TRW & Co · Employment & Mobility
EntrePass and Founder Mobility in Singapore
The EntrePass in Singapore lets a foreign founder run a venture-backed or innovative private limited company. MOM looks for at least one innovative criterion, such as S$100,000 of investor funding, and at least 30% founder shareholding. Renewals then test real spending and local hiring, so the pass becomes a growth plan, not a one-off filing.
Key pointFrom the second renewal, MOM expects measurable Singapore footprint: S$100,000 in annual business spending and one local workforce member, rising each cycle, so overseas hiring and outsourced teams do not count.
At a glance
Innovative criterion required
Applicants must meet one of five criteria: investor funding, incubator support, a founder track record, registered IP or a Singapore research collaboration.
S$100,000 funding test
The funding criterion requires at least S$100,000 raised in a single round from investors, for a past or current business.
30% founder shareholding
The pass holder must hold at least 30% of an ACRA-registered private limited company that is venture-backed or owns innovative technology.
Short initial validity
MOM grants a new EntrePass and the first renewal for up to one year each, and subsequent renewals for up to two years.
Family depends on business
Spouse and children need S$100,000 annual business spending and one local workforce member, or another listed condition; parents need more.
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What the EntrePass in Singapore covers
The EntrePass in Singapore is the work pass for foreign entrepreneurs who want to start and run a venture-backed or innovative business. It is issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to a founder of a Singapore private limited company, and it lets that founder live in Singapore and work in their own business without being sponsored by an employer in the usual way.
The pass is designed for growth businesses, not for every foreign-owned company. MOM looks for evidence of innovation or institutional backing: venture funding, a recognised incubator or accelerator, registered intellectual property, research collaboration or a founder's track record of building and selling a business. Many traditional trading, consulting and service businesses will not fit, and for them an Employment Pass through their own company may be the better route.
The legal questions start before incorporation. The way the company is set up, who holds the shares, how the funding is documented and which business activities are declared all feed MOM's assessment, and later the renewal tests that measure spending and local hiring.
The legal and regulatory framework
The EntrePass is a work pass under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 and its regulations. The Act's core rule applies: a foreigner may only work in Singapore under a valid pass, and false or misleading statements to MOM are offences. The company itself is governed by the Companies Act 1967 and registered with ACRA, which brings its own duties on directors, filings and registers of controllers.
MOM's EntrePass eligibility page sets the current criteria. In summary:
- The pass is open to all nationalities.
- The business must be a private limited company registered with ACRA, or one that will be registered.
- The pass holder must hold at least 30% of the registered company.
- The company must be venture-backed or own innovative technologies, shown by meeting at least one of MOM's innovative criteria.
- If the company is more than 12 months old at the date of application, MOM assesses it under the renewal criteria instead.
Certain businesses are excluded outright, including coffee shops, hawker centres and food courts; bars, nightclubs and karaoke lounges; foot reflexology and massage parlours; acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and herbal dispensing; employment agencies; and geomancy businesses. MOM retains discretion, so meeting a criterion makes the application eligible for assessment rather than guaranteeing approval.
Company law duties that run alongside the pass
Holding an EntrePass in Singapore does not reduce the founder's obligations as a director. The Companies Act requires every Singapore company to have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore, to keep statutory registers, hold annual general meetings or pass written resolutions as the constitution allows, and file annual returns with ACRA. Directors owe duties of care and good faith to the company, which matter more once outside investors hold shares.
Founders sometimes treat the company as a vehicle for the pass rather than as a business with its own governance. MOM's renewal tests, and investors' due diligence, quickly expose that approach. A well-run company, with clean records and proper governance, supports both the pass and the next funding round.
The innovative criteria in detail
An application for the EntrePass in Singapore must meet at least one of five innovative criteria. Each needs documentary evidence that a third party can verify.
| Criterion | What MOM looks for | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Funding | At least S$100,000 raised in a single round from investors, for a past or current business | Term sheet, subscription agreement, bank records, investor confirmation |
| Incubator or accelerator | Support from a government-recognised or internationally renowned programme | Programme acceptance letter and terms |
| Track record | Founded and sold a venture-backed or innovative technology business | Incorporation documents, business plan, sale and purchase agreement naming the applicant |
| Intellectual property | IP registered with an approved national IP institution, giving significant competitive advantage | Registration certificates, ownership chain, explanation of commercial relevance |
| Research collaboration | Ongoing, relevant collaboration with a Singapore institute of higher learning or research institution | Collaboration agreement and a verifying contact at the institution |
MOM names examples of recognised investors, such as SEEDS Capital and Vertex Ventures, alongside internationally renowned venture capital firms, corporates and business angels. A friends-and-family round, or a convertible note from an unknown investor, is unlikely to carry the same weight. For research collaboration, MOM states that a contract of services does not count; the applicant must be involved and the work must relate to the business.
