The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass, commonly known as the ONE Pass, is a personalised Singapore work pass for established professionals and individuals with notable achievements.
Unlike an Employment Pass, it is not tied to one employer. A ONE Pass holder may work for several companies, start and operate a business, and hold multiple directorships in Singapore without applying for a new work pass each time.
This flexibility makes the ONE Pass particularly relevant to senior executives, business owners and founders who intend to take on more than one professional role in Singapore.
This guide explains the current ONE Pass eligibility requirements, whether a ONE Pass holder can be a shareholder or director of a Singapore company, and when the holder may serve as the company’s sole resident director.
What Is the ONE Pass in Singapore?
The ONE Pass is a personalised work pass administered by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower.
It is intended for top talent across different industries and professional fields. Eligible applicants generally qualify through either:
- A fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000; or
- Outstanding achievements in sports, arts and culture, academia or research
The pass is issued to the individual rather than sponsored by one specific employer. This allows the holder to change employment, take on additional roles or operate their own Singapore company without replacing the ONE Pass.
A first-time ONE Pass may be issued for up to 5 years. Each successful renewal may also be granted for up to another 5 years.
View MOM’s current ONE Pass key facts.
How Is the ONE Pass Different From an Employment Pass?
An Employment Pass is issued for employment with a specific Singapore employer. If the holder changes employer, the new employer must generally submit a new Employment Pass application.
An Employment Pass holder also cannot freely take on employment or directorships in unrelated companies. A secondary directorship generally requires MOM’s approval through a Letter of Consent, and MOM ordinarily limits this arrangement to related companies with a qualifying corporate shareholding relationship.
The ONE Pass operates differently. The holder may concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies in Singapore without obtaining a separate work pass for each company.
In practical terms: A ONE Pass holder can accept a position with one company, provide services to another, and operate their own business at the same time, subject to the terms of their contracts and any industry-specific regulations.
The ONE Pass application is also not assessed under the Employment Pass COMPASS framework. As it is not an employer-sponsored Employment Pass application, the employer does not have to submit a new pass application whenever the holder takes on a new role.
Who Is the ONE Pass Intended For?
The ONE Pass is intended for individuals who already have a strong professional or achievement record. It is not a general work pass for every foreign entrepreneur or senior employee.
Typical applicants may include:
- Senior executives earning at least S$30,000 in fixed monthly salary
- Established founders and business owners who meet the salary requirements through their existing employment
- Professionals taking up a qualifying role in Singapore with an established company
- Individuals with outstanding achievements in sports, arts and culture, academia or research
A founder does not qualify merely because they intend to incorporate a Singapore company. The applicant must still meet MOM’s salary or outstanding-achievement requirements.
Founders who do not meet the ONE Pass criteria may consider other work pass options, such as an Employment Pass sponsored by their Singapore company or an EntrePass for a qualifying venture-backed or innovative business.
ONE Pass Eligibility Requirements
An applicant should qualify under the requirements applicable to one of the following routes.
Route 1: Current or last-held employment
An applicant relying on their current or last-held employment must generally have earned a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000, or its foreign-currency equivalent, for the 12 consecutive months immediately before the application.
If the qualifying employment was with a company overseas, the applicant must also generally have worked for an established company during that period.
For ONE Pass purposes, an established company must have at least one of the following:
- Market capitalisation of at least US$500 million; or
- Annual revenue of at least US$200 million
MOM may consider combined figures from the company’s global offices on a case-by-case basis.
Route 2: Prospective employment in Singapore
An applicant may qualify based on a confirmed future role in Singapore if:
- The role pays a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000
- The Singapore employer satisfies MOM’s established-company criteria
- The employment will commence within 6 months of the application
A confirmed role with a newly incorporated or small Singapore company will generally not satisfy this route merely because the salary stated in the employment contract is S$30,000. The prospective employer must also meet the established-company requirement.
Route 3: Outstanding achievements
An applicant may apply without meeting the S$30,000 salary requirement if they have outstanding achievements in one of the following areas:
- Sports
- Arts and culture
- Academia and research
These applications are assessed holistically by MOM together with relevant government agencies. The applicant’s recognised achievements, professional standing, body of work and intended contribution to Singapore may be considered.
