Singapore is rewriting the rules for how it attracts the world's most sought-after technology talent. On 3 March 2026, at the Ministry of Manpower's Committee of Supply debate, Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng announced that a new ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track will launch in January 2027 and replace the Tech.Pass introduced in 2021. The shift reflects an intensifying global contest for frontier artificial intelligence and deep-tech expertise, and it changes how employers should plan senior tech hires over the next 18 months. This guide breaks down what the new track is, how it differs from the Tech.Pass and the existing ONE Pass, and the practical steps Singapore employers should take now.
The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass — the ONE Pass — is Singapore's most flexible work pass for top-tier global talent. Unlike the Employment Pass, it is tied to the individual rather than to a single employer. Holders can work for several companies concurrently, start and run their own businesses, and switch jobs without applying for a new pass. The new AI and Tech track sits inside this framework and is purpose-built for leaders and innovators in artificial intelligence and technology.
MOM's stated rationale is competitive. As governments and corporations worldwide race to secure a limited pool of frontier AI researchers, founders, and engineers, Singapore wants criteria that better recognise this specific kind of talent rather than relying on the more general Tech.Pass conditions. The AI and Tech track therefore carries updated eligibility rules and, critically, a more modern view of how elite tech compensation is actually structured.
Under the new track, applicants must meet one of two salary pathways. The first is a straightforward fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000. The second — and the more significant innovation — allows a base cash salary of at least S$22,500 per month to be topped up with vested equity, such as Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Employee Share Ownership (ESOW), so that total monthly remuneration reaches at least S$30,000.
This matters because elite tech compensation is rarely all cash. A senior AI scientist at a venture-backed company or a co-founder drawing a deliberately modest salary may have substantial equity that the old Tech.Pass rules, which excluded equity and variable pay, simply ignored. Recognising vested equity widens the genuine talent pool without lowering the overall remuneration bar.
The new track does not just assess the individual — it scrutinises where they work. Applicants must be currently or recently employed by a qualifying organisation in the technology sector. MOM has signalled that this includes three categories: a technology company, an in-house technology team, or a technology-focused venture capital firm.
The organisation must also meet at least one financial benchmark: a valuation or market capitalisation of at least US$500 million, or, for technology companies, having raised at least US$30 million in funding. For employers, this means the pass is realistically aimed at talent moving from well-capitalised global tech firms, funded scale-ups, and established VC-backed players — not early-stage startups without a funding track record.
The AI and Tech track does not exist in isolation. It is part of a coordinated set of foreign-workforce updates announced for 2026 to 2028 that employers should plan around together.
From 1 January 2027, the minimum qualifying salary for new Employment Pass applicants in most sectors rises from S$5,600 to S$6,000 per month, while the S Pass minimum for general sectors rises from S$3,300 to S$3,600 (with renewals following from 2028). MOM is also expanding the Non-Traditional Source Occupation List from September 2026 and continuing to refine the COMPASS points-based framework for Employment Pass assessment. Read together, the message is consistent: Singapore is sharpening the top of its talent funnel while broadening access at the lower-wage end.
For a deeper look at the connected changes, see our guides to the 2027 EP and S Pass salary increases, the COMPASS 2026 scoring update, and the expanded NTS Occupation List.
For employers competing for scarce AI talent, the ONE Pass framework offers a recruiting advantage beyond the work authorisation itself. Because the pass is personalised, it gives candidates flexibility that traditional employer-tied passes cannot match — and that flexibility is often a deciding factor for senior people weighing offers across markets.
The timing is deliberate. The global market for frontier AI talent has tightened sharply, with major economies and the largest technology companies competing aggressively for a small pool of researchers, founders, and engineers capable of building and commercialising advanced AI systems. Compensation at the very top of this market has escalated, and increasingly takes the form of equity rather than cash — precisely the kind of pay structure the old Tech.Pass rules did not accommodate.
