- The EntrePass is a narrow, venture-backed pass: you need at least 30% of an ACRA-registered company that is funded or built on innovative technology.
- You must also meet at least one of five qualifying criteria, from raising S$100,000 in a single round to holding registered IP or a research collaboration.
- Some businesses, including coffee shops, bars, massage parlours and employment agencies, cannot get an EntrePass at all.
- Most founders are better served by an Employment Pass, where the general-sector minimum salary rises to S$6,000 a month on 1 January 2027.
If you’re weighing up how to get an Entrepreneur Pass in Singapore, the honest starting point is that the EntrePass is a narrow, venture-backed pass most founders don’t actually qualify for. It’s open to every nationality, but the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) sets a high bar: at least 30% ownership of a Singapore company that’s either funded or built on innovative technology. Working out quickly whether you’re inside or outside that gate saves weeks, and if you do qualify, you can line up work pass application support to handle the filing.
Not sure the EntrePass is even your route, or quietly worried you’ll be turned down?
Who is eligible for an EntrePass in Singapore?
Eligibility for an EntrePass comes down to three things, and you need all three. You must hold at least 30% of a private limited company registered with ACRA; that company has to be venture-backed or built on innovative technology, and you have to meet at least one of five qualifying criteria that MOM sets out. Clear all three, and you have a case; miss any one, and the pass isn’t open to you.
That’s often called the Singapore entrepreneur visa, and it’s the part of EntrePass Singapore eligibility that trips people up. Many founders arrive assuming it’s the standard founder pass, when it’s really built for scalable, innovation-led ventures.
Before you read the details, run yourself through this quick gate. It mirrors how MOM assesses an application, and it’s the fastest way to gauge your EntrePass Singapore eligibility in about thirty seconds.
| Ask yourself | If yes | If no |
|---|---|---|
| Will you hold at least 30% of a Pte Ltd registered with ACRA? | Keep reading | The EntrePass is likely closed; see the EP route below |
| Is that company venture-backed or built on innovative technology? | Keep reading | The EntrePass is likely closed; see the EP route below |
| Is the company under 12 months old when you apply? | You’re assessed on the initial criteria | You’re assessed on the tougher renewal criteria |
| Can you meet at least one of the five qualifying criteria? | You have a viable EntrePass application | The EntrePass is likely closed; see the EP route below |
| Is your business on the ineligible list? | The EntrePass is closed regardless of the above | Keep going |
You can also run your numbers through the EntrePass eligibility checker for a quick read before you commit to anything.
What two EntrePass conditions come before the five criteria?
Two conditions sit above the five criteria, and neither is negotiable. The first is ownership: you need at least 30% of the shares in a Pte Ltd registered with ACRA. The second is the nature of the business itself, which MOM expects to be venture-backed or to own innovative technology.
That second condition quietly rules out most conventional small businesses. A profitable consultancy or a neighbourhood retail shop can be a fine company and still fall outside these EntrePass requirements, because it isn’t built on the kind of scalable innovation the pass was designed for. If that’s your situation, an Employment Pass is usually the realistic route, and the work passes for foreign business owners overview is worth a read.
Why does the 12-month rule catch so many EntrePass applicants?
Here’s the trap that surprises people. If your company is more than 12 months old when you apply, MOM assesses you against the tougher renewal criteria rather than the initial ones. Founders who incorporate first, spend months raising money, then apply often cross that line without realising it.
The renewal criteria expect real business spending and local hires, which a young company usually can’t show yet. So the timing of your application matters as much as the strength of your idea. If you plan to apply, do it while the company is still under a year old, or be ready to meet renewal-style targets from the start.
TIPTip: the 12-month clock runs from the date of incorporation, not from when you start trading or when you close a round. Diarise that date the moment you incorporate.
The five EntrePass qualifying criteria: which one can you meet?
On top of the two conditions, you need to satisfy at least one of the five criteria below. You don’t need all five, just one clean, well-evidenced match. All the figures here are from MOM and current as at August 2026.
Criterion 1: Raising at least S$100,000 in a single funding round
You’ve raised at least S$100,000 from a single funding round from an eligible investor. MOM names SEEDS Capital, Vertex Ventures and Startup SG Equity partners, alongside internationally recognised venture capital firms, corporates and business angels. The money has to come from one qualifying round, not several small cheques added together.
Criterion 2: Backing from a recognised incubator or accelerator
Your company is backed by a recognised incubator or accelerator. MOM accepts government programmes such as Startup SG Accelerator and Startup SG Founder, as well as global names including Y-Combinator, MassChallenge and Alchemist Accelerator.
Criterion 3: A previous technology exit
You’ve previously founded and sold a venture-backed or innovative technology business. You’ll need to evidence it with incorporation documents, management letters and a signed Sale and Purchase Agreement.
Criterion 4: Registered intellectual property
Your business holds intellectual property registered with an approved national IP institution. The IP has to give a significant competitive advantage that can’t be easily replicated, so a routine trademark won’t clear the bar.
Criterion 5: Research collaboration with a Singapore institution
You have an ongoing research collaboration with a Singapore Institute of Higher Learning or a Research Institution. MOM verifies it through an institutional contact, and the work has to relate directly to what your business does.
Which businesses cannot get an EntrePass at all?
