualifications, diversity, local support, skills bonus) while still falling short on the specific salary threshold for their sector, particularly relevant for the higher S$10,500 financial services minimum; the practical recommendation: always check BOTH your COMPASS score AND your salary against the relevant sector minimum as two distinct, separate checks, never assuming that a strong COMPASS score alone guarantees overall EP eligibility.
C1 (Salary) and C2 (Qualifications) Carry the Most Weight — Focus Improvement Efforts There First
Since C1 and C2 together account for up to 40 of the 80 total available points (fully half), these two criteria represent your highest-leverage areas for improving a borderline COMPASS score: why focusing here first makes sense: a single step-up in either C1 or C2 (moving from the lowest to middle tier, or middle to top tier) can add 10 full points — more than what’s available from C3 or C4 individually; how to think about this practically: if your COMPASS score is borderline, consider whether negotiating a higher starting salary (improving C1) or further professional qualifications (improving C2, though this is naturally a longer-term lever) could meaningfully shift your overall score before applying; the practical recommendation: prioritise understanding and optimising your C1 and C2 inputs first when assessing or improving a borderline COMPASS application, since these two criteria offer the largest individual point swings available across the entire framework.
Always Verify Your Specific Scoring Directly With Official MOM Tools Before Applying
This calculator’s specific scoring tiers and thresholds within each criterion (particularly C1’s salary-percentile bands and C3’s diversity assessment) are illustrative approximations of MOM’s actual, official COMPASS methodology, which involves more nuanced, sector-specific benchmarking than this simplified calculator can fully replicate: why official verification matters: MOM’s actual COMPASS assessment uses detailed, role-specific and sector-specific salary distributions (not simple percentile bands) and considers your firm’s actual employment data for C3 and C4, which this calculator cannot access or replicate precisely; the practical recommendation: use this calculator as a useful, directional starting point for understanding the COMPASS framework and roughly where you stand, but always verify your specific, actual COMPASS score using MOM’s official, current online tools and resources before submitting a genuine Employment Pass application.
16 FAQs — Singapore COMPASS EP Points 2026, Scoring Criteria & Eligibility
What is COMPASS and why did MOM introduce this points-based system?
COMPASS EXPLAINED — Singapore 2026: COMPASS (COMPLEMENTARITY Assessment FRAMEWORK) is THE points-BASED system MOM USES specifically TO evaluate EMPLOYMENT Pass APPLICATIONS, scoring CANDIDATES across SIX distinct CRITERIA worth UP to 80 POINTS total, WITH a MINIMUM threshold OF 40 points REQUIRED to QUALIFY; why MOM INTRODUCED this SYSTEM: COMPASS was SPECIFICALLY designed TO move BEYOND a SIMPLE salary-ONLY threshold (the PREVIOUS system), instead EVALUATING candidates HOLISTICALLY across SALARY, qualifications, DIVERSITY, local EMPLOYMENT support, SKILLS relevance AND strategic ECONOMIC alignment — reflecting A more NUANCED, multi-DIMENSIONAL assessment OF a CANDIDATE’S overall COMPLEMENTARITY to SINGAPORE’S workforce AND economy SPECIFICALLY.
Does meeting the 40-point COMPASS threshold guarantee my Employment Pass will be approved?
40-POINT threshold — does THIS guarantee APPROVAL? 2026: NO — as DISCUSSED in DETAIL in THE first EXPERT tip, CLEARING the 40-POINT COMPASS threshold IS a NECESSARY but NOT sufficient CONDITION for EP APPROVAL; you MUST also SEPARATELY clear THE minimum SALARY threshold FOR your SPECIFIC sector, AND MOM retains DISCRETION in THE final APPROVAL decision BEYOND the POINTS-based COMPASS framework ITSELF. The PRACTICAL recommendation: treat A passing COMPASS score AS a NECESSARY, but NOT guaranteed-SUFFICIENT, indicator OF likely ELIGIBILITY, always VERIFYING your SPECIFIC salary ALSO clears THE relevant SECTOR minimum AND consulting OFFICIAL MOM resources FOR your COMPLETE, actual APPLICATION.
How exactly does MOM determine the local PMET salary benchmark used for C1 scoring?
