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.
The S Pass is Singapore's pass for associate professionals and technicians who don't clear the Employment Pass bar. There's no points test. What decides it is your salary, your age, and whether the company has room to hire you.
Before you apply
The company has to make room for you
Each S Pass costs the employer S$650 (about $510) a month in levy, plus hospital insurance it can't charge back to you. And the number of S Pass holders it can hire depends on how many local staff it has.
- Services firms: S Pass holders can be at most 10% of the workforce
- Construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard and process firms: 15%
- Only Singaporean and PR staff count toward that room, fully if they earn at least S$1,800 a month
- The job has to sit on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 days before anyone gets an offer
The numbers, in U.S. dollars at September 2026 rates
$2,580
Lowest monthly salary today
S$3,300, higher for older and finance hires
$2,820
Floor for new applications from January 2027
S$3,600 (S$4,000 in finance)
$4,700
Monthly salary to bring a spouse and kids
S$6,000, your pay alone
$510
Monthly levy your employer pays
S$650 per S Pass holder
10
Business days for MOM to decide
or give an update
2 years
First pass, then renewals of up to 3
ends a month before your passport does
S Pass
For mid-level skilled workers. Allows holder to live and work in Singapore. Family members may apply for Dependent Passes.
- Government cost
- $75
- Processing time
- ~10 days
- Timeline
- Up to 2 years (renewable)
- Difficulty
- Easy
About that data card
Our requirements list says "Minimum monthly salary of SGD 3,000." That's out of date. New applications have needed S$3,300 (about $2,580) since September 2025, and renewals of passes expiring from September 2026 need it too. Government fees are S$105 to apply plus S$100 when the pass is issued, about $160 in all, paid by the employer. MOM's 10-day target counts business days.
The process
From job offer to pass card
You can't apply yourself. Your employer, or an employment agent it appoints, files everything.
- The role is advertised on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days, with no offer made during that window
- Your employer files online and pays S$105 (about $82)
- MOM decides, or updates the employer, within 10 business days
- You fly in. U.S. citizens get up to 90 days visa-free; file the free SG Arrival Card within three days before landing
- The employer pays S$100 (about $78) to issue the pass, you register fingerprints and a photo within a week if asked, and the card arrives within five working days
Living on an S Pass
Family at S$6,000
Your spouse and unmarried kids under 21 can join on Dependant's Passes once your fixed salary reaches S$6,000 (about $4,700). Your pay counts, not the household's.
Your spouse needs their own work pass
Since May 2021, a Dependant's Pass holder who wants a job needs an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit of their own.
One employer at a time
To change jobs, your new employer applies for a new S Pass. You don't have to cancel the old one first.
Renewals meet today's floor
Employers can renew up to six months before expiry, for up to three years, and the salary floor in force at renewal applies to people already on the pass.
Hospital coverage on the company
Your employer must insure at least S$60,000 (about $47,000) a year of inpatient and day surgery care. Any co-pay is capped at 10% of your monthly salary.
Renew your U.S. passport first
The pass can't run past one month before your passport expires, so a passport near its end date means a short pass.
The longer view
Where an S Pass can lead
The Employment Pass starts at S$5,600 (about $4,380) and adds COMPASS, a 40-point test the S Pass skips. If your offer is near that level, ask which pass the employer plans to file.
S Pass holders can apply for permanent residence on their own: S$100 to file, and ICA aims to decide complete files within six months. Citizenship takes at least two years as a PR, and Singapore requires adult citizens to give up any other citizenship.
Taxes in two countries
Stay or work 183 days in a calendar year and Singapore taxes your salary at resident rates. Before that, it's 15% or resident rates, whichever is higher, and there's no capital gains tax. The U.S. still taxes citizens on worldwide income, and the foreign earned income exclusion covers up to $132,900 of 2026 pay if you meet the 330-day or residence test.
Help with the parts your employer won't handle
Your company files the pass. Your U.S. tax return and any coverage beyond hospital bills are on you.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
A tax service that prepares U.S. returns for Americans living abroad.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps Americans plan how they'll get and pay for medical care abroad.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
Global health insurance for people living outside the U.S.
S Pass questions
Can I apply for a Singapore S Pass myself?
No. An employer in Singapore, or an employment agent it appoints, has to apply for you. It pays S$105 (about $82) to apply and S$100 (about $78) when the pass is issued, and it must advertise the job on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days first.
Who pays the S Pass levy and medical insurance?
The employer. It pays S$650 (about $510) a month in levy for each S Pass holder and must buy medical insurance covering at least S$60,000 a year of inpatient and day surgery care. It can't pass the insurance cost to you, though a co-pay of up to 10% of your monthly salary is allowed if your contract says so.
Can my spouse and children come with me on an S Pass?
Yes, if your own fixed monthly salary is at least S$6,000 (about $4,700 at September 2026 rates). A legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 get Dependant's Passes. If your spouse wants to work, they need their own Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit.
What salary do I need for an S Pass in 2026?
At least about $2,580 a month (Singapore sets it at S$3,300) in most sectors, rising with age to S$4,800 for people in their mid-40s. Financial services starts at S$3,800 and reaches S$5,650. From January 1, 2027, new applications need S$3,600 (S$4,000 in finance), and renewals follow from January 1, 2028.
Does an S Pass lead to permanent residence in Singapore?
It can. S Pass holders can apply for permanent residence themselves through ICA for S$100, and ICA aims to decide complete applications within six months, though some take longer. After at least two years as a PR, adults 21 and over can apply for citizenship, but Singapore requires adult citizens to renounce other citizenships, including U.S. citizenship.
Is there a medical test for a Singapore work pass?
According to the U.S. State Department, work pass applicants are screened for HIV, and a positive result leads to rejection.
Will I pay tax in both Singapore and the U.S. on an S Pass?
Possibly. Singapore taxes you as a resident once you stay or work 183 days in a calendar year; before that, salary is taxed at 15% or resident rates, whichever is higher. The U.S. taxes citizens on worldwide income, but the foreign earned income exclusion can shield up to $132,900 of 2026 earnings if you qualify.
Can I change jobs on an S Pass?
Yes, but the pass doesn't move with you. Your new employer has to apply for a new S Pass, and it must meet the salary floor and have room in its S Pass quota. You don't need to cancel your current pass before the new application goes in.
Weighing a job offer in Singapore?
An Expatsi advisor can walk through the pass, the pay floor and what your family would need.
Why not you?