IP is often the most misunderstood criterion. The IP must be registered, not merely applied for or held as know-how, and it should be owned by the business or clearly licensed to it. Registration through IPOS or another national office helps, but the commercial story matters just as much. Our page on patent commercialisation explains how to document ownership chains.
Check the 30% shareholding against the post-money cap table, not just today's. A founder who holds 32% before a funding round may fall below 30% after it closes, and with it fall outside MOM's expectation. Model dilution, option pools and co-founder shareholdings before choosing the EntrePass route.
Validity and renewal: spending and local hiring
MOM's EntrePass key facts state that a new pass and the first renewal are each granted for up to one year, and subsequent renewals for up to two years. Renewal is where most founders feel the pressure, because MOM measures the business's actual footprint in Singapore.
| Renewal cycle | Annual total business spending (S$) | Local workforce (LWF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | No figure set | No figure set |
| 2nd | 100,000 | 1 |
| 3rd | 200,000 | 2 |
| 4th | 300,000 | 3 |
| 5th | 400,000 | 4 |
| 6th | 700,000 | 5 |
| 10th | 1,000,000 | 9 |
| 11th | 1,150,000 | 10 |
Under MOM's renewal rules, local workforce is calculated as the number of local PMEs plus one-third of the number of local qualifying salary (LQS) employees, with up to 12 LQS employees counted. Counted PMEs must meet a basic monthly salary benchmark that MOM sets at S$3,900 in the early cycles, rising to S$4,700 from the sixth renewal. Employees must be on the company's direct payroll and have received CPF contributions for at least three months, and the company must meet the criteria when the renewal is submitted.
The intermediate cycles follow the same pattern. Read MOM's full table when planning, and treat the figures as a hiring and budget plan for the business, not just an immigration test.
Planning the first two years
Because the first pass and first renewal each last up to one year, the second renewal, with its S$100,000 spending and one local workforce target, arrives roughly two years after the founder first lands. For an early-stage company, that is a short runway. Founders who hold an EntrePass in Singapore should map, from the first month, when the first local PME or LQS hire will join, when that person's CPF contributions will have run for three months, and how the company's spending will be evidenced in accounts.
Spending that sits in a parent company abroad, or contractors paid outside Singapore, may not help. Keep Singapore costs in the Singapore company and make sure the accounts show them clearly.
EntrePass or another route?
The EntrePass in Singapore is one of several ways a foreign founder can work in their own business. The right choice depends on the business model, funding and the founder's own profile.
| Route | Key test | Fits when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| EntrePass | Innovative criteria; 30% shareholding | Venture-backed or IP-led start-up | Annual renewal at first; spending and hiring targets |
| EP through own company | Qualifying salary and COMPASS | Established business that can pay a market salary | Company must pay the declared fixed salary |
| ONE Pass | Very high salary or outstanding achievements | Proven senior leaders and top talent | High evidential bar |
| DP with Letter of Consent | Holder is a dependant of an eligible pass holder | Spouse of an EP or S Pass holder running a business | Depends on the main holder's pass |
Technology founders with an established track record may also consider EDB's Tech.Pass, which has its own criteria. Our guides to Employment Pass applications, dependant and family mobility and the Letter of Consent explain those routes in more depth.
The application process step by step
- Test the business model. Confirm the business is not on MOM's excluded list and identify which innovative criterion you can evidence most strongly.
- Structure the company. Incorporate, or plan to incorporate, a private limited company with ACRA, with the applicant holding at least 30% after any imminent funding round. See our page on company incorporation.
- Document the criterion. Assemble funding agreements, incubator letters, IP certificates or research agreements that a third party can verify.
- Prepare the business plan. Explain the product, market, funding runway and hiring plan, and show how the business will meet MOM's renewal targets.
- Submit to MOM. Apply online with the supporting documents and respond quickly to any request for clarification.
- Complete issuance. On approval, complete the issuance formalities and set up the company's bank account, payroll and compliance calendar.
- Run to the renewal plan. Track business spending, local PME and LQS hires, CPF contributions and the date the next renewal must be filed.