C1 SALARY benchmark — how IS this PRECISELY determined? 2026: MOM SPECIFICALLY uses DETAILED, role-SPECIFIC and SECTOR-specific salary DISTRIBUTION data ACROSS local PMETs (Professionals, MANAGERS, Executives AND Technicians) to ESTABLISH the SPECIFIC benchmark YOUR salary IS compared AGAINST for C1 SCORING purposes, RATHER than A single, UNIVERSAL benchmark APPLYING uniformly ACROSS all ROLES and SECTORS; why THIS precision MATTERS: this CALCULATOR’S simplified PERCENTILE-band approach REPRESENTS a GENERAL approximation RATHER than THE precise, ROLE-specific benchmark MOM ACTUALLY uses, MEANING your GENUINE C1 score MIGHT differ FROM this CALCULATOR’S estimate. The PRACTICAL recommendation: verify YOUR specific, ROLE-relevant salary BENCHMARK directly THROUGH official MOM RESOURCES or YOUR employer’S immigration CONSULTANT for YOUR most ACCURATE C1 assessment.
Can I improve my C3 diversity score by changing employers, or is it fixed based on my nationality alone?
C3 DIVERSITY score — does IT depend ON employer, NOT just NATIONALITY alone? 2026: YES — C3 SPECIFICALLY measures YOUR nationality’S REPRESENTATION within YOUR SPECIFIC employer’S workforce, MEANING the SAME individual COULD receive A different C3 SCORE at DIFFERENT employers DEPENDING on EACH firm’S existing NATIONALITY composition, RATHER than C3 BEING a FIXED, nationality-ONLY attribute INDEPENDENT of EMPLOYER; why THIS matters PRACTICALLY: if YOUR nationality IS highly REPRESENTED at ONE specific EMPLOYER (resulting IN a LOW C3 score), THE same NATIONALITY might BE genuinely UNDER-represented at A different EMPLOYER, potentially RESULTING in A higher C3 SCORE for THE identical CANDIDATE. The PRACTICAL recommendation: understand THAT your C3 score IS employer-SPECIFIC, not A fixed, PERSONAL attribute, MEANING it’S WORTH considering DURING your JOB search PROCESS if COMPASS scoring IS a GENUINE concern FOR your SPECIFIC situation.
Does this calculator account for the EP minimum salary scaling upward with applicant age, as mentioned on the Expat hub page?
AGE-SCALING EP minimum SALARY — does THIS calculator MODEL this SPECIFICALLY? 2026: this CALCULATOR specifically USES the STANDARD, baseline MINIMUM salary FIGURES (S$5,600 GENERAL, S$10,500 FINANCIAL services) WITHOUT separately MODELLING the AGE-based scaling MOM applies FOR older APPLICANTS specifically, SINCE MOM expects OLDER, more EXPERIENCED applicants TO command PROPORTIONALLY higher SALARIES commensurate WITH their SENIORITY; the PRACTICAL recommendation: if YOU’RE a MORE senior, OLDER applicant, verify YOUR SPECIFIC, age-ADJUSTED minimum SALARY threshold DIRECTLY at THE official MOM CHANNELS (rather THAN relying SOLELY on THIS calculator’S baseline FIGURES), since YOUR genuine, APPLICABLE minimum MAY be HIGHER than THE standard baseline THIS calculator SPECIFICALLY uses FOR younger, ENTRY-level applicants.
If I don’t currently meet the 40-point threshold, what’s the most effective way to improve my score before reapplying?
IMPROVING a BELOW-threshold COMPASS score — most EFFECTIVE approach 2026: as DISCUSSED in DETAIL in THE second EXPERT tip, C1 (SALARY) and C2 (QUALIFICATIONS) together REPRESENT your HIGHEST-leverage AREAS since THEY carry UP to 40 OF the 80 TOTAL points COMBINED; PRACTICAL improvement LEVERS specifically: negotiating A higher STARTING salary WITH a PROSPECTIVE employer (IMPROVING C1 MEANINGFULLY), pursuing FURTHER professional QUALIFICATIONS or CERTIFICATIONS (improving C2, THOUGH naturally A longer-term LEVER), or SPECIFICALLY targeting EMPLOYERS in STRATEGIC sectors OR with SKILLS-shortage-relevant ROLES (improving C5/C6). The PRACTICAL recommendation: prioritise IMPROVEMENT efforts ON C1 and C2 FIRST (given THEIR larger POINT swings), while ALSO considering WHETHER targeting EMPLOYERS with FAVOURABLE C3/C4 profiles OR skills-SHORTAGE-relevant roles MIGHT provide ADDITIONAL, complementary point IMPROVEMENTS.
