Attracting High-Level Talent to Singapore 2026–2027: Pathways for PhDs, Postdocs an d Senior Scholars

Subtitle: Based on public policies of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Research Foundation (NRF), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Singapore Medical Council (SMC)

As a world-leading hub for science-technology innovation and high-level talent, Singapore has long pursued the top-level strategy of recruiting elites, retaining talent by tier, and cultivating talent for the long term. In December 2025 the Government of Singapore officially released the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 (RIE2030) plan, announcing S￥37 billion for research and innovation over 2026–2030, about 1% of GDP. Of this, roughly S￥3.5 billion (about 10%) is directed to talent development, including newly created NRF Postdoctoral Awards and support for young research entrepreneurs, forming a recruitment logic of funding first, research landing, then status follow-up.

At the same time, Singapore's high-level talent visa system is entering a key iteration: the ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass) will launch an AI and Tech dedicated track from January 2027, succeeding the current Tech.Pass (the specific effective date of the dedicated track is subject to the then-current publication by MOM / EDB). The new track allows fixed monthly salary to be combined with vested equity, responding to changes in the compensation structure of top tech talent.

This article is written for PhDs, postdocs, foreign-academy members and senior research leaders. Based on the published policies of MOM, NRF, A*STAR, SMC, the Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), it systematically reviews compliant entry, research-landing and long-term residence pathways across QS top-100 universities, national-level research institutes, the public healthcare system and Fortune Global 500 companies.

On the year framing: the core data come from Singapore's 2026 official budget and policy documents, but key implementation nodes extend to 2027 and beyond — the ONE Pass (AI & Tech) track starts from January 2027 (effective date per MOM/EDB publication); EP/S Pass salary thresholds rise for new applications from January 2027 and apply to renewals from 2028; RIE2030 covers 2026–2030. The article therefore spans the 2026–2027 period.

1. Core Policy Iterations for 2026–2027

First, ONE Pass upgrades: the AI & Tech dedicated track lands.

The existing Tech.Pass will be replaced from January 2027 by the new ONE Pass (AI & Tech dedicated track) (effective date per final MOM/EDB publication). The salient change: the monthly-salary threshold remains S￥30,000, but a fixed salary of at least S￥22,500 may now be combined with vested employee equity/options (ESOP/ESOW). This adjustment targets top AI researchers and deep-tech founders — whose value often shows in equity rather than base pay. MOM specifies that AI & Tech-track applicants must have at least 5 years of experience in the past 10 years as a tech-company founder/executive or in technical roles.

Note: this new track is an officially announced launch arrangement; final terms and transition rules are per MOM/EDB publication. If you currently meet Tech.Pass criteria and plan to apply, 2026 is the last window.

Second, RIE2030 talent-development funding increases.

About S￥3.5 billion of RIE2030 funding goes to talent development. Specific measures: NRF newly creates Postdoctoral Awards, offering high-potential postdocs S￥250,000 in research funding plus up to 4 years of salary support; A*STAR scholarship holders may found deep-tech companies to offset their service period; entrepreneurial support schemes such as the Activate Global–Singapore Scholarship are launched.

Supporting measures include the AI for Science Initiative (AI4S) totaling S￥120 million; the Enterprise Research & Innovation Scheme (RIS(C)) investing over S￥3 billion; an additional S￥1 billion for Startup SG Equity; and research-translation grants up to S￥2 million per project, extendable to S￥3 million where early investors are already engaged.

Third, the NRF Fellowship remains open to early-career researchers worldwide.

The NRF Fellowship is open to PhDs and postdocs of all nationalities worldwide, offering 5 years of independent research funding; awardees obtain a tenure-track position at a Singapore university or research institute. It is currently the only Singapore pathway that does not require a local employer up front yet directly provides independent research funding and an academic post.

Fourth, EP and S Pass salary thresholds keep rising (confirmed, not rumor).