Existing Singapore work pass holders
An existing work pass holder applying based on employment in Singapore must generally have worked in Singapore for at least 1 year.
Where the applicant has worked in Singapore for less than 12 months, they may need to wait until they have completed the required employment period unless they qualify under another applicable route.
View the current ONE Pass eligibility and renewal criteria.
What Counts Towards the S$30,000 Salary Requirement?
The S$30,000 requirement is based on fixed monthly salary, not the applicant’s total annual income divided by 12.
Fixed monthly salary generally consists of:
- Basic monthly salary; and
- Fixed monthly allowances that do not vary from month to month
Examples of fixed allowances may include a fixed monthly housing or food allowance.
The following are generally not included:
- Performance bonuses
- Commissions
- Overtime payments
- Variable allowances
- Board or director’s fees
- Dividends and stock options
- Expense reimbursements
- Employer pension or provident fund contributions
If an applicant receives income from several employers, at least S$30,000 in qualifying fixed monthly salary must generally come from one employer. Salaries from two separate employers cannot simply be added together to reach the threshold.
| Monthly Income | Meets the Salary Threshold? |
|---|---|
| S$30,000 fixed salary from one employer | Yes, subject to the remaining eligibility requirements |
| S$20,000 from one employer and S$10,000 from another | No |
| S$27,000 salary plus S$3,000 variable bonus | No, the variable bonus does not form part of fixed monthly salary |
| S$28,000 basic salary plus S$2,000 fixed housing allowance | Generally yes, as both components are fixed monthly payments |
View MOM’s definition of fixed monthly salary.
Main Features of the ONE Pass
Up to 5 years of validity
A first-time ONE Pass may be valid for up to 5 years. Successful renewals may also be granted for up to 5 years at a time.
Not tied to one employer
The holder may change jobs without having a new employer apply for a replacement work pass.
Ending one employment arrangement does not automatically cancel the ONE Pass in the same way that the cancellation of an Employment Pass ends the holder’s work authorisation.
Work for several companies
A holder may work for, operate or provide services to several Singapore companies at the same time.
The individual should nevertheless review their employment contracts for restrictions relating to conflicts of interest, confidentiality, intellectual property and competing businesses.
Start and operate a Singapore company
A ONE Pass holder may incorporate and operate their own Singapore company without having the company sponsor a separate Employment Pass or EntrePass.
No foreign worker levy or quota
The ONE Pass is not subject to a foreign worker levy or company foreign-worker quota.
However, this does not exempt a company employing the holder from its ordinary employment, tax, payroll and regulatory obligations.
Can a ONE Pass Holder Be a Shareholder of a Singapore Company?
Yes. A ONE Pass holder may own shares in a Singapore company.
Singapore companies may generally be fully foreign-owned. The shareholder does not need to be a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, and a foreign shareholder may hold up to 100% of the shares.
Share ownership should be distinguished from working for the company. A foreign person may own shares without having a Singapore work pass, but a valid work pass is generally required if the person intends to relocate to Singapore and actively work in or operate the business.
A ONE Pass holder may therefore be:
- The sole shareholder
- One of several shareholders
- A shareholder and director
- A shareholder in more than one Singapore company
The shareholding arrangement should still be properly reflected in the company’s Constitution, electronic register of members and applicable beneficial ownership records.
Can a ONE Pass Holder Be a Company Director?
Yes. A ONE Pass holder may be appointed as a director of a Singapore company.
The holder does not require a Letter of Consent from MOM to take up a secondary directorship. MOM expressly allows ONE Pass holders to concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies in Singapore.
This means that a ONE Pass holder may serve as a director of:
- Their own newly incorporated company
- A company in which they hold shares
- An unrelated Singapore company
- Several Singapore companies concurrently
The person must still satisfy the ordinary eligibility requirements for company directors. Among other requirements, a director must be at least 18 years old, have legal capacity and not be disqualified from acting as a director.
View MOM’s guidance on secondary directorships for ONE Pass holders.
Can a ONE Pass Holder Be the Sole Director?
A ONE Pass holder may generally be the sole director of a Singapore company if the holder is ordinarily resident in Singapore and satisfies ACRA’s other director eligibility requirements.
