[WLWL] Minimum Qualifying Salary For New EP Applicants To Increase In 2025

[GhostZM]

Hahaha What a joke!

SINGAPORE: The minimum monthly qualifying salary for new Employment Pass (EP) applicants will increase to S$5,600 (US$4,200) from next year, up from S$5,000 currently.

Those working in the financial services sector, which has "higher wage norms", will have to earn a minimum of S$6,200 a month, up from the current threshold of S$5,500.

For EP renewal applications, the new qualifying salary will take effect a year later, on Jan 1, 2026, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng announced on Monday (Mar 4).

EP qualifying salaries for new applicants were last raised in September 2022 by S$500. The minimum salaries for new Special Pass applicants were also increased at the time.

"By regularly updating the qualifying salaries based on the set wage benchmarks, we ensure a level-playing field for locals," Dr Tan told parliament during his ministry's Budget debate.

The qualifying salary for EP applicants is benchmarked to the top one-third of salaries for local professionals, managers, executives and technicians, and increases progressively with age.

"It does not lead market wages, but is simply adjusted in line with prevailing wage norms," the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a media release.

The majority of EP holders already earn above the new qualifying salary and will not be affected by the change, it added.

OVERSEAS NETWORKS & EXPERTISE PASS
Dr Tan also provided an update on the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass which was launched in January 2023 to attract top global talent.

Nearly 4,200 ONE Pass applications have been approved as of Jan 1 this year.

The work pass allows high-earners and high-achievers to live in Singapore without having secured a job here. The minimum monthly salary for the pass is S$30,000, although those with "outstanding achievements" in tech, arts, academia or sports may not need to meet that requirement.

"In an era where talent is scarce, businesses follow talent. Our ONE Pass holders are the proverbial 'rainmakers'," Dr Tan said.

"While they are not large in numbers, they are the creators of opportunities and they generate good jobs in their respective fields."

The Manpower Ministry said the ONE Pass approvals were concentrated in growth sectors such as finance and information and communications technology.

OVERSEAS WORK EXPERIENCE
For Singaporeans who want to gain work experience overseas, the government will introduce two initiatives targeting hundreds of workers.

The Global Business Leaders Programme will support access to opportunities such as overseas posting and executive management programmes. This is to help companies develop Singaporean corporate leaders.

The Overseas Market Immersion Programme will help firms that want to expand overseas. The programme will support the companies in sending employees with little to no overseas experience for overseas postings and other forms of training.

More details are expected to be released in the middle of the year.

Details such as which sectors will be able to access the programmes and what roles will be available are being worked out, but it will be "pretty broad" to encourage more Singaporeans to take up overseas postings, MOM said.

Such programmes can put Singaporeans in a better position to take up senior regional jobs, but will also help local companies to expand overseas, it added.

The ministry said it is not concerned about Singaporeans choosing to stay overseas after gaining work experience.

"When Singaporeans stay overseas and get experience, presumably they will do it when it is a good job, when it is a good company, learning good practices. Having a flow of Singaporean talent who have overseas experience coming back to Singapore is a good thing, overall, for the economy," it said.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry previously introduced the Global Ready Talent programme in 2019, which offers overseas internships and management associate positions to young Singaporeans.


CheerS!!!😉

[Orionz]

they dont understand that EP essentially acts like a minimum wage for FTs?

They increase the floor wage so that more sinkies can take those wages below the floor?
from employer point of view, CPF alone is already a reason for me to take FT. 17% discount immediately.

[daryl76]

lol trying hard to show they are doing something but this isnt gonna solve the problem

obviously they still dun get it or they think we are stupid

[peaceheart]

Meanwhile no min wage for sinkies lol

[daryl76]

Meanwhile no min wage for sinkies lol

later u tio pogba den u know

they have progressive wage model ok?

[peaceheart]

later u tio pogba den u know

they have progressive wage model ok?

Progressive wage is not min wage leh! They ownself say wan

[peaceheart]

On the other hand, seems like gov is adopting min wage at least in healthcare. But they won't call it as min wage so as not to lose face

[ABCDFinanceGuy]

Meanwhile no min wage for sinkies lol

Got la. MIW minimum wage is $15k a month.

[Orionz]

On the other hand, seems like gov is adopting min wage at least in healthcare. But they won't call it as min wage so as not to lose face

Same for unemployment insurance and many other things.

In the end Singapore is not so exclusive after all lah. We end up adopting many of the common solutions to common problems of industrialised nations. But PAP always like to sell Singapore exclusivity, say sg gahment sibei kiang, best of best in the world

[daryl76]

Progressive wage is not min wage leh! They ownself say wan

hahahahaha if employer needs to pay a MINIMUM sum as stipulated by the gov, why issit not min wage?

[氰化钾 KCN]

Progressive wage is not min wage leh! They ownself say wan

they said many things, came up with many terms and flipped a lot of Prata.

[peaceheart]

hahahahaha if employer needs to pay a MINIMUM sum as stipulated by the gov, why issit not min wage?

Dun want to lose face loh. Reject all min wage suggestions by oppo but now ownself implement it. A rose by any other name hehehe

[daryl76]

Dun want to lose face loh. Reject all min wage suggestions by oppo but now ownself implement it. A rose by any other name hehehe

hahahahaha ya lor
sipeh buay paiseh one
come out with smlj package from reserves is necessary to cushion price increase but any form of help proposed by oppo is raiding the reserves

[GhostZM]

lol trying hard to show they are doing something but this isnt gonna solve the problem

obviously they still dun get it or they think we are stupid

Definitely the latter..the majority still voted for MIW in 2020 and Pineapple in 2023..

This country is hopeless le..


CheerS!!!😉

[sTiCkY]

up prices again lor knn