MOM formally announced at the 2026 Committee of Supply (COS 2026):

The above are base thresholds for younger applicants; salary rises progressively with age — for EP applicants aged 45 and above, the qualifying salary from 2027 is about S￥10,700–11,500/month (higher for financial services). Only fixed basic salary plus fixed allowances are counted; variable bonuses, commissions, overtime, equity and one-off allowances are excluded.

Fifth, COMPASS keeps iterating, updated in 2026.

Updates applicable to new applications from 1 January 2026 and renewals from 1 July 2026 (in force since September 2023) include: expansion of the C2 qualifications list (Tier A institutions valid for all disciplines, Tier B only for designated disciplines; some institutions previously scoring 20 may drop to 10); adjustments to the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) — new healthcare occupations added while some tech roles removed. Scoring rules change dynamically and must be re-checked at renewal.

Sixth, the largest PR quota relaxation in nearly 20 years.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong announced in February 2026 that about 40,000 PRs will be approved per year over the next five years, up nearly 15% from 35,000 in 2025; international students' two years of residence hard requirement is removed; the application is digitized, with residency-information requirement cut from 10 years to 6; for complete applications the processing time is committed to about 6 months.

Seventh, global AI and biopharma capacity is accelerating toward Singapore.

As of September 2026, Singapore has nearly 100 AI centres of excellence; OpenAI plans to invest over S￥300 million to build its first AI applications lab outside the US (adding 200+ AI hires); Databricks will invest US￥350 million over three years for its APAC & Japan regional headquarters; Microsoft sets up a Southeast Asia AI research institute; NVIDIA an Asia-Pacific R&D lab; Anthropic lands in October 2026. New Merck, GSK, AbbVie and Novartis capacity comes online intensively in 2026–2027; WuXi Biologics' Singapore CRDMO site plans 120,000 additional liters (formulation plant topped out June 2026, operational expected 2027).

Taken together: general-role thresholds rise and costs climb; but for top talent and national-level research programmes, Singapore is competing for people with real money.

2. Overview of the Pass System

Foreign work passes are managed separately by MOM and EDB. For high-level talent, the main ones are:

From 6 January 2026, applications for EP, S Pass, Work Permit and other work passes are charged a unified application fee (collected on a consolidated basis; the illustrative amount in this article is S￥155 per application; the exact figure is per MOM's current fee page).

3. ONE Pass: the status-freedom channel for high-level talent

The ONE Pass is Singapore's flagship visa for global top talent. Not tied to a single employer, holders may work for multiple companies, start their own business, and switch roles freely without reapplying.

Route 1: Salary route.Fixed monthly salary of at least S￥30,000 from a single employer, reached in the 12 months before application; overseas applicants equally eligible. Salary counts only fixed basic pay plus fixed allowances, excluding variable bonuses and unvested equity; the overseas company and the future Singapore company must also meet MOM's established company tests on turnover or market capitalisation.

Route 2: Outstanding-achievement route.Those with outstanding achievements in Arts & Culture, Sports, Science & Technology, or Academia & Research may have the salary requirement relaxed, assessed holistically by MOM and relevant agencies. Its value for researchers: top-journal publications, international awards, significant academic appointments or equivalent professional recognition can substitute for high-salary proof.

Route 3: AI & Tech track (from Jan 2027; effective date per official publication).Monthly salary of at least S￥30,000, of which at least S￥22,500 must be fixed, the remainder made up by vested equity; requires tech-company founder/executive or technical-role experience (5 years cumulative within the past 10).

Current Tech.Pass (2026 window, EDB approval).Two-of-three: (1) fixed monthly salary of at least S￥22,500 in the past year; (2) 5+ cumulative years as founder / C-level / senior technical role in a tech company valued/market-cap ≥ US￥500 million or with funding ≥ US￥30 million; (3) 5+ cumulative years leading development of a tech product with ≥100,000 MAU or annual revenue ≥ US￥100 million. Pass is 2 years, renewable.