Every Singapore company must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. ACRA recognises a valid ONE Pass holder as one of the categories of foreign pass holders who may satisfy the local residency requirement.
However, holding the pass does not necessarily settle the issue in every circumstance. The individual should genuinely be based in Singapore rather than merely holding a valid pass while living primarily overseas.
General position: A valid ONE Pass holder who resides in Singapore may usually be appointed as the company’s sole director and fulfil the ordinarily resident director requirement. A separate nominee director would generally not be required in that situation.
If the ONE Pass holder later relocates overseas, allows the pass to expire or ceases to be ordinarily resident in Singapore, the company should appoint another ordinarily resident director before the existing arrangement ceases to meet the Companies Act requirement.
The company must maintain at least one ordinarily resident director at all times. A sole resident director cannot resign unless another qualifying resident director has first been appointed.
View ACRA’s director eligibility requirements.
Setting Up a Singapore Company as a ONE Pass Holder
A ONE Pass holder may incorporate a Singapore private limited company and appoint themselves as both shareholder and director.
As a foreign individual, the holder must engage a registered Corporate Service Provider to submit the company name reservation and incorporation application.
The main incorporation requirements include:
- At least one shareholder
- At least one ordinarily resident director
- A Singapore registered office address
- A company Constitution
- At least S$1 in initial share capital for a company with share capital
- A company secretary appointed within 6 months after incorporation
If the ONE Pass holder is ordinarily resident in Singapore, the holder may generally fulfil the resident-director requirement personally. Otherwise, another qualifying resident director must be appointed.
Incorporating a company does not automatically grant approval for regulated activities. The company must separately obtain any business licence, professional approval or regulatory registration required for its intended operations.
Learn more about our Singapore company incorporation services.
Can a ONE Pass Holder Bring Family Members to Singapore?
Eligible family members may apply for passes linked to the ONE Pass holder.
| Family Member | Applicable Pass |
|---|---|
| Legally married spouse | Dependant’s Pass |
| Unmarried children under 21, including legally adopted children | Dependant’s Pass |
| Common-law spouse | Long-Term Visit Pass |
| Unmarried stepchildren under 21 | Long-Term Visit Pass |
| Eligible handicapped children aged 21 and above | Long-Term Visit Pass |
| Parents | Long-Term Visit Pass |
A legally married spouse holding a Dependant’s Pass may apply for a Letter of Consent to work or operate a business in Singapore.
A common-law spouse holding the applicable Long-Term Visit Pass may also apply for a Letter of Consent. Other dependants who wish to work generally require their own qualifying work pass.
The spouse’s LOC does not provide the same multi-employer flexibility as the main ONE Pass. A spouse working under an LOC is generally permitted to work for one employer at a time.
View the family passes available to ONE Pass holders.
ONE Pass Renewal Requirements
A ONE Pass may be renewed for up to 5 years at a time.
To qualify for renewal, the holder must meet at least one of the following conditions.
Salary-based renewal
The holder must have earned an average fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 over the preceding 5 years in Singapore.
Company-based renewal
The holder must have started and be operating a Singapore-based company that employs at least 5 locals.
Each of the 5 local employees must earn a gross monthly salary of at least the prevailing minimum qualifying salary for an Employment Pass.
For founders: Simply incorporating a company or appointing yourself as its director is not enough for renewal under the company route. The company must be operating and employ at least 5 qualifying local employees.
A renewal application may be submitted up to 6 months before the pass expires.
Annual Reporting and Other ONE Pass Obligations
A ONE Pass holder must notify MOM of their professional activities and annual income by 31 January of the following year.
This reporting allows MOM to maintain updated information on the holder’s employment, business and professional activities in Singapore.
The holder should also notify MOM when required of changes to matters such as:
- Residential address
- Passport particulars
- Name or other personal information
- Professional activities
The ONE Pass does not determine the holder’s Singapore income tax residency. Tax residency and taxable income are separately assessed under IRAS rules based on the individual’s circumstances.
Companies in which the holder is a director must also continue meeting their separate ACRA, tax, employment and corporate compliance obligations.
