What is the S Pass qualifying salary from September 2025?

For new applications from 1 September 2025, orientation floors are about S$3,300 (non-financial services) and S$3,800 (financial services) at the youngest band, rising with age (mid-40s toward roughly S$4,800 / S$5,650). Renewals for passes expiring from 1 September 2026 follow the new bands — verify MOM's live table before you sign.

How much levy does an employer pay for an S Pass?

From 1 September 2025 the Tier 1 S Pass levy is oriented at S$650/month and is being harmonised across tiers — confirm the current MOM levy page. Levy is an employer cost that still shows up in we-can-only-do-S-Pass negotiations.

Can S Pass holders bring family on Dependant's Passes?

Generally yes once fixed monthly salary is at least S$6,000 for eligible legally married spouses and unmarried children under 21 — the same headline DP salary gate as EP. Do not assume every LTVP/LOC story from EP forums transfers automatically.

Is conversion from S Pass to EP automatic after a raise?

No. EP is a new application with qualifying salary, Fair Consideration advertising (unless exempt), and COMPASS unless exempt. A raise that clears EP floors helps but does not auto-upgrade the pass.

Does hitting the S Pass salary floor guarantee Dependant’s Pass eligibility?

No. Family privileges use separate MOM salary and criteria tables from the basic S Pass floor. Clearing levy and the qualifying salary does not automatically unlock DP for a spouse or children — check the live family-pass thresholds before relocating dependants.

Move

S Pass Singapore: mid-skilled work pass realities

S Pass vs EP, 2025 salary and levy floors, quota myths when HR says “no EP quota,” Dependant’s Pass at S$6,000, and what to verify before you resign.

MoveArriving3 min readLast reviewed 15 September 2026

The S Pass sits between Work Permit and Employment Pass: mid-skilled roles with a regulated salary floor, employer quota, and a monthly levy. Day-to-day life can look like an EP. The economics for the company — and often the honesty of the offer narrative — do not.

Forum heat (r/askSingapore) clusters on one trap: HR saying they “have no EP quota” and must put you on S Pass. Employment Pass has no foreign-worker quota. S Pass does. If someone cites “EP quota,” ask whether they mean COMPASS risk, salary budget, or a mis-stated S Pass Dependency Ratio Ceiling.

S Pass vs EP (employee lens)

Topic	S Pass	Employment Pass
Who it is for	Mid-skilled / associate professional & technician band	Professionals / managers / executives
Employer quota (DRC)	Yes — sector caps	No
Monthly levy	Yes (harmonised rate — verify live MOM table)	No
COMPASS	No	Yes (unless exempt)
Family (DP)	Possible from S$6,000 fixed monthly salary	Same S$6,000 DP threshold for eligible EP holders
Typical Reddit flag	“Company claims no EP quota”	Offer below updated qualifying salary

Salary and levy (2025 step)

MOM’s COS 2025 third-step increase applies to new S Pass applications from 1 September 2025 (renewals for passes expiring from 1 September 2026). Orientation figures:

All sectors except financial services: from about S$3,300 at the youngest band, rising with age (mid-40s band toward ~S$4,800)
Financial services: higher floor (from about S$3,800, rising with age)
Levy: Tier 1 harmonised toward S$650/month from 1 Sep 2025 (verify the current MOM levy page)

Further steps are already published for later years on the eligibility page. Treat age banding as real — a 40-something candidate needs a higher fixed monthly salary than a 23-year-old in the same role title.

Quota: why the employer cares

S Pass headcount is capped by sector Dependency Ratio Ceiling (services often the tightest among common office sectors). Quota is computed from local CPF-declared headcount. Late CPF filings can shrink apparent quota and push workers onto higher levy tiers. That is an employer problem that still lands on you as “we can only do S Pass” or “renewal is uncertain.”

Ask in writing:

Is this role budgeted as S Pass or EP?
Does the company currently have S Pass quota headroom?
What happens at renewal if quota or salary bands move?

Family packaging

S Pass holders with fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 can generally sponsor a legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 for Dependant’s Passes — same headline DP salary gate as EP. Do not assume every LTVP / LOC / trailing-partner story from EP forums transfers automatically; verify the live DP and LTVP pages before relocating a household.

Practical advice before you accept

If pay clears EP qualifying salary and the role is professional-grade, push back on “no EP quota” with MOM’s own EP key facts
Keep certified diplomas and employment history; S Pass document scrutiny is real
Conversion to EP later is a new application, not an automatic upgrade
For COMPASS / EP path context, read COMPASS explained and decoding the job offer

Levy / quota renewal edges HR soft-pedals: S Pass levy & quota renewal edges.

Next: trailing partner career if family work rights matter, and Dependant’s Pass for LOC realities after 2021.

Questions, answered

HR says they have no EP quota and must put me on S Pass — is that real?: Employment Pass has no foreign-worker quota. S Pass does (sector Dependency Ratio Ceiling) plus a monthly levy. If someone cites EP quota, ask whether they mean COMPASS risk, salary budget, or a mis-stated S Pass headcount limit — then compare your fixed salary to live EP floors.
What is the S Pass qualifying salary from September 2025?: For new applications from 1 September 2025, orientation floors are about S$3,300 (non-financial services) and S$3,800 (financial services) at the youngest band, rising with age (mid-40s toward roughly S$4,800 / S$5,650). Renewals for passes expiring from 1 September 2026 follow the new bands — verify MOM's live table before you sign.
How much levy does an employer pay for an S Pass?: From 1 September 2025 the Tier 1 S Pass levy is oriented at S$650/month and is being harmonised across tiers — confirm the current MOM levy page. Levy is an employer cost that still shows up in we-can-only-do-S-Pass negotiations.
Can S Pass holders bring family on Dependant's Passes?: Generally yes once fixed monthly salary is at least S$6,000 for eligible legally married spouses and unmarried children under 21 — the same headline DP salary gate as EP. Do not assume every LTVP/LOC story from EP forums transfers automatically.
Is conversion from S Pass to EP automatic after a raise?: No. EP is a new application with qualifying salary, Fair Consideration advertising (unless exempt), and COMPASS unless exempt. A raise that clears EP floors helps but does not auto-upgrade the pass.
Does hitting the S Pass salary floor guarantee Dependant’s Pass eligibility?: No. Family privileges use separate MOM salary and criteria tables from the basic S Pass floor. Clearing levy and the qualifying salary does not automatically unlock DP for a spouse or children — check the live family-pass thresholds before relocating dependants.

Sources & citations

Admin and policy details change. Prefer the official page when making decisions; we cite primary sources for Singapore government and statutory guidance.

ServiceImmigration counsel (category guide)