Does COMPASS apply to S Pass applications too, or only Employment Pass?
COMPASS APPLICABILITY — EP only OR also S PASS? 2026: COMPASS specifically APPLIES to EMPLOYMENT Pass APPLICATIONS; S Pass APPLICATIONS are EVALUATED under A different, SEPARATE framework SPECIFICALLY (covered BY the COMPANION S Pass ELIGIBILITY Calculator ELSEWHERE in THIS expat SILO), involving DIFFERENT criteria SUCH as the S PASS quota AND tiered EMPLOYER levy STRUCTURE, RATHER than THE COMPASS points SYSTEM this CALCULATOR specifically MODELS. The PRACTICAL recommendation: use THIS calculator SPECIFICALLY for EMPLOYMENT Pass APPLICATIONS, and USE the COMPANION S Pass ELIGIBILITY Calculator SEPARATELY if YOU’RE specifically EVALUATING S Pass ELIGIBILITY instead, SINCE these REPRESENT genuinely DIFFERENT, separate ASSESSMENT frameworks.
How frequently does MOM update the C5 skills shortage list and C6 strategic sector designations?
C5/C6 LIST updates — how FREQUENTLY does MOM REVISE these? 2026: MOM PERIODICALLY reviews AND updates BOTH the SKILLS shortage LIST (relevant TO C5) and THE designated STRATEGIC sector LIST (relevant TO C6), REFLECTING Singapore’S evolving ECONOMIC priorities AND labour MARKET conditions OVER time, RATHER than THESE lists REMAINING permanently FIXED; why THIS matters FOR your PLANNING: a SKILL or SECTOR that QUALIFIES for THE C5 or C6 BONUS today MIGHT not NECESSARILY remain ON the LIST indefinitely, AND new SKILLS or SECTORS could BE added OVER time AS Singapore’S priorities EVOLVE. The PRACTICAL recommendation: periodically VERIFY the CURRENT, official C5 SKILLS shortage LIST and C6 STRATEGIC sector DESIGNATIONS directly AT the OFFICIAL MOM channels, PARTICULARLY if YOU’RE relying ON these SPECIFIC bonus POINTS as PART of YOUR overall COMPASS strategy.
Does my spouse’s nationality or employment status affect my own COMPASS score in any way?
SPOUSE’S nationality/EMPLOYMENT — does THIS affect MY own COMPASS SCORE? 2026: NO — this CALCULATOR’S COMPASS FRAMEWORK specifically EVALUATES the INDIVIDUAL EP APPLICANT’S own SALARY, qualifications, NATIONALITY, and EMPLOYER-specific factors, WITHOUT incorporating SPOUSE-related factors INTO the COMPASS SCORE calculation ITSELF; general CONSIDERATION: WHILE your SPOUSE’S situation MIGHT be RELEVANT to OTHER aspects OF your OVERALL Singapore IMMIGRATION and FAMILY planning (such AS Dependant’S PASS eligibility FOR your SPOUSE, COVERED by RELATED considerations ELSEWHERE), it DOESN’T directly FACTOR into YOUR own, INDIVIDUAL COMPASS score CALCULATION specifically. The PRACTICAL recommendation: focus ON your OWN, individual INPUTS (salary, QUALIFICATIONS, nationality, EMPLOYER profile) when USING this CALCULATOR, since YOUR spouse’S SITUATION doesn’T DIRECTLY factor INTO your PERSONAL COMPASS score.
If I’m renewing an existing Employment Pass rather than applying fresh, does COMPASS still apply the same way?
