How long is an EntrePass valid?

The first issuance is 1 year. Renewals are issued for periods aligned to MOM published thresholds; longer-cycle renewals require higher business spending and more local jobs created at the venture.

Can EntrePass holders hire foreign employees?

Yes. The Singapore venture employing the EntrePass holder can hire foreign employees on Employment Pass or S Pass under the same MOM rules that apply to any Singapore employer, subject to the venture meeting the relevant employer conditions.

Can EntrePass holders apply for Singapore Permanent Residence?

EntrePass holders can apply for PR through the Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) scheme administered by ICA. PR is not automatic and is evaluated on ICA criteria including economic contributions and length of stay; EntrePass status alone does not confer PR.

What happens if the venture pivots after EntrePass issuance?

Material changes to the venture — change of business activity, change of shareholding structure, or significant pivot away from the qualifying lane — should be notified to MOM. A pivot that takes the venture outside the EntrePass eligibility lanes can affect renewal prospects.

Does EntrePass count toward the Singapore tax residency 183-day test?

Singapore tax residency is determined by IRAS based on physical presence and employment-related rules, independent of pass type. EntrePass holders working physically in Singapore for 183 days or more in a calendar year meet the residency test for that year, but the determination is on facts, not on pass type.

Can the family of an EntrePass holder work in Singapore?

Spouses on Dependant Pass can apply for a Letter of Consent (LOC) to work; the LOC framework was retained when MOM updated work arrangements for DP holders. Family pass thresholds and LOC eligibility are published on MOM family-pass pages.

Article

Singapore EntrePass 2026: Eligibility, Network Requirements, Renewal

In one sentence

EntrePass is for foreign entrepreneurs founding venture-backed or innovation-driven Singapore businesses; eligibility runs on the venture profile, not on the founder salary.

Quick answer

Issued by MOM under the EntrePass scheme, intended for serial entrepreneurs, high-calibre innovators, or experienced investors operating a venture-backed or IP-owning Singapore business.
Eligibility evaluated on the venture: funding received from recognised third-party investors, intellectual property registered, recognised accelerator programme membership, or relevant research and innovation record.
Initial pass is 1 year; renewal requires meeting MOM-published criteria on total business spending in Singapore and local jobs created at the venture.
EntrePass holders can sponsor immediate family for Dependant Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass under the standard MOM family-pass framework once eligibility conditions are met.
Distinct from Employment Pass and Tech.Pass: EntrePass is the route when the founder and the venture are the qualifying basis, not the founder employment salary.

Why this matters in 2026

EntrePass occupies a specific seat in Singapore's work-pass ecosystem: it is the route for a foreign founder building a venture-backed or innovation-driven business in Singapore. Tech.Pass targets established tech leaders with track record at large employers; ONE Pass targets the very-high-earning track; EntrePass targets founders whose qualifying signal is the venture itself.

Three forces make EntrePass particularly relevant in 2026. First, Singapore's startup ecosystem has matured to the point that founders in fintech, climate tech, AI, and deep tech routinely arrive with venture funding from recognised investors and a Singapore expansion plan. Second, Enterprise Singapore programmes — Startup SG Founder, Tech for Good, and accelerator partnerships — increasingly connect EntrePass eligibility to formal innovation pathways. Third, MOM has been clear that EntrePass is reserved for genuine venture-backed or IP-held businesses; the bar is on substance.

For 2026 founders, the practical question is whether the venture profile fits the EntrePass eligibility lanes (funding, IP, accelerator membership, research record), or whether a different pass — Employment Pass through a separately incorporated SG hire entity, Tech.Pass for senior tech leaders, or ONE Pass for those who meet the salary bar — is the cleaner route.

The fundamentals

Eligibility lanes — what makes the venture qualify

MOM publishes the EntrePass eligibility framework with multiple qualifying lanes. The lanes are not cumulative; meeting any one is sufficient.

The funding lane covers founders whose Singapore venture has received funding of a published minimum from a recognised third-party investor, or from a venture capital firm or business angel recognised under MOM's framework. The intellectual property lane covers founders holding IP registered with a recognised national IP registry that is core to the Singapore venture. The accelerator lane covers founders whose venture is incubated at a MOM-recognised Singapore incubator or accelerator. The research record lane covers founders with a relevant innovation or research track record at a recognised institution.

Each lane has documentary requirements published on MOM's EntrePass eligibility page; founders should verify the published criteria before applying because the threshold figures and recognised-investor lists are updated periodically.

