Master prompt
Employment Pass (EP) COMPASS framework — 40 points minimum
EP COMPASS framework strategy: 4 foundational + 2 bonus criteria, 40-point minimum. Indian IT services cohort concentration penalty.
SingaporeEmployment PassEPCOMPASSMOM
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- 1.You click Open in ChatGPT or Open in Claude.
- 2.The AI introduces itself and asks 7 questions one at a time (see preview below).
- 3.You answer in the chat. Your AI uses the prompt to produce a draft with the regulatory anchors intact.
Build a Singapore Employment Pass (EP) strategy under COMPASS framework for [CLIENT_NAME] hired by [EMPLOYER_NAME] as [POSITION_TITLE] at S$[MONTHLY_SALARY_SGD]/month. Qualification: [QUALIFICATION]. Employer diversity: [EMPLOYER_NATIONALITY_MIX]. Sector: [SECTOR].
§1 — COMPASS FRAMEWORK (110-140 words)
Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) live from 1 September 2023 for new EP applications + 1 September 2024 for renewals. Replaces prior salary-only EP assessment. Two-step:
(1) ELIGIBILITY:
• Monthly fixed salary ≥ S$5,600 (most sectors) / S$6,200 (Financial Services) from 1 Jan 2025 [VERIFY]
• Older applicants (age 45+): higher threshold ~S$10,700+
• Acceptable qualifications
(2) COMPASS POINTS — minimum 40:
Four FOUNDATIONAL criteria (max 20 points each = max 80):
C1 — Salary (compared to sector + qualification benchmarks)
C2 — Qualifications (top-tier vs ordinary degree)
C3 — Diversity (firm's nationality mix)
C4 — Support for local employment (firm's local-PMET % vs sector)
Two BONUS criteria (max 20 + 10):
C5 — Skills bonus (Shortage Occupation List)
C6 — Strategic Economic Priorities (SEP) bonus
§2 — POINTS SCORING (140-180 words)
For each criterion: 0 / 10 / 20 points (foundational) — 0 / 10 / 20 / 10 (bonus).
C1 SALARY (compared to local PMET sector benchmark):
• ≥90th percentile: 20 points
• 65-90th: 10 points
• Below 65th: 0 points
For S$[MONTHLY_SALARY_SGD] in [SECTOR]: estimate percentile (MOM publishes benchmarks).
C2 QUALIFICATIONS:
• Top-tier institution (MOM-recognised list, e.g. world top 100): 20 points
• Recognised degree from accredited institution: 10 points
• No degree / unrecognised: 0 points
Indian IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, BITS Pilani, NIT Trichy/Surathkal/Warangal, top NITs: typically top-tier (20). UGC-recognised general universities: 10. Diploma-only: 0.
C3 DIVERSITY (employer's nationality concentration):
• <5% of PMETs from [CLIENT_NAME]'s nationality at [EMPLOYER_NAME]: 20 points
• 5-25%: 10 points
• 25%+: 0 points
For [EMPLOYER_NAME] with [EMPLOYER_NATIONALITY_MIX] — Indian-concentrated IT services firms typically score 0 here. This is the single biggest Indian-cohort penalty.
C4 LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SHARE:
• Firm's local PMET share ≥ sector top decile: 20
• Within average band: 10
• Below: 0
§3 — INDIAN-COHORT IT SERVICES TRAP (110-140 words)
TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, Accenture-India desk:
• C3 diversity = 0 (Indian-concentrated)
• C4 local employment = often 0 (low local PMET %)
• Need to score 40 across C1 + C2 + bonuses alone
• Often EP applications fail for these employers even at S$8,000-12,000 salary
Workarounds:
• Boost C1 to 20 (top salary percentile) → 20 + 20 (C2 top-tier degree) = 40 → barely qualifies if 0 in C3, C4
• Move to MNC client (Goldman Sachs Singapore, DBS, Stripe, Meta APAC) where C3 + C4 score better
• Wait for C5 / C6 bonus eligibility — SOL occupations (AI engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity, fintech) earn +20
Many Indian-cohort EP holders shifted to MNC employers + financial services post-2023 reform.
§4 — APPLICATION PROCESS (90-110 words)
• Employer submits via MOM EP Online portal
• Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) on MOM website to estimate COMPASS score before filing
• Documents: passport, qualification certificates + transcripts, employment contract, employer business profile, latest accounts
• Application fee: S$105 (submission) + S$225 (issuance)
• Processing: 1-8 weeks (10-day target for many cases)
• Outcome: In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter
• [CLIENT_NAME] enters Singapore on IPA; collects EP card within 30 days
• Initial duration: 2 years; renewable for up to 3 years
§5 — SALARY THRESHOLDS BY AGE + SECTOR (80-100 words)
Jan 2025 EP minimum (verify current):
• Most sectors:
- Age 23-25: S$5,600
- Age 26-35: gradual increase
- Age 45+: S$10,700+
• Financial Services:
- Higher minimums (e.g. S$6,200 base; older S$11,800)
• Special concessions for shortage occupations + strategic sectors (fintech, advanced manufacturing, AI)
Salary must be FIXED monthly (bonuses + allowances generally not counted unless guaranteed). Wage cuts during EP validity trigger re-assessment.
§6 — INDIAN-COHORT REALITY (40-60 words)
Indian EP grant rates have declined post-COMPASS for IT services concentration penalty:
• MNC + financial services + non-IT services tech: strong approval
• Indian IT services Big 4-6 employers: tougher; selective approvals
• Re-routing: target MNC clients, build top-tier degree credential, or apply ONE Pass / Personalised EP if salary supports
End with: "DRAFT EP COMPASS STRATEGY — for review by Singapore-registered HR / employment law adviser. Run COMPASS Self-Assessment Tool before submission. For Indian-cohort IT services candidates, consider whether moving to MNC employer (boosting C3 + C4) before filing is faster than fighting COMPASS at concentrated employer."How to run this: click Open in ChatGPT or Open in Claude — we copy the prompt to your clipboard and open a new chat. Paste with ⌘V (or Ctrl+V), press send, and the AI will start interviewing you. If Claude shows a “use caution” warning, click Continue — it’s a generic safety prompt for detailed instructions.