Some business types are excluded outright, no matter how well you meet the criteria above. MOM’s ineligible list is short, specific and worth checking before you spend a cent on an application:
- Coffee shops, hawker centres and food courts
- Bars, night clubs and karaoke lounges
- Foot reflexology and massage parlours
- Acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and herbal dispensing businesses
- Employment agencies
- Geomancy businesses
If your business sits on this list, the EntrePass is closed regardless of your funding or ownership, and you’ll want to look at other passes instead.
What does EntrePass renewal actually require?
Renewal is where the EntrePass gets demanding, and it’s why the 12-month rule bites. Each renewal cycle raises the bar on two measures: your annual total business spending and the number of local employees you keep on payroll. Here’s how the first few cycles climb.
| Renewal cycle | Annual total business spending | Local employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Not required | Not required |
| 2nd | S$100,000 | 1 |
| 3rd | S$200,000 | 2 |
| 4th | S$300,000 | 3 |
| 5th | S$400,000 | 4 |
| 6th | S$700,000 | 5 |
It keeps climbing from there, reaching S$1,150,000 in annual spending and 10 local employees by the 11th renewal. That escalating commitment is a big part of why a straightforward Employment Pass suits most founders better.
How long does an EntrePass last, and how long does approval take?
A new EntrePass is valid for up to one year, and so is your first renewal. Once you’re established, later renewals can stretch to up to two years. MOM processes most applications within six weeks, and after an in-principle approval you have six months to enter Singapore and collect the pass.
If EntrePass is not your route, is the Employment Pass?
For most founders, yes. The Employment Pass has no ownership or venture-backing test, so it fits a far wider range of businesses, including the profitable-but-conventional ones the EntrePass shuts out. The trade-off is a salary bar.
Right now the minimum is S$5,600 a month in most sectors and S$6,200 in financial services, and it rises with age, reaching around S$10,700 a month for candidates in their mid-40s in the general sector (MOM, as at August 2026). From 1 January 2027, those entry minimums rise to S$6,000 and S$6,600. You’ll also be scored against MOM’s COMPASS framework, where you need at least 40 points to qualify.
The EntrePass vs Employment Pass decision is worth getting right, so the EP vs EntrePass compared breakdown goes deeper.
Should you apply for an EntrePass before or after incorporation?
You’ll incorporate first, because the EntrePass is tied to a company that already exists on ACRA’s register. The order isn’t really the question; timing is. Apply while your company is under 12 months old to be assessed on the initial criteria, and make sure you can evidence your qualifying criterion before you file.
If you’re still at the idea stage, it’s worth reading up on starting a business in Singapore as a foreigner so that incorporation and your pass application line up cleanly from the start. Many founders search for a Singapore entrepreneur visa and only discover the sequencing rules once the clock is already running.
How Sleek helps you choose the right Singapore work pass
Working out which pass fits, then meeting the criteria, is where a lot of founders lose weeks. Sleek sets up your Pte Ltd, arranges a resident director if you need one, and handles the EntrePass or Employment Pass application in one go, so nothing falls between incorporation and immigration. If you’d rather see the whole route first, the visas and hiring employees in Singapore hub maps it out, and incorporation for foreign founders covers the company side.
You can also confirm the criteria straight from the source on MOM’s EntrePass eligibility page.
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FAQs: EntrePass Singapore: Eligibility, the Five Criteria, and Who Should Apply Instead
Can I bring my family to Singapore on an EntrePass?
Yes, once your business meets the sponsorship conditions. Your legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 can apply for a Dependant’s Pass, while parents and a common-law spouse fall under a Long-Term Visit Pass. To sponsor a spouse and children, MOM expects annual total business spending of at least S$100,000 and one local employee; sponsoring parents raises that to S$200,000 and two local employees.
Do I need a local resident director if I hold an EntrePass?
Usually not. A Singapore company needs at least one director who is ordinarily resident here, and an EntrePass holder normally satisfies that requirement themselves. If your pass application is still pending, though, you may need a nominee director in the interim so the company can be incorporated and start operating.
How much does an EntrePass cost in government fees?
MOM charges S$105 when you submit the application and S$225 when the pass is issued. If you need a Multiple Journey Visa, that’s another S$30. Those are the government fees only, separate from any professional help you engage to prepare the application.
Do I need to be in Singapore to apply for an EntrePass?
No, you can apply from overseas, which suits founders who haven’t relocated yet. Once MOM issues an in-principle approval, you have six months to enter Singapore and get the pass issued. You’ll need to be here for that final step to complete registration.
What happens if my EntrePass application is rejected?
You can appeal, but only with new or stronger evidence, so a straight resubmission of the same case rarely succeeds. Many founders who are turned down switch to an Employment Pass, which doesn’t carry the venture-backing test. There’s a practical guide on what to do if your pass is rejected that walks through both options.
Can an EntrePass lead to permanent residence in Singapore?
It can, indirectly. Holding an EntrePass and running an active, growing company gives you a track record you can put towards a permanent residence application through the ICA. There’s no automatic path, and approval depends on factors like how long you’ve operated, your business results and your economic contribution.
Can I hire staff and sponsor their work passes on an EntrePass?
Yes. As the business owner, you can sponsor Employment Passes and S Passes for your team, subject to the usual salary thresholds, quotas and the COMPASS framework for EP holders. Hiring local employees is exactly what the renewal criteria reward, so early hires do double duty.