The application package and the venture incorporation

EntrePass applicants must incorporate the Singapore business or have it ready to incorporate in conjunction with the EntrePass approval. The applicant holds at least 30 percent shareholding in the Singapore-incorporated company and intends to operate the business actively, not as a passive investor.

The application package covers the venture profile — investor letter, IP registration, accelerator letter, or research record depending on the eligibility lane — together with the applicant's resume and standard MOM documentation. Application is filed through MOM's online channel; processing time depends on the lane and on the completeness of the supporting materials.

EntrePass holders' immediate family — spouse and unmarried children under 21 — can be sponsored for Dependant Pass; parents can be sponsored for Long-Term Visit Pass under the standard MOM family-pass framework when the holder meets the published conditions for family sponsorship.

Renewal — total business spending and local jobs created

The first EntrePass cycle is issued for one year. MOM evaluates renewal applications against two operational metrics: total business spending of the Singapore venture and local jobs created at the venture, both measured over the prior pass cycle. The published thresholds are tiered, with longer-cycle renewals requiring higher spend and more local hires than first-cycle renewals.

EntrePass renewal applications can be filed three months before pass expiry through MOM's renewal channel. The renewal form requires evidence of the spending and headcount metrics, together with updated venture documentation reflecting the period covered.

Renewal failure is recoverable but disruptive: the holder returns to home country with the venture's continued operation in Singapore depending on whether other personnel hold qualifying passes. Founders treat the renewal metrics as operating discipline rather than a one-time application threshold.

	Pass	Qualifying signal	Initial duration
EntrePass	Venture profile (funding, IP, accelerator, research)	1 year	Dependant Pass, LTVP per published thresholds
Employment Pass	Salary above MOM threshold + COMPASS	2 years	Dependant Pass, LTVP for qualifying salary
Tech.Pass	Senior tech leadership track record at qualifying employer	2 years	Dependant Pass, LTVP
ONE Pass	S$30,000/month last drawn fixed × 12 months OR outstanding-achievement track	5 years	Dependant Pass, LTVP, employer-flexible

Common pitfalls

Treating the funding lane as a tick-box without recognised investor verification
MOM evaluates the investor against its published recognised-investor framework. Funding from a non-recognised investor — even at the published amount — does not qualify. Founders should verify investor status before relying on the funding lane.
Applying for EntrePass when an Employment Pass is the cleaner route
A founder who can have a separately incorporated Singapore entity hire them as a senior employee — meeting EP salary and COMPASS — sometimes finds EP a faster route than EntrePass. The substance trade-off and the venture-control implications need consideration.
Underestimating renewal metric build-up
Renewal looks back at total business spending and local jobs over the pass period. A venture that spends slowly in year one or hires no Singaporeans by renewal can fail the metrics. Hiring and spending plans should be calibrated to the renewal window.
Sponsoring family before the venture meets the family-pass thresholds
EntrePass holders can sponsor family only when the venture meets MOM-published family-sponsorship conditions. Filing a Dependant Pass too early leads to rejection and forces a re-application later when the venture qualifies.

Frequently asked questions

How long is an EntrePass valid?: The first issuance is 1 year. Renewals are issued for periods aligned to MOM published thresholds; longer-cycle renewals require higher business spending and more local jobs created at the venture.
Can EntrePass holders hire foreign employees?: Yes. The Singapore venture employing the EntrePass holder can hire foreign employees on Employment Pass or S Pass under the same MOM rules that apply to any Singapore employer, subject to the venture meeting the relevant employer conditions.
Can EntrePass holders apply for Singapore Permanent Residence?: EntrePass holders can apply for PR through the Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) scheme administered by ICA. PR is not automatic and is evaluated on ICA criteria including economic contributions and length of stay; EntrePass status alone does not confer PR.
What happens if the venture pivots after EntrePass issuance?: Material changes to the venture — change of business activity, change of shareholding structure, or significant pivot away from the qualifying lane — should be notified to MOM. A pivot that takes the venture outside the EntrePass eligibility lanes can affect renewal prospects.
Does EntrePass count toward the Singapore tax residency 183-day test?: Singapore tax residency is determined by IRAS based on physical presence and employment-related rules, independent of pass type. EntrePass holders working physically in Singapore for 183 days or more in a calendar year meet the residency test for that year, but the determination is on facts, not on pass type.
Can the family of an EntrePass holder work in Singapore?: Spouses on Dependant Pass can apply for a Letter of Consent (LOC) to work; the LOC framework was retained when MOM updated work arrangements for DP holders. Family pass thresholds and LOC eligibility are published on MOM family-pass pages.

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