01EMPLOYMENT PASS
Work pass
EP for business owners
Assess your eligibility to work in Singapore through a genuinely operating business.
- Business and role
- The Singapore employer applies for a genuine managerial or professional role.
- Qualifying salary
- Fixed monthly salary currently starts at S$5,600, or S$6,200 in financial services, and rises with age.
- Eligibility
- Unless exempt, applicants need 40 COMPASS points. Applicable job-advertising requirements also apply.
An owner-sponsored EP is not a separate official pass category. Shareholding or incorporation alone does not confer work rights.
Salary changes in 2027
From 1 January 2027, new applications start at S$6,000, or S$6,600 in financial services, increasing with age. These thresholds also cover renewals of passes expiring from 1 January 2028.
Our support
Business and role assessment, documentation, incorporation and application support. Renewals require reassessment; an EP is not permanent residence.
Official sources
Policy review · 17 September 2026
MOM · Employment Pass eligibility ↗
02OVERSEAS NETWORKS & EXPERTISE PASS
Work pass
ONE Pass
Greater flexibility for professionals with qualifying income or outstanding achievements to work and build businesses in Singapore.
- Pass features
- Up to five years initially. Holders may start, operate and work for multiple companies, subject to relevant employment contracts.
- Income routes
- Usually S$30,000 in fixed monthly salary from one employer for the preceding 12 consecutive months, or qualifying prospective employment in Singapore.
- Further assessment
- Applicable employer-scale and Singapore employment conditions apply. Exceptional achievement routes cover sports, arts and culture, academia and research.
A work pass, not permanent residence. Salary alone does not assure approval.
Employer background
The applicable established-company threshold is US$500 million market capitalisation or US$200 million annual revenue. Overseas and prospective employment routes have additional conditions; existing pass holders need at least one year of work in Singapore.
Renewal and reporting
Renewal criteria include an average fixed monthly salary of S$30,000 over five years in Singapore, or operating a Singapore company employing five locals at the required salaries. Report professional activities and income as MOM requires.
Announced · AI and Tech track in 2027
Opens on 28 January 2027, with separate remuneration, experience and company criteria. It is not yet available for applications.
Official sources
03GLOBAL FOUNDER PROGRAMME
Venture support
GFP · Global Founder Programme
Support for experienced founders building their next global venture from Singapore.
- Founder profile
- Founders who scaled a global startup; key MNC or tech-unicorn employees who grew major products or business lines; or deep-tech founders with strong commercial traction.
- New venture
- The proposed venture and Singapore plans matter. Support varies with programme fit and growth stage.
- Support
- Ecosystem, talent and visa facilitation, customer and investor connections. Selected founders may receive an EDB invitation to apply for ONE Pass.
GFP is a venture-support programme, not a separate visa or permanent-residence scheme. Admission, passes, financing and grants have distinct assessments.
How GFP relates to ONE Pass
EDB offers selected founders an invitation and application facilitation. A pass still requires application and approval. GFP does not automatically grant ONE Pass and is not a fixed-investment immigration route.
Our support
Review founder experience, business achievements and the new venture; assess programme fit and support documentation and establishment planning. EDB determines participation and support.
Official sources
04VARIABLE CAPITAL COMPANY
Fund structure
VCC fund establishment
A Singapore fund structure built around a defined investment strategy and management model.
- Fund structure
- A standalone fund or an umbrella with sub-funds whose assets and liabilities are legally segregated.
- Management and governance
- Appoint a permissible fund manager and meet director, secretary, audit and anti-money-laundering requirements.
- Establishment and operation
- Define investor eligibility, strategy and offering scope before budgeting for setup and ongoing operations.
A VCC is a fund vehicle, not a fund-management licence. Incorporation does not automatically provide tax exemption or residence rights.
Government registration fees
ACRA lists S$8,015 for name application and incorporation, plus S$400 for each sub-fund. Management, legal, audit and administration costs are additional.
Our support
Structure planning, establishment documentation and operational coordination. Regulated fund management must be performed by appropriately authorised entities.