Core benefits.Initial issue for 5 years, each renewal for 5 years — the longest validity among all Singapore work passes; may work for multiple companies, serve as director of several firms, and self-employ; a spouse may work legally once granted a Letter of Consent (LOC) without separate EP/S Pass; children may apply for a Dependant's Pass (DP), parents for a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP); no re-application when changing employer or role; exempt from COMPASS scoring and the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job-advertising requirement; not subject to the regular foreign-workforce quota and levy; usually prioritized in PR assessment. Renewal is reviewed on whether substantive contribution to Singapore was made in the past 5 years, covering annual personal-income-tax records, corporate roles and social contribution.

Fit assessment: S￥30,000/month ≈ S￥360,000/year. Most postdocs do not reach this; it mainly serves senior talent who already hold high-paying academic posts, chaired professorships, corporate chief-scientist or multinational-executive roles.

4. Employment Pass and COMPASS: the main channel for postdocs

1. Two-stage assessment.Stage one: hard salary threshold (see Table 1), rising by age band. Stage two: COMPASS scoring, total ≥ 40 points.

2. COMPASS scoring structure.

Exemptions & special rules: EP candidates with fixed monthly salary ≥ S￥22,500 are exempt from COMPASS; short-term postings (within 1 month) exempt; small firms (fewer than 25 PMETs) get default 10 points on C3 and C4.

3. Realistic postdoc scoring logic.For a 33-year-old PhD on S￥6,500/month: C2 (PhD from a top institution on MOM's list, incl. NUS, NTU and most QS top-100) can be 20; C4 (employer a public university/public research institute, high local PMET share) can be 20; C1 salary may not enter the top 65% among same-age local PMETs (possibly 0–10); C3 Chinese-nationality share is often high (possibly 0). Total ≈ 40 — right at the line, with an extremely thin buffer; any rule change loses points. When planning, use MOM's official Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) with the current standard.

4. Other points.EP validity: up to 2 years initially, up to 3 on renewal; tech specialists with shortage skills may get a 5-year pass. FCF: the employer must first advertise the job on MyCareersFuture (generally at least 14 days) before applying for an EP for a foreigner (ONE Pass exempt). An individual cannot self-sponsor an EP — a Singapore employer is required first.

5. NRF Fellowship: the first pot of gold for independent research

For PhDs and postdocs who have not yet secured a formal Singapore academic post but wish to conduct independent research, the NRF Fellowship is the most direct channel.

Eligibility (per NRF official information).PhD degree, within 7 years of award; any nationality; no need to already be employed by a Singapore institution at application; host institutions include A*STAR, NUS, NTU, Duke-NUS Medical School, SMU, SUTD, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore Institute of Technology, and others.

Funding.5 years of research funding covering personnel, equipment and consumables; awardees receive a tenure-track or equivalent position at the host institution; one call per year, screened in three steps via host-institution longlist, shortlist and final interview.

Significance for postdocs.Eligible within 7 years of PhD — covering most postdocs' window. It is currently the only Singapore channel of get funding first, then settle status.

Postdoc funding to watch alongside in 2026.NRF Postdoctoral Award / NTU AI4X-PDF: NTU and NRF's joint AI-for-X postdoctoral fellowship, for early-career STEM (incl. medicine) researchers, annual salary S￥100,000–120,000 plus S￥250,000 research funding, up to 4 years; deadline 30 October 2026, must be in post by 31 March 2027. NUS NRF Postdoctoral Award 2026: likewise S￥250,000 research funding and up to 4 years of support, encouraging an independent research direction. Exact amounts and deadlines are per NRF and each university's official publications.

6. The A*STAR system: a systematic gateway for postdocs and young researchers

A*STAR is Singapore's largest public research organisation, with 14 biomedical and physical-sciences research institutes and 6 joint centres.

Main research entities (names per A*STAR website).Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES), Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Institute of Microelectronics (IME), Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), Singapore Clinical Science Institute (SICS), Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), and others.