Documents and evidence to assemble
- Corporate records: ACRA business profile, constitution, register of members showing the founder's 30% shareholding, and directors' resolutions.
- Funding evidence: signed shareholder and subscription agreements, term sheets, and bank statements showing receipt of funds.
- Innovation evidence: incubator or accelerator agreements, IP registration certificates and assignments, or research collaboration agreements.
- Founder evidence: CV, qualifications, and for the track record route, documents of the earlier company and its sale.
- Business plan: a focused plan with market analysis, financial projections, a hiring plan and milestones.
- Renewal evidence: audited or management accounts showing total business spending, payroll records and CPF statements for local staff.
The EntrePass rewards founders who can prove momentum. Every renewal asks the same question: is this business growing in Singapore?
Risks and common mistakes
Diluting below 30% after a funding round
MOM's expectation is that the pass holder holds at least 30% of the registered company. Founders who raise successive rounds, grant large option pools or bring in co-founders can drift below that line. Before signing a term sheet, check the post-money cap table and ask whether MOM's expectation will still be met. If it will not, plan the transition to another pass, such as an Employment Pass paid by the company, before the round closes. Investors increasingly ask about founder pass status in due diligence.
Missing the spending and local workforce targets
From the second renewal, MOM expects specific annual total business spending and local workforce figures. A start-up that hires overseas developers, outsources functions or delays local hiring can fail renewal even with strong revenue. Counted local employees must be on the company's direct payroll, have received CPF contributions for at least three months and, for PMEs, meet the salary benchmark. Build the targets into the operating plan from the first year.
Relying on weak or unverifiable evidence
Funding from an investor MOM cannot identify, an incubator that is not recognised, or IP that is pending rather than registered may not satisfy the criteria. Inflated claims are worse: false statements to MOM are an offence under EFMA and can lead to the pass being revoked and the founder barred from future passes. Use evidence that a third party can confirm, and be precise about dates, amounts and ownership.
Working before the pass is issued
Founders often start working on the business while the application is pending, sometimes from Singapore on a visit pass. Doing business-building work in Singapore without a pass can breach EFMA. Some activities fall within MOM's work pass exemptions, but these are narrow. Keep Singapore activity within what a visitor may do, and see our guide to foreign directors and work rights for the boundaries.
Forgetting the family plan
Family passes for EntrePass holders depend on the business, not on salary. A spouse and children need annual total business spending of S$100,000 with one local workforce member, or another of MOM's listed conditions; parents need S$200,000 and two local workforce members. A founder who relocates the family before the business reaches these numbers may find the family has no pass. Read MOM's family rules for EntrePass holders before moving.
The cross-border angle
Many founders applying for the EntrePass in Singapore are building regional businesses with roots elsewhere.
- Bangladesh. Founders from Bangladesh often keep an operating company at home and set up Singapore as the holding or regional company. Outward investment and remittances from Bangladesh can require regulatory approval, and intercompany arrangements need transfer pricing support. Plan the group structure so the Singapore company's spending and hiring are real, not routed elsewhere.
- United Kingdom. UK founders sometimes hold IP in a UK entity. If the IP criterion is relied on, the Singapore business needs ownership or a clear licence, and UK tax consequences of moving IP should be checked.
- UAE and China. Founders moving from Dubai or mainland China should align their Singapore cap table with any existing holding structures and investor rights, and confirm how home-country foreign investment and exchange rules apply to the funding round.
- Wider ASEAN. Singapore is often the hub for teams in Vietnam, Indonesia or the Philippines. Those employees do not count towards local workforce, so the Singapore hiring plan must stand on its own.
Where the founder's home jurisdiction affects the structure, we coordinate with counsel there so the Singapore application and the group's legal position are consistent.
How TRW & Co helps
We advise founders and investors on the EntrePass in Singapore as part of company formation, fundraising and growth. Our role is advisory and coordinating: we help founders choose the right route, structure the company and evidence, and plan renewals.
Route selection and eligibility
We test the founder and business against the innovative criteria, the 30% shareholding and the excluded business list, and compare the EntrePass with the EP, ONE Pass and LOC routes.
Company and cap table structuring
We advise on incorporation, constitutions and shareholder agreements so founder shareholding and investor rights stay consistent with MOM's expectations through venture capital rounds.
Evidence and IP ownership
We review funding documents, incubator terms, IP registrations and research agreements to make sure the evidence is complete, consistent and owned by the right entity.
Renewal and growth planning
We build a renewal calendar against spending and local workforce targets and advise on hiring structures. Where Singapore court or tribunal representation is required, we work alongside Singapore-qualified counsel.
