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The COMPASS system is used for all new EP applications from 1.Sep.2023 onwards (and renewals from 1.Sep.2024). The new requirements are:

• The offered salary is higher than average in the specific industry.
• The job-seekers educational credentials are from very good and recognised institutions worldwide.
• The employer has few employees from the job-seekers home counry.
• The employer has mostly local (Singaporean or PR) employees.
• The job is in a field where Singapore lacks local skilled personnel.
• The industry is a strategic focus of the Singapore government.

The system is points-based, so a lack in one of the above areas can potentially be compensated for by above average ratings in one or more of the others.

More information about the criteria and how the points are awarded is available at

Please note that only one of the above six areas, educational credentials, depends on the job-seeker him/herself - so whether you get an EP or not depends MOSTLY on the company and Singapore's needs!

Please also note that this system does NOT apply to S-Pass applications. It is possible for job-seekers who fail the COMPASS (check with the SAT tool before you apply!) to get an S-Pass instead. But there are also plans to raise the quality of S-Pass holders by applying stricter criteria in the future. These will be discussed in a separate thread once details emerge.

We invite people with experience regarding this new COMPASS system to post them here, so we can gather circumstantial evidence about how it works in practise!

Regards to COMPASS System.

I am a Registered Nurse in Ghana and I believe healthcare is one of the 6 areas this new path fall under it and Nurses are inclusive please can you help with employers recruiting foreigners prior to this COMPASS please.

Thank you

@Joseph Boateng You (or the employer) can use the SAT tool on MoM's webpage to get a pre-assessment of your chances to get an EP for a specific job offer.

But you yourself must find suitable potential employers and send them convincing job applications. It does not work through this site or others. Good luck!

Hello.

I'm currently in an SPASS working in an IT company for a year now. My current pay is 3200 SGD. I have 1 year of SG experience and 2 years of experience in india. A total 3 years of relevant experience

I recently landed a new job for around 7800 SGD. The company is a multinational company headquartered in Australia and they have around 4-5 local employees(SC) in SG operations. The company is willing to sponsor an EPASS and has hired an immigration consultant to assist with the process. I might be the first foreign employee for them in SG. they haven't applied for a pass with MoM before.

I should pass the newly-introduced COMPASS framework. To the best of my knowledge i will be able to fetch the 40 points from salary,educational and company attributes.

What concerns me is the bump in salary. I've read here  that the usual range is 30% increase from previous salary, and anything more can lead MoM to raise queries.

To my defense the market salary for a similar  role is around 7-11K SGD. I'm kinda underpayed in the current role

Has this situation changed with introduction of COMPASS.

What is the probability of my application being approved.

Thanks in Advance.

Responses and suggestins appreciated

We have no first-hand reports of applications under the new system yet. But I expect this will definitely raise queries. Whether it could lead to rejection remains to be seen. Please come back and report your result!

Just to update . MY EPASS  is approved for 24 months in 7 days from date of application.

@worldexpat23  What is your background? Applied Mid December till now no update

@worldexpat23 how much time it took for approval my EP submitted on 22nd Decemebr till now its in pending state only

All, just to share that my company (and I) couldnt secure EP (having previously secured one, converted to PEP and then applied for EP). As per the company's agent, COMPASS framework didnt find my overall candidature eligible to secure 40 min points.

Rude shock and a terrible jolt, anyways now going for a S-Pass to continue employment here.

I got EP before few months back on COMPASS, education verification already did in that time. Now I have a new offer , in this case shall  I need to verify my degree again at the time of new EP application or EP transfer?

@Rajesh Sharma1 It is best to ask MoM, not strangers on an Internet forum, about MoM's requirements for a new EP.

I just ignore @beppi reply. Any one has that knowledge or went through  the process , pls share here.

Hi,

my employer have applied for my epass and not declared my education background since my university where I graduated college is not part of the accredited institution from MoM site anyways. Will that be okay? if i gain min. 40 points from other criteria's for COMPASS, can I be approved? (without including my education proof.)

Appreciate your feedback on this. Thank you

Sector: IT

Experience: 13yrs

Salary: 8.5k SGD

Hi, this forum has been helpful so I’d like to share my EP application for others reference.

Background:

Worked for a MNC based in SG for 2 years+ then went on overseas posting (still under the same company group) for a year. Now going back to the same company, so this is my second EP application and first time under COMPASS.

Timeline:

Applied on 9th Apr

Pending as of 9th May

About two weeks after application my HR told me that process may take longer.

Quite worried as my first application (with the same company) only took 3 weeks exactly, now it’s taking longer.. not sure if the fact that there were two public holidays on 10th Apr and 2nd May may contribute to the longer processing time, either way I’m on 4th week and pending.

Anyone has similar timeline / experience? Will update again once there’s news from MoM.

@josephdsaguinsin In my understanding, it is next to impossible to meet the EP criteria without a (recognised) degree and applicable work experience (plus meeting the salary threshold and other requirements on the employer). Did you try the SAT?

Hi @beppi, thanks much for feedback..