EP RENEWAL — does COMPASS apply IDENTICALLY to RENEWALS? 2026: GENERALLY, yes — COMPASS APPLIES to BOTH new EP APPLICATIONS and RENEWALS, MEANING existing EP HOLDERS seeking RENEWAL should EXPECT their APPLICATION to BE evaluated AGAINST the SAME COMPASS criteria AND 40-point THRESHOLD applicable TO new APPLICANTS, THOUGH specific NUANCES in HOW certain CRITERIA (such AS C1 SALARY benchmarking) ARE assessed FOR renewal SCENARIOS specifically SHOULD be VERIFIED directly AT official MOM CHANNELS. The PRACTICAL recommendation: if YOU’RE specifically PREPARING for AN EP RENEWAL rather THAN a FRESH application, use THIS calculator TO get A general SENSE of YOUR current COMPASS POSITION, but VERIFY any RENEWAL-specific nuances OR requirements DIRECTLY at THE official MOM CHANNELS for YOUR most ACCURATE, complete UNDERSTANDING.
Does this calculator’s scoring framework apply to candidates applying from outside Singapore, or only those already working in Singapore?
APPLYING from OUTSIDE Singapore — does THE same FRAMEWORK apply? 2026: YES — COMPASS APPLIES equally TO candidates APPLYING for AN EP from OUTSIDE Singapore (a GENUINELY new APPLICANT relocating TO Singapore FOR the FIRST time) and THOSE already WORKING in SINGAPORE under A different PASS type SEEKING to TRANSITION to AN EP specifically; the CORE COMPASS criteria AND 40-point THRESHOLD apply CONSISTENTLY regardless OF your CURRENT physical LOCATION at THE time of APPLICATION. The PRACTICAL recommendation: use THIS calculator REGARDLESS of WHETHER you’RE currently OUTSIDE Singapore APPLYING for THE first TIME, or ALREADY in SINGAPORE transitioning FROM a DIFFERENT pass TYPE, since THE underlying COMPASS scoring FRAMEWORK applies CONSISTENTLY across BOTH scenarios.
Can a candidate with a perfect 80-point COMPASS score still be rejected for an Employment Pass?
PERFECT 80-POINT score — can THIS still BE rejected? 2026: theoretically, YES — as DISCUSSED in DETAIL in THE second FAQ, COMPASS represents ONE specific COMPONENT of THE overall EP APPLICATION evaluation, AND MOM retains BROADER discretion BEYOND the POINTS-based framework ALONE, MEANING even A maximum, PERFECT COMPASS score DOESN’T constitute AN absolute, GUARANTEED approval REGARDLESS of OTHER factors (such AS document AUTHENTICITY, employer COMPLIANCE history, OR other REGULATORY considerations OUTSIDE the COMPASS framework ITSELF). The PRACTICAL recommendation: treat EVEN a STRONG or PERFECT COMPASS score AS a HIGHLY favourable, but NOT absolutely GUARANTEED, indicator OF likely APPROVAL, ensuring ALL other ASPECTS of YOUR application (DOCUMENTATION, employer COMPLIANCE, etc.) are ALSO genuinely IN order.
Does this calculator account for any COMPASS exemptions for specific high-earning categories, such as those eligible for the Personalised Employment Pass instead?
COMPASS EXEMPTIONS — does THIS calculator ADDRESS high-EARNER alternatives LIKE PEP? 2026: this CALCULATOR specifically MODELS the STANDARD COMPASS FRAMEWORK applicable TO typical EMPLOYMENT Pass APPLICATIONS, without SEPARATELY addressing WHETHER very HIGH earners MIGHT alternatively QUALIFY for THE Personalised EMPLOYMENT Pass (PEP) — covered BY a SEPARATE, dedicated CALCULATOR elsewhere IN this EXPAT silo — WHICH carries DIFFERENT eligibility CRITERIA entirely (a FIXED S$22,500 MINIMUM salary THRESHOLD rather THAN the COMPASS points SYSTEM); the PRACTICAL recommendation: if YOUR salary IS at OR above THE S$22,500 PEP THRESHOLD specifically, CONSIDER using THE companion PERSONALISED Employment PASS Eligibility CHECKER instead, SINCE this MIGHT represent A more APPROPRIATE, alternative PATHWAY for VERY high-earning CANDIDATES rather THAN the STANDARD COMPASS-based EP FRAMEWORK this CALCULATOR specifically MODELS.