ONE Pass vs Employment Pass vs EntrePass
| Feature | ONE Pass | Employment Pass | EntrePass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass tied to one company | No | Yes | Yes, to the qualifying business |
| Work for multiple companies | Yes | Not generally | Generally limited to the EntrePass business |
| Secondary directorship | No LOC required | LOC generally required and normally limited to related companies | May act for the qualifying company |
| Initial duration | Up to 5 years | Up to 2 years | Up to 1 year |
| Subsequent renewal duration | Up to 5 years | Up to 3 years, with limited exceptions | Up to 2 years after the first renewal |
| Main eligibility basis | S$30,000 fixed monthly salary or outstanding achievements | Qualifying salary and COMPASS, unless exempt | Qualifying venture-backed or innovative Singapore business |
| Can apply personally | Yes | No, employer applies | Yes |
| Suitable for | Established top talent with multiple professional interests | Foreign professionals employed by one Singapore company | Founders of qualifying innovative or venture-backed businesses |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for a ONE Pass from outside Singapore?
Yes. An eligible applicant may submit the application from overseas based on current or last-held employment, prospective employment in Singapore, or outstanding achievements.
Do I need a Singapore job offer?
Not necessarily. A Singapore job offer is not required if you qualify based on your current or last-held employment or through the outstanding-achievements route.
Can I incorporate a Singapore company after receiving the ONE Pass?
Yes. You may incorporate a company, own its shares, appoint yourself as director and operate the business without having the company sponsor a separate work pass.
Can I own 100% of the company?
Yes. A Singapore company may generally be fully foreign-owned. The ONE Pass holder may be its sole shareholder.
Can I be the sole shareholder and sole director?
Yes, provided that you are ordinarily resident in Singapore and satisfy ACRA’s other director eligibility requirements. You may then generally fulfil the company’s resident-director requirement personally.
Do I need an LOC to become a director of another company?
No. ONE Pass holders do not require a Letter of Consent to take up secondary directorships in Singapore.
Can I be a director of several unrelated companies?
Yes. The ONE Pass permits the holder to concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies. The holder must still comply with their director duties and any contractual conflict-of-interest restrictions.
Can I continue holding my ONE Pass after leaving my job?
The ONE Pass is not tied to one employer and is not automatically cancelled merely because one employment arrangement ends. The holder must continue complying with the conditions of the pass and eventually meet the applicable renewal criteria.
Does the S$30,000 include bonuses?
No. Variable bonuses, commissions and other non-fixed payments generally do not form part of fixed monthly salary. Fixed monthly allowances may be included where they do not vary from month to month.
Can salaries from two companies be combined?
Generally no. At least S$30,000 in qualifying fixed monthly salary must come from one employer. Other sources of income may be considered separately by MOM on a case-by-case basis.
Can my spouse work in Singapore?
An eligible spouse holding a Dependant’s Pass or applicable Long-Term Visit Pass may apply for a Letter of Consent to work or operate a business in Singapore.
Does the ONE Pass lead automatically to Permanent Residence?
No. The ONE Pass is a work pass and does not guarantee Permanent Residence. A holder may submit a separate PR application to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, which will assess the application on its own merits.
Do I still need a company secretary?
Yes. A Singapore company must appoint a company secretary within 6 months after incorporation, regardless of the director’s work pass.
ONE Pass Quick Reference
| Question | General Position |
|---|---|
| Salary threshold | S$30,000 in fixed monthly salary |
| Initial validity | Up to 5 years |
| Renewal validity | Up to 5 years each time |
| Tied to one employer | No |
| May start and operate a company | Yes |
| May own 100% of a Singapore company | Yes |
| Secondary directorship LOC | Not required |
| May be sole resident director | Generally yes, if ordinarily resident in Singapore and otherwise eligible |
| Annual MOM reporting | Professional activities and annual income by 31 January of the following year |
| Foreign worker levy or quota | Not applicable |
A ONE Pass holder who is ordinarily resident in Singapore may generally incorporate a company, own all of its shares and act as its sole director. Leftright Corporate can assist with the incorporation, shareholding structure, resident-director assessment and ongoing company secretarial requirements through our Singapore company incorporation services.
This article reflects MOM and ACRA guidance available as of June 2026. Work pass and eligibility requirements may be revised from time to time.
