The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has revised two sets of lists under COMPASS, the points framework for Employment Pass (EP) applications: C2. Qualifications (top-tier institutions and degree-equivalent professional qualifications) and the C5. Skills Bonus Shortage Occupation List (SOL). The changes apply to new and renewal EP applications submitted from 1 January 2027.
The changes place greater emphasis on specialized skills in strategic sectors, including Energy and Chemicals, Semiconductors and Healthcare, with more targeted eligibility criteria. Candidates should confirm whether their institution, qualification and occupation still qualify for points. Employers and mobility teams should review existing and planned EP cases before 1 January 2027.
C2. Qualifications
C2. Qualifications is the criterion that awards 20 points for degrees from top-tier institutions and 10 points for other degree-equivalent qualifications. Top-tier institutions are split into Group A (all faculties) and Group B (specified faculties only, sometimes with qualification-level restrictions). Industry-recognized professional qualifications endorsed by sector agencies also earn 10 points.
C2. Qualifications: top-tier institutions
The 20-point list adds 16 institutions and removes 5. Three institutions (IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and RWTH Aachen) move from Group A to Group B, so their 20 points will apply only to specified faculties. ESSEC Business School’s eligible faculties are expanded, and two entries reflect renamed or successor institutions.
| Changes to top-tier institutions | |
| Newly added | Added to Group A: Nagoya University, Nanjing University and National University of Ireland,
University College Dublin Added to Group B: · Computing, engineering and related disciplines: Ajou University, Anna University, Technical University of Denmark, Georgia Institute of Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Waterloo · Other disciplines: Hitotsubashi University, Erasmus University Rotterdam, La Trobe University, McMaster University, The New School – Parsons School of Design and University of Pittsburgh, each limited to specified programmes and levels (see MOM’s list). |
| Removed | Lomonosov Moscow State University, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pontifical Catholic University Of Chile, National Autonomous University of Mexico and University
of Sao Paulo |
| Group A to
Group B | For Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi,
faculties will be limited to: Computer Science, Information Technology, Programming & Systems Analysis and Science (Computer Studies) For RWTH Aachen University, faculties limited to Engineering and Science |
| Faculty scope updated | ESSEC Business School to include Master’s Degree in Business Analytics, Management and
Marketing, in addition to Business Administration |
Candidates should confirm their institution, faculty and qualification level against MOM’s published list.
C2. Qualifications – Degree-equivalent Professional Qualifications
The degree-equivalent list adds 10 items, including all diplomas from Singapore’s five polytechnics and selected cybersecurity, culinary and non-destructive testing qualifications. These are likely to matter only for specialist hires.
C5. Skills Bonus: Shortage Occupation List (SOL)
C5. Skills Bonus awards candidates in SOL occupations 10 or 20 bonus points, depending on their nationality’s share of the employer’s PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) workforce. These occupations require highly specialized skills in short supply in Singapore. Candidates must meet the specified duties, eligible job titles and any additional qualification or experience requirements.
The revised SOL guide lists 30 shortage occupations, up from 29. Although the net increase is just one, the changes are substantial. Major additions include three occupations in the new Energy & Chemicals category. Key removals include Financial Services occupations, four existing Infocomm Technology (ICT) occupations, and roles such as Carbon Verification and Audit Specialist, Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist.
Other notable additions are Forward Deployed Engineer, Quantum Scientist/Engineer, Genetic Counsellor and Pharmacist (Patient Care), plus Automation Engineer and Materials Engineer in the Semiconductor category. The combined Artificial Intelligence Scientist/Engineer occupation will also split into two roles: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Engineer and Artificial Intelligence Applied Researcher.
A significant change to ICT eligibility affects candidates who relied on a degree rather than work experience. The current guide allows either a prescribed bachelor’s degree or at least three years of relevant experience. The updated guide requires at least three years of experience in specified job titles and no longer states the degree route.
The updates point to more targeted recognition of qualifications and skills under COMPASS. Three key trends emerge:
The changes may affect not only new and renewal EP applications, but also renewal strategies, future hiring, S Pass quota use and the timing of moves into Singapore. Review existing and upcoming EP
cases now, rather than as they arise, to identify employees and candidates whose COMPASS points may change and who may fall below the 40-point threshold.
Recommended actions for candidates and employers:
For guidance on how the changes affect a specific candidate or employee, speak to your Vialto Partners contact below.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or sg_immi@vialto.com:
Yang Li
Partner
Irin Ou
Director
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