For Singapore, the stakes are strategic rather than symbolic. The Republic has positioned itself as a regional hub for technology, finance, and increasingly AI-driven industries, and its national AI ambitions depend on access to people who can lead, not just operate. A work pass that fails to recognise how elite tech talent is actually paid risks losing candidates to jurisdictions with more flexible rules.
By raising the headline remuneration bar while simultaneously broadening what counts toward it, MOM is threading a careful needle: keeping the bar genuinely high to preserve the pass's exclusivity and public legitimacy, while removing a technicality that previously excluded otherwise-qualified founders and senior staff. The five-year validity reinforces the message — Singapore is not courting transient talent, but people willing to anchor part of their careers and, often, their families in the country.
For employers, the practical takeaway is that the competition for this talent is real and global. The pass is a tool, but it does not win candidates on its own. Compensation, the strength of the local ecosystem, and the quality of the opportunity still do the heavy lifting. What the new track does is remove a friction point that could previously cost you a hire.
A common question is what the transition means for talent already on a Tech.Pass. MOM has framed the AI and Tech track as a replacement for new applicants from January 2027 rather than a forced conversion. Existing Tech.Pass holders should expect to be able to continue under their current pass and follow MOM's guidance on renewal options as details are finalised closer to the launch.
Because the precise transition mechanics — including any renewal pathway from Tech.Pass into the new track — will be published by MOM ahead of January 2027, employers with current Tech.Pass holders should treat this as an item to monitor rather than act on immediately. We recommend confirming specifics directly with MOM or a licensed immigration adviser before making any decisions about a current pass holder's status.
The 18-month runway before launch is an opportunity. Employers who plan ahead will avoid the scramble that often accompanies a major work-pass change.
Is the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track only for AI specialists? No. While the track is named for AI and technology, it sits within the broader ONE Pass framework for top tech talent. It targets leaders and innovators across the technology sector, with AI explicitly called out because of the current global contest for that expertise. The defining factors are the remuneration threshold and the qualifying-organisation criteria, not a narrow job title.
Can a candidate apply without a job offer? A defining feature of the ONE Pass is that it is personalised and does not require a Singapore employer to sponsor the application in the way the Employment Pass does. This is part of what makes it attractive to senior talent and founders. Employers should still confirm the exact documentation MOM requires for the AI and Tech track when details are released.
How does vested equity get assessed? The new track allows vested equity such as ESOP and ESOW to count toward the S$30,000 total monthly remuneration when combined with a base cash salary of at least S$22,500. The key word is vested — unvested grants are unlikely to count. Employers should ensure equity arrangements are documented and verifiable so candidates can substantiate the figure.
Should we wait until 2027 to plan? No. The criteria are known now, even if application mechanics are not. Mapping your 2027 senior-hire pipeline against the new bar today lets you structure offers, equity, and fallback routes deliberately rather than under time pressure.
The ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track is a clear statement of intent: Singapore wants to be a magnet for the people building the next generation of artificial intelligence and deep technology. By raising the headline bar to S$30,000, gating eligibility to well-capitalised tech organisations, and — for the first time at this tier — recognising vested equity as part of qualifying pay, MOM has designed a pass that fits how elite tech talent is actually hired and compensated. For employers, the winners will be those who start planning during the runway rather than reacting at launch. Map your pipeline, structure your equity, and prepare your fallback routes now. If you would like help navigating Singapore's evolving work pass landscape, Mavenside's team is here to guide your strategy.
This article is based on MOM's Committee of Supply 2026 announcements (3 March 2026) as reported by MOM and corroborated by immigration and HR advisory sources including KPMG, Fragomen, Erickson Immigration Group, Human Resources Online, and corporate-services advisers, accessed June 2026. Figures reflect the criteria announced for the new track and current rules for comparison passes. Because MOM will publish detailed application procedures and transition rules closer to the January 2027 launch, readers should verify exact conditions with MOM or a licensed immigration adviser before acting.