Our EntrePass guide for founders and startup founder work pass note give more background. See the full list of our practices.
Checklist for decision-makers
- Is the business outside MOM's excluded list, and which innovative criterion can we prove?
- Will the founder hold at least 30% of the company after the next funding round?
- Is the company more than 12 months old, so that renewal criteria apply to the first application?
- Is the evidence verifiable by a third party and owned by the Singapore company?
- Does the business plan show how we will meet the spending and local workforce targets for the second and later renewals?
- Are local hires on direct payroll with CPF contributions, and do PMEs meet the salary benchmark?
- Do we meet the business-based conditions for family passes before the family moves?
- Who tracks renewal dates and the evidence needed for each cycle?
To discuss an EntrePass in Singapore for your venture, contact TRW & Co at info@trw.co or visit us at 21A Duxton Hill, Singapore 089604.
Frequently asked questions
01Who is eligible for an EntrePass in Singapore?
MOM opens the EntrePass to all nationalities. The applicant must be a founder of a private limited company registered, or to be registered, with ACRA, holding at least 30% of it. The business must be venture-backed or own innovative technologies, proved by meeting at least one of five criteria: investor funding of at least S$100,000 in a single round, support from a recognised incubator or accelerator, a track record of founding and selling such a business, registered IP, or a Singapore research collaboration. Some business types are excluded.
02Is there a minimum paid-up capital for the EntrePass?
MOM’s current eligibility page does not set a paid-up capital figure. The focus is on whether the business is venture-backed or innovative, and on the founder’s shareholding. That said, the company must be able to fund its operations and, from the second renewal, meet annual business spending targets. A thinly capitalised company may struggle to evidence a credible business plan. Check MOM’s live pages before applying, as criteria are updated from time to time.
03How long is an EntrePass valid?
According to MOM, a new EntrePass and the first renewal are each granted for up to one year. Subsequent renewals can be granted for up to two years. Because the first two terms are short, founders should start preparing renewal evidence soon after the pass is issued. Each renewal is assessed against MOM’s criteria for that cycle, including annual total business spending and local workforce from the second renewal onwards, and the company must meet them at the time of submission.
04What are the EntrePass renewal requirements?
MOM publishes a table of annual total business spending and local workforce targets for each renewal cycle. The first renewal has no figure in that table. The second needs S$100,000 and one local workforce member, the third S$200,000 and two, rising to S$1,150,000 and ten at the eleventh. Local workforce counts local PMEs plus one-third of local qualifying salary employees, up to 12 of them. Employees must be on direct payroll with at least three months of CPF contributions.
05Can an EntrePass holder bring family to Singapore?
Yes, if the business meets MOM’s family conditions, which are based on the business rather than salary. For a spouse and children, the business needs annual total business spending of S$100,000 and one local workforce member, or the founder must have founded and sold two or more qualifying companies, raised more than S$2 million, or hold two or more deep tech IPs. For parents, the business needs annual total business spending of S$200,000 and two local workforce members.
06What happens if my shareholding falls below 30%?
MOM’s eligibility criteria expect the pass holder to hold at least 30% of the registered company. If a funding round, option grants or new co-founders reduce the founder’s stake below that level, the founder may no longer fit the EntrePass framework at renewal. Model the cap table before signing a term sheet. If dilution is unavoidable, consider moving to an Employment Pass sponsored by the company, which depends on salary and COMPASS rather than shareholding, and plan the timing so there is no gap in work authorisation.
07Should I choose an EntrePass or an Employment Pass?
It depends on the business and the founder. The EntrePass suits early-stage, venture-backed or IP-led companies where the founder holds a significant stake but the company cannot yet pay a large fixed salary. An Employment Pass through the founder’s own company suits established businesses that can pay the qualifying salary and pass COMPASS, and it does not depend on shareholding or innovative criteria. Traditional trading or consulting businesses usually fit the EP better. Compare renewal tests and family rules before deciding.
Sources and official materials
- EntrePass eligibility (MOM) — Company, shareholding and innovative criteria
- EntrePass key facts (MOM) — Validity of new passes and renewals
- Renew an EntrePass (MOM) — Total business spending and local workforce targets
- EntrePass passes for family (MOM) — Business-based conditions for family passes
- Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 — Statutory basis for work passes
- Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority — Company registration and filings
General information only, current as at 20 October 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer–client relationship. Singapore law and regulatory practice change; check current official sources and take advice on the facts of your matter.
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