The Complementarity Assessment Framework, known as COMPASS, moved Employment Pass assessment from a salary threshold alone to a points system. Applications must meet the qualifying salary and then score sufficient points to be approved.
What is scored
- Salary relative to local benchmarks for the sector and age group
- Qualifications, with weight given to recognised institutions
- Diversity of the firm's existing professional workforce by nationality
- The firm's support for local employment relative to its sector
- Bonus points for skills on shortage lists or participation in strategic initiatives
The firm is assessed, not just the candidate
Two of the criteria relate to the employer rather than the applicant. A company whose professional workforce is heavily concentrated in one foreign nationality, or which employs few locals relative to its sector, scores lower on every application it makes. This is deliberate, and it means pass outcomes depend on the composition of the employing entity.
Why it matters when hiring internationally
For companies applying through their own Singapore entity, workforce composition becomes a strategic consideration rather than an outcome. Where an Employer of Record applies, their profile drives the score, which can help or hinder depending on their mix. Either way, an Employment Pass is no longer a matter of clearing a salary bar.