But based from what I have checked on MoM guide for compass:

—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”

Verification proof requirements

If you need points from this criterion, you have to submit verification proof together with your candidate’s qualifications in your EP application.

Otherwise, you do not need to submit your candidate’s qualifications and verification proof.

—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”

so from what I understand, it seems education background qualification is not compulsory to pass EP. If you can pass Compass with min. of 40pts from other criterion, then even if you don't provide education background proof you can successfully pass compass?

assuming I have all the experience required for the job applied and meet the salary requirement hope it will compensate the education qualification part.

@josephdsaguinsin Again: Did you check the SAT tool?

If that says you are not eligible, then you will not get an EP.

If it says you are eligible, then you can still be rejected for reasons not checked by the SAT.

@beppi Im not able to check SAT since i have no singpass? this is my first time application for epass that my employer filed. Thanks

@josephdsaguinsin Then your employer should check the SAT for you.

Or you just wait for the application outcome.

    Hi, this forum has been helpful so I’d like to share my EP application for others reference.
Background:
Worked for a MNC based in SG for 2 years+ then went on overseas posting (still under the same company group) for a year. Now going back to the same company, so this is my second EP application and first time under COMPASS.

Timeline:
Applied on 9th Apr
Pending as of 9th May

About two weeks after application my HR told me that process may take longer.

Quite worried as my first application (with the same company) only took 3 weeks exactly, now it’s taking longer.. not sure if the fact that there were two public holidays on 10th Apr and 2nd May may contribute to the longer processing time, either way I’m on 4th week and pending.

Anyone has similar timeline / experience? Will update again once there’s news from MoM.
   

    -@Kunolumi

Have you got update? My one submitted 6 Apr and got update from MOM that they need more time to process and still pending now.

@captainmulan not yet as per today still pending. reading on other posts it seems like taking 5-8 weeks is still considered normal.. fingers crossed!!!

    @captainmulan not yet as per today still pending. reading on other posts it seems like taking 5-8 weeks is still considered normal.. fingers crossed!!!
   

    -@Kunolumi

It has been approved on 14th May, total it took 5 weeks. As this was my second EP application but first under COMPASS it did get me worried when it went past the 3 weeks mark.

All the best everyone.

@beppi thank you.. it seems i accumulated pts from 2 other criterias. 0 points from C2. hoping it will got approved.

@Kunolumi

congratulations , mine is still pending , this is my 3rd EP application and I got approval within a week in past 2 EP. now 5 weeks and 3 days. there is no additional docs request and MOM just send update that they need more time.

My EP downgraded to SPass as I couldn’t score 40 points.

Age 44

Salary 16k

Education Masters Degree

I applied on Apr 24, was notified that I need third-party degree verification right away. The verification was submmited on May 10, now application still pending ... should be able to score 80 points, don't know why it's taking so long if the compass point system is straightforward.

@heyan1025 What is "taking so long" in your opinion?

The usual processing time (from submission of all requested documents) is 4 - 8 weeks.

@beppi may I check where you got this information (unless its just your assumption) that the processing time is 4-8 weeks, MOM site mentions 10 Business Days for outcome or update if I understand it correctly?

@heyan1025

You can feedback to MOM.

@nsheer My information is based on the experience of manyl members who posted it on the forum. The processing time is relatively constant at 4 - 8 weeks for the last several years and I don't see a recent improvement. The statement on MoM's site is probably based on the best case (all required documents submitted, no questions open and no background checks needed) and has never been realistic - or at least when it comes to "outcome": They do give you an "update" (saying that it will take longer) within that time!

    @Kunolumi
congratulations , mine is still pending , this is my 3rd EP application and I got approval within a week in past 2 EP. now 5 weeks and 3 days. there is no additional docs request and MOM just send update that they need more time.
   

    -@captainmulan

Hi. May I know the status of your application?

Mine is almost 5weeks now. ( submitted May 8)

2nd week - requested for additional docs (resume, company offer)

5th week - received mail that need more time to review. And asked HR to provide reason why they should hire me?

OMG, seriously?!

I don't know if this case is normal but may I know how long I still have to wait? Honestly, I'm worried.

@beppi thanks for clarifying. Is it possible that the only people posting on forums are the ones who are experiencing delays because of some exceptions with their applications,  majority of the ones who get it within the 10 day period actually never post on the forums? This would make it seem that the extended timeline is the norm but in fact its just a skewed statistic because of a very limited and specific data set (reverse survivorship bias)!

@nsheer You might be right on this, but we will never find out, since MoM does not publish data.

@beppi i also experiencing a delay, no update from 25/6 (pending state), so worried since the employer expect me to join on 19/8, and i need notice period in current company

@Raden Rakhman There is nothing you can do but wait. Good luck!

Is it okay to contact the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) about a pending application (it's been 4 weeks already) through the contact us page on their website? ()

@Raden Rakhman only your employer should call MOM

@Raden Rakhman You can contact them, but you are unlikely to get a reply. The employer, who submitted the application, can.

Also: Your application is still within the normal range of 4 - 8 weeks. Start worrying only after that!

@beppi EP got approved... thank you for your support, this forum really help a lot