Updated: 25 May 2026
Singapore actively courts foreign entrepreneurial talent. The EntrePass is the mechanism through which the government brings that intent to life. It is a work pass specifically designed for foreign entrepreneurs who want to incorporate a company in Singapore, run it from here, and build something with genuine growth potential.
Unlike most work passes, the EntrePass is not tied to employment by an existing company. You are effectively the applicant, the business owner, and the person MOM is evaluating. That makes it a different kind of application, and one that rewards preparation far more than most. This guide explains how the EntrePass works, who qualifies, what the application involves, and what to do to give your application the strongest possible chance.
What is the EntrePass in Singapore
The EntrePass is a work pass issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that allows a foreign national to live and work in Singapore as the owner or co-founder of a Singapore-incorporated company. Unlike the Employment Pass, which is issued to foreign employees of existing companies, the EntrePass is issued to founders of new or early-stage businesses.
To apply for an EntrePass, you must have already incorporated, or intend to incorporate, a Pte Ltd company in Singapore. The pass and the company are linked: MOM assesses the business as part of evaluating the applicant. You cannot apply for an EntrePass without a Singapore company, and the company must not have been incorporated for more than six months at the time of application.
Once granted, the EntrePass is initially valid for one year and can be renewed, subject to the company meeting certain progress criteria during the renewal assessment. MOM looks at whether the business has made tangible progress: revenue, hiring, investment raised, patents filed, and other markers of genuine growth.
EntrePass Eligibility Criteria in Singapore
MOM assesses EntrePass applications against a set of criteria designed to identify entrepreneurs with the capability and the business concept to build something meaningful in Singapore. There is no fixed checklist, but several factors carry significant weight.
Your business should fall into one of three qualifying categories:
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Innovative, defined as a business with intellectual property that is registered or pending registration;
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Innovative-led, meaning a business that incorporates innovative elements as a key part of its model; or
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Incubator/accelerator-supported, meaning the company has been accepted into a recognized Singapore incubator or accelerator program or has received institutional funding.
Beyond the business itself, MOM considers your personal track record. Prior entrepreneurial experience, relevant industry credentials, educational background, and whether you have previously built and scaled a company all factor in. Applicants with a strong track record in a relevant field tend to fare better, but track record alone does not guarantee approval if the business concept does not meet MOM's criteria.
MOM does not publish a minimum salary requirement for the EntrePass the way it does for the Employment Pass, because you are not drawing a salary from a third party. However, the application must demonstrate that the business has sufficient substance and financial viability to support your presence in Singapore.
The EntrePass Application Process
The EntrePass application involves two parallel tracks: the work pass application itself, submitted through MOM's Employment Pass Services Centre (EPOL), and the business plan, the document MOM uses to evaluate the viability of your proposed business.
Here's how the process works, step by step:
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Incorporate your Singapore Pte Ltd (or begin the process). MOM requires that your company is already incorporated, or at least in the process of being set up, before you apply.
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Gather your supporting documents. These include your passport, educational certificates, proof of relevant work experience and entrepreneurial background, supporting evidence for any intellectual property or funding, and your full business plan.
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Submit your application online through MOM's eService platform. Make sure your business plan is thorough, as it is the centrepiece of MOM's evaluation.
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Await MOM's review. MOM will assess your application and may request additional information or invite you for an interview. Processing typically takes six to eight weeks, though complex applications or those with follow-up queries may take longer.
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Respond promptly to any follow-up requests. If MOM asks for more documents or clarification, a timely and complete response can help keep things on track.
If you are at the stage of incorporating your Singapore company as part of an EntrePass application, our team can handle the company registration process for you. Our foreigner incorporation guide explains exactly what is needed.
Writing a Strong EntrePass Business Plan
The business plan is where most EntrePass applications are won or lost. MOM has reviewed a significant volume of applications over the years and is experienced at distinguishing plans with genuine substance from those that have been put together to satisfy the requirement without real thought behind them.
A strong EntrePass business plan covers the business clearly and concisely: what it does, who the customers are, what the competitive landscape looks like, and why the business is positioned to succeed in Singapore specifically. The Singapore angle matters. MOM wants to understand why Singapore is the right base for this business, not just a convenient place to register.
The financial projections need to be realistic and grounded in assumptions you can defend. Optimistic projections with no basis tend to undermine the application rather than strengthen it. A three-year plan with conservative revenue assumptions and a clear path to sustainability is more credible than one with steep growth curves built on unvalidated premises.
The innovation element needs to be genuinely substantiated. If your business plan claims IP ownership or pending registration, MOM will check. If it references incubator acceptance, MOM will verify. Claims that cannot be verified should not be in the plan. MOM's assessment is detailed, and credibility is the foundation everything else rests on.
We cover more about business plans in a separate article, do check it out!
EntrePass vs Employment Pass: Key Differences
The EntrePass and the Employment Pass both allow foreign nationals to work in Singapore, but they are designed for different situations. The EP is the right choice if you are coming to Singapore to work for an existing company, whether as an employee, director, or executive. The EP has a minimum salary requirement (currently SGD 5,000 per month for most sectors, reviewed periodically), and the company sponsoring you must be established and credible.
The EntrePass is the right choice if you are starting a new company in Singapore and do not yet have the revenue to pay yourself a qualifying salary, or if the nature of your business, particularly innovative or tech-driven startups, aligns better with what MOM designed the EntrePass to attract. Founders who can meet the EP salary requirement through their Singapore company typically find the EP faster and more straightforward to obtain. The EntrePass is better suited to founders in the early stages of building something new.
| Factor | Employment Pass (EP) | EntrePass |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Foreign nationals joining an existing company as an employee, director, or executive | Foreign founders starting a new company in Singapore |
| Salary requirement | Minimum SGD 5,000/month (varies by sector, reviewed periodically) | No fixed salary requirement. Suited for early-stage founders without qualifying revenue yet |
| Company requirement | Sponsoring company must be established and credible | Applicant must incorporate a Singapore Pte Ltd and submit a qualifying business plan |
| Best suited for | Professionals taking up a role at an existing employer | Innovative or tech-driven startup founders building something new |
| Processing complexity | Generally faster and more straightforward | More involved. MOM evaluates business viability and may request an interview |
One other option worth knowing about: some foreign founders incorporate a Singapore company with a nominee director, start building the business remotely, and then apply for a pass once the business has early traction. This approach avoids the uncertainty of an EntrePass application at the inception stage and can result in a stronger EP application once the company has demonstrable revenue and substance.
If you need a nominee director for your Singapore company while you establish yourself, our nominee director service is designed exactly for this situation.
What’s Next After EntrePass Approval?
Once your EntrePass is approved, you receive an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter. You have six months to collect the actual pass from MOM in Singapore, at which point you will also complete a medical examination. After collecting your pass, you can begin working in Singapore as the founder and operator of your company.
EntrePass renewals are assessed based on your company's progress during the pass period. MOM looks at evidence that the business is growing: revenue, headcount, investment raised, IP development, and other indicators of substantive activity. Companies that are clearly operating and developing tend to have smoother renewals. Companies with minimal activity face tougher scrutiny.
The compliance obligations that come with running a Singapore Pte Ltd, annual return filing, corporate tax, accounting, and company secretarial requirements, apply from the moment your company is incorporated and regardless of your pass status. Getting these set up properly from the start prevents the situation where you are managing outstanding compliance issues at the same time as focusing on building the business.
We help foreign entrepreneurs incorporate their Singapore company and handle all ongoing compliance as a combined service. Start with our incorporation for foreigners page to see how the process works, and get in touch with our team whenever you are ready to take the next step.