Singapore Tech.Pass for Tech Founders (2026) and What Replaces It in January 2027

At the March 2026 Committee of Supply, the Ministry of Manpower announced a ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track, to be introduced in January 2027, which will replace the Tech.Pass. What that means in practice:

• The Tech.Pass remains a real pass for now, with its own criteria, set out below.
• Its successor sits inside the ONE Pass framework, which is a five-year pass rather than the Tech.Pass's two-plus-two. We cover the successor in detail in our Singapore ONE Pass guide.
• EDB has not, as of mid-2026, published a specific last day to apply for the Tech.Pass; its FAQ states that individuals can continue to apply per normal in the meantime. Treat January 2027 as the announced replacement timing and confirm the operational detail with EDB before you build a plan around it.

If you are deciding today, the practical question is timing: whether to apply for a Tech.Pass now or wait for the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track. The answer depends on your salary structure and your timeline, which we come back to at the end.

The Tech.Pass targets genuinely senior technology talent: experienced founders, C-suite leaders, and senior technical leaders. The bar is high by design, roughly five times the salary threshold of a standard Employment Pass. It is not a route for mid-level hires.

To qualify, you need to meet a salary criterion and an experience criterion.

Salary

You must have a last drawn fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 (or the foreign-currency equivalent) within the last 12 months. "Fixed" is the operative word: it excludes bonuses, variable pay, and equity-based compensation. At senior tech compensation levels, where pay often skews toward equity, this is the criterion that most often falls short, so check your fixed component carefully. EDB notes that candidates with other sources of income, including non-cash components, may also be considered on a case-by-case basis, which can matter for founders whose cash salary alone would not clear the bar.

Note that the S$22,500 figure replaced an older S$20,000 threshold. The benchmark was raised and pegged to the top 10% of Employment Pass holders, so any guide still quoting S$20,000 is out of date.

Experience

You must have at least 5 cumulative years of experience, within the past 10 years, in a leading role in one of the following:

The Tech.Pass is valid for two years, with a one-time renewal for a further two years. You apply directly to EDB, and if approved you receive an in-principle approval letter giving you six months to enter Singapore and have the pass issued.

The Tech.Pass renews once, for two years, and the renewal criteria are demanding. You must meet one of the following:

• Have earned at least S$270,000 in assessable income on your latest IRAS Notice of Assessment (salary and/or business income), or
• Demonstrate total annual business spending of at least S$100,000 and employ at least one local professional, manager, or executive (a Singapore citizen or PR earning at least S$3,900 a month with CPF for at least three months), or three Local Qualifying Salary employees (each earning at least S$1,600 a month until 30 June 2026, then at least S$1,800 from 1 July 2026, with CPF for at least three months), or
• Have incorporated a Singapore business with a technology offering as its core product that has secured more than US$10 million in cumulative funding in the past 36 months, and received funding from programme-recognised investment firms.

The most common renewal failure is a holder who spent the first two years largely abroad with little demonstrable activity in Singapore. The renewal rewards real local activity: income taxed in Singapore, local hiring, or a funded Singapore company. Plan for one of these paths from the start. You can apply to renew up to six months before expiry, the renewal takes around eight weeks to process, and a renewal in-principle approval must be acted on within three months (shorter than the six-month window for a new pass).

Advantages

• No employer sponsor, with the flexibility to work across activities.
• Recognises senior tech leadership and founder track records directly.
• A clear, if demanding, renewal path tied to genuine local contribution.

Limitations

• The pass is being replaced in January 2027, so its long-term future is closing.
• The S$22,500 fixed-salary bar is high, and equity-heavy packages often miss it.
• Validity is two plus two years, shorter than the ONE Pass's five.
• Renewal demands substantial Singapore income, spending, or funding.

This is the real decision in 2026. Because the Tech.Pass is being replaced, your choice is essentially about timing and fit.

• The ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track, from January 2027, sits in the five-year ONE Pass framework and is built around a S$30,000 monthly threshold that can be met by combining a fixed salary of at least S$22,500 with vested equity such as stock options. That equity-inclusive approach can suit senior tech founders whose cash salary alone would not clear the bar.
• The Tech.Pass, while open, runs on a S$22,500 fixed-salary criterion and a two-plus-two validity.

If your fixed cash salary clears S$22,500 today and you want to move now, the Tech.Pass may still fit. If your compensation leans on equity, or your timeline allows, the successor track may be the better target. We set out the successor in full in our Singapore ONE Pass guide.

If you are weighing the Tech.Pass against its successor, read our Singapore ONE Pass guide, which covers the AI and Tech track in full. To see every founder route side by side, start with the Singapore Work Visa Guide for Foreign Founders (2026). And when you are ready to apply and want a licensed provider to manage the submission, see our comparison of Singapore work pass providers.

This guide is for general information and is not immigration or legal advice. The Tech.Pass is in transition: the government has announced a ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track to replace it in January 2027, and full successor guidelines were still being finalised in mid-2026. Figures were verified against the Economic Development Board in June 2026. Always confirm current requirements at edb.gov.sg before applying.