Official sources
Policy review · 17 September 2026
ACRA · VCC features and requirements ↗ACRA · Directors and key officers ↗
05SINGLE FAMILY OFFICE
Family governance
Family office establishment
Establish a Singapore single family office for asset management and succession, with an assessment of eligibility for 13O or 13U fund tax incentives.
- Family and assets
- Establish ownership, source of wealth, family relationships and the scope of asset management.
- Governance and compliance
- Define decision-making and team responsibilities. Assess licensing or exemption, reporting and ongoing obligations.
- 13O / 13U fund assets
- MAS’s published SFO conditions specify minimum AUM in designated investments of S$20 million for 13O and S$50 million for 13U. Confirm the applicable rules against the fund category and application and approval dates.
Family office establishment, fund tax incentives and family members’ residence applications require separate assessments.
Establishment, tax incentives and residence
Establishing a single family office, applying for 13O or 13U fund tax incentives, and applying for family members’ work passes or permanent residence are separate processes with their own eligibility conditions.
Qualifying assets and ongoing eligibility
Total family wealth or the value of a family operating business does not automatically count towards the fund threshold. MAS’s SFO FAQ excludes investments in family operating businesses from the minimum designated-investment AUM test. The applicable threshold must be met at the relevant basis-period end, together with the other conditions, to qualify for that period’s tax exemption.
Investment team and operating requirements
MAS’s SFO scheme information specifies two investment professionals for 13O and three for 13U, including at least one non-family member. Review their substantive duties, qualifications and the applicable staffing timetable. Annual spending, local capital deployment, reporting and transitional conditions also require assessment; the AUM threshold is not the total establishment cost.
Licensing exemption and reporting
Under the current SFO framework, an exempt SFO must notify MAS of commencement, maintain accounts with a MAS-licensed bank for itself and its Singapore fund vehicles, and submit annual returns. Confirm the applicable single-family and fund-management scope requirements first.
Our support
Assess family assets, sources of funds and management needs; design the entity and governance structure; prepare establishment documents; and assess tax incentive and family work-pass eligibility. The written agreement defines the service scope.
06INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
Headquarters establishment
IHQ · Headquarters establishment
Establish a Singapore base for the regional or global operations of your business.
- Headquarters functions
- Define strategic management, regional operations and group support, together with the role of overseas entities.
- Business substance
- Assess the management team, staffing, local expenditure and the operating plan.
- Incentive assessment
- Assess any intended IHQ incentive application separately from incorporation and personnel work passes.
Incorporation, IHQ incentive eligibility and work passes for management are separate matters.
Headquarters and incentives
Setting up headquarters does not itself confer an incentive. Any application must be assessed against the applicable EDB programme, qualifying activities and required commitments; the approval terms govern treatment.
Our support
Group structure and headquarters planning, Singapore entity establishment, and assessment of relevant incentive and management work-pass applications.
Official sources
Policy review · 17 September 2026
EDB · Incentives and facilitation ↗
07GLOBAL INVESTOR PROGRAMME
Permanent residence
GIP · Global Investor Programme
A permanent residence pathway for eligible investors with the required business or investment background.
- Option A · Business
- At least S$10 million in a new or expanded Singapore business, subject to ownership, management and business-plan requirements.
- Option B · Fund
- S$25 million in a GIP-select fund. Review its terms, risks and additional fees.
- Option C · Family office
- A Singapore single family office with at least S$200 million in AUM, including S$50 million transferred to Singapore and deployed into EDB-specified investments within the required timeframe.
Applicant-category requirements apply before choosing an investment. Investment amounts exclude other costs and do not guarantee approval.
Applicant categories and timing
Categories cover established and next-generation business owners, fast-growth founders and family office principals, with distinct track-record, ownership or asset tests. Family office principals may only select Option C. Its specified investments must be deployed within 12 months of final approval and maintained during REP validity.
Family and ongoing requirements
Eligible spouses and unmarried children under 21 may be included. Assess National Service obligations for male dependants. REP renewal requires review of the applicable investment, business, employment and residence conditions.