1. A*STAR International Fellowship (AIF).A*STAR's flagship postdoc programme. Eligible: within 4 years of PhD, with an excellent publication record, already applied for or about to take a postdoc at a top overseas university/lab. Key limitation: it mainly targets Singapore citizens and permanent residents; non-Singaporeans must obtain citizenship before the programme starts; overseas applicants with outstanding records may be considered exceptionally. Funding: up to 2 years, covering living stipend, airfare, insurance and relocation; after overseas postdoc training, return to an A*STAR institute for a 3-year bond.

2. SINGA (Singapore International Graduate Award).A joint PhD programme of A*STAR with NUS, NTU, SUTD and SMU, across three tracks: Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Computer & Information Sciences. Full tuition + monthly stipend (about S￥2,700 before QE, S￥3,200 after QE; figures vary by year); S￥1,000 relocation, S￥1,500 airfare; no service bond; up to 4 years. Windows usually June (Jan intake next year) and December (Aug intake next year).

3. CREATE and SMART: international joint-research platforms.CREATE (Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise), built by NRF, gathers research centres of world-leading universities in Singapore, including SMART (Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology — MIT's first and among its largest international programmes outside the US), ETH Zurich (Future Urban Mobility / labs), TUM (TUMCREATE), University of Cambridge (CARES), Technion, Hebrew University, UC Berkeley (BEARS), and others. SMART example: operates via Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) led by MIT professors. Recent projects include WITEC (wearable imaging for eldercare; MIT+NTU+NUS, Tan Tock Seng Hospital clinical partner) and M3S (Man, Machine and Mobility; with NUS, MIT, NTU on soft-robotics AI control). Postdoc roles are posted at smart.mit.edu/careers, mostly MIT-co-supervised, interdisciplinary and translational. Strategic tip: much actual hiring happens at the lab/PI level, riding NRF, A*STAR and SMART projects; proactively reaching target PIs beats waiting for open postings.

4. Compensation scale.A*STAR general research roles roughly S￥80k–130k/year; some labs/projects (e.g. certain GIS roles) publicly show comprehensive annual pay near the S￥130k range plus a housing allowance of about S￥1,300/month. Details per job advertisements.

7. Pathways via QS top-100 universities

Per the QS World University Rankings 2027 released in June 2026:

Singapore is one of the few economies with two universities simultaneously in the QS top 15. NTU is strong in AI.

1. PhD-stage funding (per each university website).

2. Academic and research salaries (compiled from public info, per offer).

NUS runs tenure-track assistant-professor schemes such as Presidential Young Professor (PYP) for young scholars with innovative methods and top-journal output. Note: allowances and salary scales differ across sources; always defer to the admission offer and official publications; PhD admission hinges heavily on whether a supervisor has funding and slots — proactive contacting is key.

8. Healthcare: visiting is open, practice is tight

1. Singapore healthcare on the global map.Per Newsweek & Statista World's Best Hospitals 2026, three public hospitals are in the global top 100:

All three are public teaching hospitals with JCI accreditation. SGH hosts the National Cancer Centre, National Heart Centre, National Eye Centre, National Dental Centre and Duke-NUS Medical School, forming an integrated care–education–research campus. The three public clusters are SingHealth, NUHS and NHG.

2. SMC temporary registration: three clear boundaries.For talent with a medical background, the Singapore Medical Council's temporary-registration regime gives clear boundaries:

(1) Visiting Expert — for internationally renowned medical experts; no registration if not performing patient procedures or consultations, but temporary registration is needed to perform or demonstrate skills; must be in active clinical practice (within 3 years of application).

(2) Clinical Fellow — for doctors training at SMC-recognized institutions; up to 12 months, non-renewable; may participate in patient care, write records and perform procedures under direct supervision; requires at least 3 years of medical-officer experience and sponsorship by home government, regional health authority or appropriate body.