Should I revisit this calculator periodically if MOM updates COMPASS scoring thresholds or criteria over time?
RECOMMENDED review FREQUENCY — Singapore COMPASS EP POINTS Calculator 2026: YES — CONSISTENT with THE periodic-REVIEW guidance PROVIDED throughout THIS site’S broader CALCULATOR ecosystem, MOM’S COMPASS framework REMAINS subject TO ongoing POLICY review AND potential FUTURE adjustment, SIMILAR to OTHER Singapore IMMIGRATION and WORK-pass policies COVERED throughout THIS expat SILO; the PRACTICAL recommendation: periodically VERIFY the CURRENT, official COMPASS scoring CRITERIA and 40-POINT threshold DIRECTLY at THE official MOM CHANNELS, particularly FOLLOWING any ANNOUNCED policy REVIEW or UPDATE, rather THAN assuming THIS calculator’S current ILLUSTRATIVE criteria WILL remain PERMANENTLY fixed WITHOUT further FUTURE adjustment.
If I’m comparing job offers from multiple specific employers, should I run this calculator separately for each offer?
MULTIPLE job OFFERS — running SEPARATE COMPASS calculations FOR each 2026: YES — SINCE several COMPASS criteria (PARTICULARLY C1 SALARY, C3 DIVERSITY and C4 LOCAL employment SUPPORT) are SPECIFICALLY employer-DEPENDENT (as DISCUSSED in DETAIL in THE fourth FAQ regarding C3 SPECIFICALLY), different SPECIFIC job OFFERS from DIFFERENT employers COULD genuinely RESULT in MEANINGFULLY different COMPASS scores FOR the SAME candidate; the PRACTICAL recommendation: if YOU’RE evaluating MULTIPLE, specific JOB offers FROM different EMPLOYERS, run THIS calculator SEPARATELY for EACH specific OFFER (using THAT employer’S SPECIFIC salary, AND your BEST estimate OF their NATIONALITY diversity AND local EMPLOYMENT profile), building A complete COMPARISON of YOUR likely COMPASS eligibility ACROSS each SPECIFIC opportunity RATHER than ASSUMING a SINGLE, uniform SCORE applies REGARDLESS of YOUR specific EMPLOYER choice.
Does this calculator account for any COMPASS exemptions for short-term employment passes or intra-corporate transferees?
SHORT-TERM passes OR intra-CORPORATE transferees — any COMPASS exemptions? 2026: this CALCULATOR specifically MODELS the STANDARD COMPASS FRAMEWORK applicable TO typical EMPLOYMENT Pass APPLICATIONS, without SEPARATELY addressing WHETHER short-TERM employment ARRANGEMENTS or INTRA-corporate transferee SCENARIOS might CARRY any SPECIFIC exemptions OR modified ASSESSMENT criteria UNDER certain TRADE agreement PROVISIONS or SPECIFIC bilateral ARRANGEMENTS. The PRACTICAL recommendation: if YOUR specific SITUATION involves A short-term ASSIGNMENT or INTRA-corporate transfer ARRANGEMENT that MIGHT carry SPECIFIC, alternative immigration PROVISIONS, verify THIS directly AT the OFFICIAL MOM channels OR with A licensed IMMIGRATION consultant, RATHER than ASSUMING this CALCULATOR’S standard COMPASS framework UNIFORMLY applies WITHOUT exception TO every POSSIBLE employment ARRANGEMENT type.
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Legal Disclaimer & Editorial Transparency
This COMPASS EP Points Calculator provides an illustrative scoring approximation based on general, publicly-known COMPASS criteria and does not represent an official MOM assessment, confirmation of Employment Pass eligibility, or guarantee of application approval. COMPASS scoring methodology, salary thresholds, and shortage/strategic sector lists are subject to change and periodic review; always verify current, exact criteria directly at the official MOM COMPASS portal before relying on this information for an actual Employment Pass application. This calculator does not constitute immigration advice. SGFinanceCalculators.com is owned by MAFHH INTERNATIONAL LTD and is not affiliated with the Ministry of Manpower or any government agency. No advertisements are displayed.