Singapore EP COMPASS C5 Skills Bonus: SOL Occupations, Eligibility and Job Requirements

What Is COMPASS C5?

C5 is the skills bonus within the Employment Pass (EP) COMPASS framework. The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) covers highly specialised skills in local shortage. Qualifying roles can earn additional points. SOL is not a separate pass, and a similar job title does not guarantee approval. Applicants must still meet Stage 1 salary requirements and applicable COMPASS conditions.

C5 Scoring: When Are 20 or 10 Points Awarded?

A qualifying SOL role earns 20 points where the candidate’s nationality makes up less than one-third of the organisation’s PMETs, or 10 points where it makes up one-third or more. Employers can check this through Workforce Insights on myMOM Portal. The measure concerns nationality among professionals, managers, executives and technicians; do not substitute the entire workforce.

When the Current List Applies

The list released in November 2025 applies to new and renewal EP applications submitted from 1 January 2026. Occupations may change annually, with a comprehensive review every three years. Changes do not affect the validity of existing EPs. Check the current official list and SAT before submission rather than reusing an outdated list.

Agritech and Financial Services

Agritech includes alternative protein food application scientists and novel food biotechnologists, with sector-specific employer and qualification or specified experience requirements; some roles also have a diploma route. Financial services includes financial or investment advisers serving ultra/high-net-worth clients, family offices or philanthropy. Check the licensed Singapore financial institution, private banking and at least three years of relevant experience requirements. General sales and customer service roles are not automatically equivalent.

Green Economy and Healthcare

Green economy roles include carbon project managers, standards or methodology analysts, traders and verification or audit specialists. Check the carbon services employer and each occupation’s distinct criteria; carbon traders have different experience and qualification conditions. Healthcare covers clinical psychologists, diagnostic radiographers, medical social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, podiatrists and registered nurses. Qualifications are role-specific, including a clinical psychology master’s. Radiographers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists require AHPC registration; nurses require Singapore Nursing Board registration.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

ICT covers AI scientists or engineers, applications or systems programmers, cloud specialists, cybersecurity architects, data scientists, digital forensics specialists, penetration testing specialists, software or applications managers, software developers and web or mobile applications developers. The listed relevant bachelor’s qualifications or at least three years in specified relevant roles are generally required. Each occupation has its own duties and eligible titles. Renaming a general IT role does not establish eligibility.

Maritime and Semiconductor

Maritime includes marine superintendents (deck) and marine technical superintendents, with Class 1 Certificates of Competency from recognised issuing administrations. Semiconductor includes specified semiconductor, instrumentation and process engineering titles, with semiconductor-sector employers and engineering or science bachelor’s requirements. Some SOL occupations can occur across industries, but explicit employer-sector restrictions must be satisfied.

Selecting the EP Occupation and Preparing Evidence

Choose an eligible title based on actual duties, then check qualifications, relevant experience, professional registration and employer sector. Unless exempt from FCF advertising, the EP occupation should match the MyCareersFuture advertisement. Candidates who need SOL points to pass COMPASS or seek a five-year EP in a specific tech role face additional checks on duties, experience, qualifications or accreditation. Enter qualifications and relevant experience in their respective sections and submit registration proof as instructed. Map each requirement to supporting evidence rather than relying on a generic CV.

Can the Candidate Change Occupations After Approval?

Candidates who needed SOL points to pass COMPASS or obtain a longer EP duration may work only in the specified shortage occupation, as stated in the IPA’s Important note. Notify MOM before redeployment to a different occupation; MOM reassesses EP eligibility and advises next steps. Candidates who did not need SOL points to pass COMPASS are not subject to that restriction but must still notify MOM. An internal transfer can therefore require action.

Does C5 Automatically Qualify the Candidate for a Five-Year Tech EP?

No. Five-year tech EPs have separate requirements including a specified shortage tech occupation, higher age-based salary thresholds, passing COMPASS and at least 10 points for C3 Diversity. A SOL role or C5 bonus alone does not establish five-year eligibility. Check ordinary EP eligibility, SOL additional requirements and the experienced-tech duration criteria separately.

FAQ: Can Experience Replace a Relevant Degree?

Some occupations permit specified relevant work experience as an alternative to a degree, but this does not apply to every SOL role. Healthcare registrations, competency certificates and industry-specific conditions differ. Read the selected occupation’s additional requirements rather than applying the ICT three-year experience route to all sectors. Organise actual duties, employment dates, titles and evidence, then use SAT to assess the overall EP application.