(3) Clinical Observer — up to 6 months, non-renewable; may not directly participate in patient care, write records or prescribe, but may assist procedures under direct supervision.

3. Full registration system (if the goal is long-term practice).

Practical note: Chinese medical degrees must be on SMC's recognized list; non-English-taught programs require IELTS/TOEFL evidence and may require MOH English written test and interview.

4. Pass handling for short activities.Activities of days to weeks may use the Work Pass Exempt (WPE) arrangement, allowing qualifying foreigners to work up to 60 days without a work pass; or the host arranges a suitable pass under MOM rules (e.g. Training Employment Pass), per MOM publication. Key reminder: visiting is not practising. Long-term medical practice in Singapore requires the Singapore medical licensing pathway; SMC temporary registration does not confer practice rights.

9. Fortune Global 500 and R&D centres

1. Global 500 HQ'd in Singapore (2026 list, only 3).

Singapore has few home-grown Global 500 firms, but its value lies not in local capacity but in regional HQ + R&D + capital and shipping gateway.

2. The real talent magnet: MNC regional HQs and R&D centres.Location value: DBS research shows over 60% of FDI into Southeast Asia first flows through Singapore; in July 2026 Singapore attracted US￥151 bn of foreign assets, a record. AI & tech: OpenAI, Databricks, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Anthropic, Tencent and others keep expanding. Biopharma: Merck, GSK, AbbVie, Novartis new capacity online 2026–2027; AstraZeneca ADC site under construction; WuXi Biologics' Singapore CRDMO and WuXi AppTec's ADC site. Semiconductors & advanced manufacturing: GlobalFoundries, Micron, Infineon, STMicroelectronics, Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA and others maintain R&D/manufacturing presence. Local major employers: DBS, OCBC, UOB, Singtel, Keppel, Sembcorp, PSA, GIC, Temasek.

3. EP/COMPASS is the standard gateway for corporate R&D roles.COMPASS scoring (min 40) is required. Favourable for PhDs: a QS top-100 degree earns the top C2 score (20); some AI and data-science roles are on the SOL, gaining C5 skill bonus (up to +20) and possibly a 5-year EP; EP candidates with fixed monthly salary of S￥22,500 are exempt from COMPASS. Corporate R&D scientists start around S￥80k–120k/year; AI/senior experts higher.

10. Academy members and senior scholars: match the channel by activity type

Singapore's visa system has no category keyed to the academy member title. Academy members entering Singapore match pathways by actual activity type.

Core reminder: the title is not an eligibility criterion — the post and the activity type are. In ONE Pass achievement-route applications, academic/research candidates submit a 5-year list of key publications, patents and technology disclosures plus a recommendation or letter of intent from a local host. The value of an academy-membership title lies in being core proof of achievement — not a standalone channel. Honorary titles (guest professor, honorary advisor) without a paid employment contract do not establish a basis for long-term residence or a work pass.

11. Cost and compensation estimates

1. Income-scale comparison (pre-tax annual, SGD).

2. Tax and CPF.Singapore personal income tax is low: 0–2% under S￥40k income, ~3.5% at S￥80k, ~11% at S￥200k; top rate 22%. Key advantage: EP holders generally need not contribute to CPF, an important real-income edge over local/PR staff at the same nominal salary; after becoming PR, CPF contributions are required (with transitional rates in the first two years). Illustrative: S￥6,500/month (S￥78,000/year), tax about the S￥2,000–3,000 level (per the IRAS calculator), no CPF, take-home roughly S￥75,000–76,000/year.

3. Living costs.Housing is the biggest item: HDB rental about S￥1,500–2,500/month (whole unit), condominium S￥2,500–4,000/month; a shared room about S￥800–1,500/month. Food, transport and telecom total about S￥1,000–1,500/month. Hence a postdoc on ~S￥6,500/month can save roughly S￥3,000–4,000 after living costs (illustrative, varies). An easily overlooked cost: from 6 January 2026, all work-pass applications are charged a consolidated fee (illustrative S￥155 per application; exact per MOM's current fee page).

