Bold claim: Singapore is reshaping its foreign workforce policy to lure top AI and tech talent with a new five-year One Pass track. But here's where it gets controversial: will longer, higher-value visas truly balance Singapore’s need for high-skill workers with local job opportunities and wage pressures? This rewrite preserves the core details while clarifying how the changes unfold and what they mean for professionals and employers.
Singapore will introduce a new track under the Overseas Networks and Expertise (One) Pass, called the One Pass (AI and Tech), starting January 2027. This track is designed to strengthen the country’s ability to attract top talent in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
During the March 3 budget debate for the Ministry of Manpower, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng explained that the One Pass (AI and Tech) will replace the existing Tech Pass. The Tech Pass, launched by the Economic Development Board in 2021, aimed to attract tech professionals to Singapore.
Key differences. The One Pass (AI and Tech) will be a five-year work pass, renewable for another five years, aligning with the broader One Pass duration. In contrast, the Tech Pass is valid for two years and can be renewed once for an additional two years.
Background. The One Pass scheme, unveiled in August 2022, targets top foreign professionals earning at least US$30,000 per month from a single employer, as well as individuals with outstanding achievements across arts and culture, sports, science and technology, and academia and research.
Qualification specifics. To qualify for the One Pass (AI and Tech) track, applicants must currently be employed or have most recently worked in a tech company, a tech division, or a tech venture capital firm. A tech company or division is defined as one whose core business revolves around a digital or technology offering, including firms relying on proprietary technologies, scientific knowledge, or engineering.
Business thresholds. The company must satisfy at least one of the following: a valuation or market capitalisation of at least US$500 million (S$637 million); annual revenue of at least US$200 million; or at least US$500 million in assets under management. Companies that have raised at least US$30 million in funding will also qualify.
Individual salary criteria. Applicants must earn at least US$30,000 per month for 12 consecutive months prior to the application date. This applies to those seeking to set up their own Singaporean business as well.
A notable difference from the broader One Pass is in how salary can be demonstrated. For the One Pass (AI and Tech) track, the salary criterion can be satisfied by combining a last drawn fixed monthly salary of at least US$22,500 with vested non-cash components (such as employee stock options or employee share ownership), subject to assessment. This mirrors the approach used for the Tech Pass, which requires at least US$22,500 per month with non-cash components assessed case by case.
Experience requirement. Applicants must have at least five cumulative years of experience either in a founder or C-suite role, or in a technical role such as a senior software engineer. The experience must have been accrued within the past ten years prior to the date of application.
Take-up and impact. Dr Tan noted healthy growth in the One Pass, with more than 8,000 individuals currently on the scheme, many contributing to sectors critical to Singapore’s future economy.
Non-traditional source occupations list expansion. From September 2026, eight new occupations will be added to Singapore’s Non-Traditional Source (NTS) Occupation List. These roles span food services, social services, and air transportation. The NTS List, introduced in 2022, allows local employers to hire from non-traditional locations beyond the usual pool. The present locations include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
New occupations added:
- Butchers, fishmongers, and related food preparers
- Food and drink stall assistants
- Kitchen assistants
- Waiters
- Cabin attendants
- Babysitters/infant caregivers
- Educarers
- Teacher aides
Salaries and quotas. Employers must pay these workers at least S$2,000 per month in fixed salaries and may hire up to 8% of their total workforce from the NTS Occupation List.
Industry concerns and rationale. Nominated MP Mark Lee highlighted challenges in domestic-oriented sectors with thin margins that rely on S Pass holders for front-line roles, such as in F&B. Dr Tan countered that the NTS List enables firms to hire higher-quality workers from non-traditional source countries for specific roles where locals are insufficient.
Expansion note. With the upcoming addition of four more F&B roles, including front-line waiters, the list will grow to 13 occupations. This builds on existing roles like welders, heavy vehicle drivers, and hotel housekeepers.
Employment Pass changes. In the Budget statement on February 12, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced changes to the Employment Pass (EP) qualifying salary, effective January 2027 for new applicants (and the following year for renewals). The minimum monthly salary will rise from S$5,600 to S$6,000.
Compass framework. EP applicants must pass the Complementarity Assessment Framework (Compass), introduced in 2023. Dr Tan noted that about two-thirds of current EP holders have been assessed under Compass, and there are positive trends: firms are less reliant on workers of a single nationality (down 20%), and overall foreign-worker dependence has decreased by 37%.
S Pass updates. The minimum qualifying salary for new S Pass applicants will rise from January 2027, and for renewals from the following year, to S$3,600 from S$3,300. Dr Tan expects the S Pass minimum to reach roughly S$4,000–S$4,500 by around 2030, depending on local wages and economic conditions.
Work permit status. Work permit holders are essential for infrastructure, goods, and services. Dr Tan pointed out construction sector growth of 36% over the past five years as projects accelerate post-Covid-19, bringing total work permit numbers to increase by 186,000 (27%). The government will continue supporting access to higher-quality work permit holders while managing overall numbers.
Bottom line. Singapore is recalibrating its foreign workforce policy to attract and retain top AI and tech talent, while also expanding opportunities for a broader set of occupations through the NTS List and refining pricing and quality checks across passes. The policies aim to balance competitiveness with local workforce development, but debates will persist about how these changes affect locals, wage dynamics, and business incentives. How do you think these shifts will shape Singapore’s tech ecosystem and overall job market in the next five to ten years?
