Singapore's EntrePass: a founder pass with a hiring clock
It's built for founders with investors, a recognized accelerator, registered IP or a research partner. Get approved, and every renewal asks for more spending and more local hires.
There's no minimum salary and no foreign worker levy. You do need to own at least 30% of a Singapore private limited company, and the business has to clear one of four innovation tests.
Is this your pass?
Made for venture-style startups, not every small business
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) wants founders whose company is venture-backed or built on real technology. A profitable but conventional business with no investors, IP, accelerator or research partner won't meet the test.
Some sectors are out entirely: coffee shops and food courts, bars and nightclubs, massage and reflexology, traditional Chinese medicine, employment agencies and geomancy.
If that's you, look at the Employment Pass. It has no ownership or venture test, but it needs a salary of at least about $4,380 a month (S$5,600, rising with age) plus a passing COMPASS score.
The pass at a glance (September 2026)
$258
Government fees
S$105 to apply, S$225 at issue
6 weeks
Decision time
MOM's figure for most cases
1 year
First pass
Later renewals run up to 2 years
30%
Your minimum stake
In an ACRA-registered company
Qualifying
Four ways to meet the innovation test
You need a private limited company registered with ACRA (or a plan to register one), plus at least one of these:
- A single funding round of at least S$100,000 (about $78,000) from investors, for this or any past business
- Support from a government-recognized or internationally renowned incubator or accelerator
- Intellectual property registered with an approved national IP institution
- An ongoing research collaboration with a Singapore university or research institution
Watch the 12-month line
If your company is more than 12 months old when you apply, MOM judges you on the renewal criteria instead. Sleek, a Singapore corporate services firm, says founders who incorporate first and fundraise for months often cross that line without realizing it.
Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass)
For entrepreneurs looking to start and operate a business in Singapore. Applicants must demonstrate innovation and potential for growth.
- Government cost
- $70
- Processing time
- ~8 days
- Timeline
- Up to 2 years (renewable)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
About that data card
Our listing shows a $70 cost, 8 days of processing and "Up to 2 years (renewable)." MOM's current numbers: S$105 to apply plus S$225 when the pass is issued (about $258 total), a decision within 6 weeks for most cases, and a first pass of up to 1 year. We've also left off our requirements list, since "Registered Singapore company" is too strict: you can apply if you intend to start one, as long as you'll hold at least 30%.
Staying on
Renewals come with spending and hiring targets
Your first renewal mainly checks that you still hold 30%. From the second, MOM's table sets a yearly total business spending figure and a local workforce score.
The score counts each Singaporean or PR professional earning at least S$3,900 a month (about $3,050) as one, and lower-paid local staff as a third each. Everyone must have been on CPF for at least 3 months.
You can apply to renew 3 months before expiry. Renewals take around 8 weeks.
What MOM asks for at renewal (USD at September 2026 rates)
$78,000
2nd renewal: S$100,000 a year in business spending
Local workforce score of 1
$313,000
5th renewal: S$400,000 a year
Local workforce score of 4
$548,000
6th renewal: S$700,000 a year
Score of 5; PME pay floor rises to S$4,700
$900,000
11th renewal: S$1,150,000 a year
Local workforce score of 10
Life on the pass
Family, taxes and permanent residence
Bringing family
A spouse and unmarried children under 21 can join you on a Dependant's Pass, but usually not in year one. Relocation firms Rikvin and Sleek say MOM looks for at least S$100,000 (about $78,000) in yearly business spending plus local hires, from year 2. Sleek puts parents at S$200,000 and two local employees. You request the assessment with audited accounts and 3 months of CPF statements.
Taxes
Spend 183 days or more in Singapore in a calendar year and you're a tax resident for the following assessment year. Foreign-sourced income is taxed only if it arrives through a Singapore partnership. Singapore isn't on the IRS list of U.S. income tax treaty countries, so plan the U.S. side with an expat tax pro.
Permanent residence
ICA's PR categories name Employment Pass and S Pass holders, not EntrePass holders. Sleek says running a growing company on the pass can still support a PR application indirectly. ICA charges S$100 (about $78) to apply.
Partners for the American side of the move
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
MyExpatTaxes prepares U.S. tax returns for Americans living abroad.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Moneycorp handles currency exchange and international transfers.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure helps expats find global health insurance.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter Schultz is a healthcare coach who helps people plan their care abroad.
EntrePass questions
What Americans ask about the EntrePass
Can I bring my spouse and children on an EntrePass?
Yes, but usually not in the first year. Relocation firms Rikvin and Sleek say that from year 2 the business needs at least S$100,000 (about $78,000) in yearly spending plus local hires before MOM approves a Dependant's Pass for a spouse and unmarried children under 21. Sponsoring parents takes a higher bar.
How much does the Singapore EntrePass cost?
MOM charges S$105 (about $82) when you apply and S$225 (about $176) when the pass is issued, so about $258 in government fees as of September 2026. A multiple-journey visa adds S$30 (about $23) if you need one.
Does the EntrePass lead to permanent residence in Singapore?
Not directly. ICA's permanent residence categories name Employment Pass and S Pass holders, not EntrePass holders. Sleek says a track record of running a growing company on the pass can still support a PR application. ICA charges S$100 (about $78) to apply.
How long does a Singapore EntrePass last?
The first pass and the first renewal each last up to 1 year, and later renewals run up to 2 years. You can apply to renew 3 months before the pass expires, and MOM says renewals take around 8 weeks.
Is there a minimum salary or investment for the EntrePass?
There's no minimum salary. Investment matters only if it's your qualifying route: a single funding round of at least S$100,000 (about $78,000) from investors. You can qualify instead through a recognized incubator or accelerator, registered intellectual property, or a research collaboration with a Singapore university or research institution.
Can Americans stay in Singapore while an EntrePass application is pending?
U.S. citizens can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. MOM won't extend a short-term visit pass that runs out before your approval, and once approved you have 6 months to be in Singapore and get the pass issued.
Do EntrePass holders pay tax in Singapore?
If you're in Singapore 183 days or more in a calendar year, you're a tax resident for the following assessment year. Foreign-sourced income is taxed only if it's received through a Singapore partnership. The U.S. has no income tax treaty with Singapore, so Americans should plan their U.S. filings with an expat tax professional.
Do I need to register a Singapore company before applying for the EntrePass?
No. You can apply if you have started, or intend to start, a private limited company registered with ACRA, and you must hold at least 30% of it. If your company is already more than 12 months old when you apply, MOM assesses you on its tougher renewal criteria.
Other Singapore passes
Singapore's Employment Pass: the two tests your job offer has to pass
Your employer files it. Your age sets the salary floor, and a 40-point scorecard decides the rest.
Singapore's PEP: a work pass that follows you, not your boss
Earn a fixed S$22,500 a month (about $17,600) and you can change jobs in Singapore without a new application. It's issued once, for up to three years, so plan your next pass from the start.
Singapore's S Pass: a mid-level job paying about $2,580 a month or more
Your employer files it, advertises the role to locals first and pays about $510 a month in levy (S$650). The pay floor rises again in January 2027.
Singapore Student's Pass: an $83 permit and a much bigger tuition decision
Your school starts the pass and the fees come to S$105. The real call is Singapore's Tuition Grant, which roughly halves NUS computing and engineering fees but commits you to three years of work in Singapore.
Map out your Singapore move before you incorporate
Talk through which pass fits your business, your family and your timeline.
Why not you?