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The Singapore ONE Pass will gain a dedicated AI and Technology track on 28 January 2027, and it replaces Tech.Pass. An EY tax alert says the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) confirmed the opening date and the eligibility rules. The same alert says the track was first announced on 3 March 2026. From 28 January 2027, the Economic Development Board (EDB) stops taking new and renewal Tech.Pass applications.
In this guide
- The pay and experience bar
- Who will likely fall short
- The company-size test
- If you hold Tech.Pass today
- What the pass gives you
- Key dates and next steps
- Questions on the ONE Pass change
What the Singapore ONE Pass AI and Tech track requires
The pay test is the first hurdle. Applicants must have earned at least S$30,000 a month, or the foreign-currency equivalent, for 12 consecutive months before applying. At least S$22,500 of that monthly figure must be fixed salary. The rest can come from vested non-cash pay such as employee stock options and share awards, and MOM assesses that portion.
The experience test is just as firm. Applicants need at least five cumulative years in the past ten as a founder, a C-suite officer, a technical professional, or a mix of those roles. The applicant’s current or most recent employer must be a tech company, the tech division of a larger company, or a tech venture capital firm.
The company-size test
The employer must also meet a scale threshold. It needs at least one of these: a valuation or market capitalisation of US$500 million, annual revenue of US$200 million, assets under management of US$500 million, or, for a tech start-up, US$30 million in funds raised. This rule screens out smaller employers even when the individual’s pay clears the bar.
Applicants must submit 12 months of payslips, proof of the qualifying founder, C-suite or technical roles, and recent financial information about the employer’s scale. The law-firm summary at Clark Hill lists the same documents and the same thresholds.
If you hold Tech.Pass today
Existing Tech.Pass holders keep their passes until those passes expire. The EY alert says eligible holders can then apply for the AI and Tech track or choose another work pass. The EDB’s own Tech.Pass page remains the place to confirm how the scheme winds down.
Consider a hypothetical case. Priya is a senior machine-learning engineer from Bengaluru who earns S$32,000 a month at a large AI company. Her fixed salary is S$24,000 and the rest is vested stock. She clears the pay test, because S$22,500 a month in fixed salary equals S$270,000 a year, and her total pay comes to S$384,000. She would still need to show that her employer meets one of the scale thresholds. Priya is an illustration, not a real applicant.
What the pass gives you
The pass runs for up to five years per issuance. According to EY, it is exempt from the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) and the Fair Consideration Framework. Holders can take on several professional activities, or move between employers, without a fresh work pass application.
Renewal has two routes. A holder can show an average fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 over the preceding five years in Singapore. Alternatively, a holder can run a Singapore company with at least five local employees who each earn at least the prevailing Employment Pass qualifying salary.
Who will likely fall short
Many strong candidates will miss the bar. A founder whose start-up has raised less than US$30 million fails the scale test. An engineer paid mostly in cash below S$22,500 a month fails the fixed-salary test. A consultant who moved between non-tech employers fails the employer test. The pass targets a narrow group, so most skilled workers should look at other Singapore work passes instead.
Key dates and next steps
Three dates matter. Applications open on 28 January 2027. Tech.Pass stops accepting new and renewal applications the same day. Existing passes stay valid until they expire. If you plan to apply, start collecting 12 months of payslips now, and ask your employer’s finance team for the scale evidence.
The sources reviewed do not say how the pass treats dependants. Check MOM’s official guidance before you plan a family move. Readers who want a quick read on their own options can try our visa eligibility checker. Founders weighing a Singapore base can read our company formation guide.
Questions on the ONE Pass change
When does the AI and Tech track open?
Applications open on 28 January 2027, according to the MOM announcement summarised by EY. Tech.Pass stops taking new and renewal applications on that date.
What salary does the pass require?
Applicants need at least S$30,000 a month for 12 consecutive months. At least S$22,500 of that must be fixed salary, and vested non-cash pay can cover the rest.
Does my employer have to be a big company?
Yes. The employer must meet one scale test: a US$500 million valuation or market cap, US$200 million revenue, US$500 million assets under management, or US$30 million raised for a start-up.
What happens to my current Tech.Pass?
You keep it until it expires. After that, you can apply for the AI and Tech track if you qualify, or choose another work pass.
How long does the new pass last?
It is issued for up to five years at a time, with renewal rules based on salary history or on running a Singapore company with local staff.
Related coverage
For more on talent and business rules, read our report on the UAE commercial companies law changes and our explainer on Australia’s skilled visa salary thresholds.
Sources
- EY — Singapore to open applications for the new ONE Pass AI and Tech track from 28 January 2027. https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-unified-site/ey-com/en-gl/technical/tax-alerts/documents/singapore-to-open-applications-for-the-new-one-pass-ai-and-tech-track-from-28-january-2027.pdf
- Singapore Economic Development Board — Tech Pass. https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/how-we-help/incentives-and-facilitation/tech-pass
- Clark Hill — September 2026 Outbound Immigration and Global Mobility Recap: APAC. https://www.clarkhill.com/news-events/news/september-2026-outbound-immigration-and-global-mobility-recap-apac/
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