Purpose and ownership
EntrePass is for eligible foreign founders operating a Singapore business that is venture-backed or owns innovative technology. It is open to all nationalities and has no stipulated minimum salary, levy or quota. The candidate applies directly. The business must be an ACRA-registered private limited company, or a proposed such company, and the holder must own at least 30%. A company more than 12 months old at application is assessed against renewal criteria. Enterprise Singapore assists MOM with assessment and may engage or audit holders.
Qualifying founder or business evidence
In addition to the company conditions, meet at least one route: raise at least S$100,000 in a single funding round for a past or current business; receive support from a government-recognised or internationally renowned incubator or accelerator; have founded and sold a venture-backed or innovative-technology business; hold approved registered intellectual property giving a significant, hard-to-replicate competitive advantage; or maintain relevant research collaboration with a Singapore higher-learning or research institution. Research must involve the founder, relate to the business and be verifiable by the institution; a service contract alone does not qualify. For an exit, evidence must establish founding, the business’s qualifying nature and sale under the founder’s management.
Excluded businesses and separate approvals
Excluded businesses include coffee shops, hawker centres and food courts; bars, nightclubs and karaoke lounges; foot reflexology and massage; acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and herbal dispensing; employment agencies; and geomancy. EntrePass approval does not guarantee company registration or sector licences. ACRA registration and required operating licences remain separate. Successful founders are encouraged to support the startup ecosystem through mentoring, workshops and networking.
Application, cost and arrival
Apply online with the evidence and business materials. The application fee is S$105; most cases take six weeks, although additional assessment may take longer. Status can be checked after two weeks. A pending application does not allow extension of a Short-Term Visit Pass. An approved IPA normally allows six months for entry and issuance, and specifies any medical examination. Issuance costs S$225 plus an applicable S$30 visa fee.
Issuance and registration
Issuance requires the holder to be in Singapore. A holder with Singpass, company representative or agent can use EP eService; a holder without Singpass makes an EPSC appointment. The one-month notification letter allows work and travel pending the card. Complete required fingerprints and photography within two weeks, set up SGWorkPass and expect card delivery within five working days after registration or verification.
Validity and baseline renewal conditions
The initial pass and first renewal last up to one year; later renewals up to two. Apply three months before expiry. Most renewal cases take eight weeks, with S$225 issuance and any applicable S$30 visa fee. Continue at least 30% ownership, create a personal Startup SG Network profile and claim the company profile. The ACRA private limited company must retain its venture-backed or innovative status, show ongoing activity and progress, submit latest financial statements and meet the applicable business-spending and local-workforce criteria.
Renewal spending and local workforce
Annual total business spending (TBS) and local workforce (LWF) rise by renewal cycle. The first renewal has no numeric TBS or LWF threshold in the table, but other renewal conditions still apply. PME salary thresholds are S$3,900 for cycles 1–5 and S$4,700 from cycle 6 in the published table. A renewal cycle is linked to pass issuance, or company incorporation where the original pass expired; consult Enterprise Singapore if uncertain.
| Renewal cycle | Annual TBS | LWF |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — |
| 2 | S$100,000 | 1 |
| 3 | S$200,000 | 2 |
| 4 | S$300,000 | 3 |
| 5 | S$400,000 | 4 |
| 6 | S$700,000 | 5 |
| 7 | S$750,000 | 6 |
| 8 | S$800,000 | 7 |
| 9 | S$900,000 | 8 |
| 10 | S$1,000,000 | 9 |
| 11 | S$1,150,000 | 10 |
How TBS and LWF are calculated
TBS starts from operating expenses, subtracting overseas royalty, franchise and technical-know-how purchases, outsourced overseas work and remuneration to EntrePass holders. Cost of goods/services or sales, personal expenses and residential rent are not operating expenses for this test. LWF equals PMEs plus LQS employees divided by three; no more than 12 LQS employees can be used. Count only direct-payroll employees with at least three months of CPF contributions. PMEs must be citizens or permanent residents and meet the relevant basic salary; LQS workers must satisfy the local qualifying salary rules. Meet the workforce test when submitting renewal.
Family eligibility
For spouse or children, meet at least one alternative: annual TBS of S$100,000 plus one LWF; having founded and sold at least two qualifying businesses; raising more than S$2 million for a past or current business; or holding at least two deep-tech IPs giving significant competitive advantage. Parents require annual TBS of S$200,000 and two LWF. A legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 use Dependant’s Passes; common-law spouses, unmarried disabled children aged 21 or above, unmarried stepchildren under 21 and parents use Long-Term Visit Passes. Request eligibility assessment where required and avoid treating founder salary alone as the test.
Official source
Written independently from official MOM source material.