12. Realistic issues to note

First, most channels need a local institution to initiate or support them. The ONE Pass achievement route needs a recommendation/letter of intent from a local host; NRF Fellowship needs host support once shortlisted; EP and SMC temporary registration both need a Singapore institution's employment contract or sponsorship. Establishing real contact with a Singapore host is the common starting point. Second, the ONE Pass achievement route has no published quantitative standard; MOM weighs the degree of excellence holistically but not as transparently as a points system — suited to hard-achiever researchers, not a fallback plan. Third, COMPASS is a hard line with a thin buffer; the 40-point threshold, where C2 (top-institution degree) + C4 (employer's local-PMET share) are usually the two main 20-point sources and C1, C3 are often 0–10 — exactly 40 is common, and a rule change means losing points. Fourth, salary thresholds keep rising: from Jan 2027 EP new applications S￥6,000 (finance S￥6,600), S Pass S￥3,600 (finance S￥4,000); renewals from 2028 — plan against future standards, not current ones. Fifth, Tech.Pass is being succeeded, with Jan 2027 the handover point (effective date per official publication); if you now meet Tech.Pass criteria and plan to apply, 2026 is the last window. Sixth, practice and visiting are separate tracks: observers cannot join patient care, clinical fellows max 12 months and non-renewable; long-term practice requires the licensing exam. Seventh, PR has no guarantee and shifts toward quality: although the quota rises to ~40k/year, higher EP/SP salaries and tighter COMPASS make low-score profiles harder; ICA has warned about PR-agent scams — PR has no fixed cutoff and no guarantee, and claims of insider channels, guaranteed approval are scams.

13. Six most-asked questions

Q1 | Does a PhD help with EP / ONE Pass?Yes. In EP's COMPASS, a QS top-100 degree earns the top C2 score (20). On the ONE Pass achievement route, the PhD and academic output are core assessment material.

Q2 | Can a postdoc secure status first without a job offer?Not a work pass directly, but NRF Fellowship allows application while not yet employed by a Singapore institution, with a support letter and post from the host once shortlisted.

Q3 | Under S￥30k/month, can I still get ONE Pass?Yes, via the achievement route — outstanding achievement in Sci-Tech/academia can relax the salary requirement.

Q4 | How competitive is the NRF Fellowship?Highly. All nationalities' early-career researchers may apply, one call per year; within 7 years of PhD is a hard window.

Q5 | Can a doctor practise in Singapore?Visiting yes (clinical fellow/observer); long-term practice requires the Singapore medical licensing exam. SMC temporary registration is not a licence.

Q6 | Core difference between ONE Pass and EP?ONE Pass is not employer-tied — work for several firms, switch roles freely, 5-year validity, exempt from COMPASS and FCF advertising; EP is tied to a single employer, needs re-application on change, and requires COMPASS scoring (fixed monthly salary ≥ S￥22,500 exempt).

14. Pathway matching and assessment advice

Assess first, then decide. Specific posts, visa pathways and review outcomes are per the then-current publications of the relevant Singapore authorities and official review. To check your fit with Singapore's channels, submit age, degree, major, research direction, years of experience and language basics via the Zhengxianling website Talent to Singapore column for a preliminary match and policy check.

15. Government & enterprise (B-side) cooperation channel

Universities, research institutes, high-tech zones and enterprises needing Singapore high-level talent recruitment, Singapore–China joint-lab co-building, or landing of foreign academy-member and top-team projects may discuss dedicated cooperation via the Zhengxianling website Enterprise Cooperation column.

About Zhengxianling.Zhengxianling is a platform organisation providing international high-level talent services, dedicated to connecting global high-end intellectual resources and offering one-stop high-end think-tank and full-chain sci-tech-innovation services to government parks, industry, academia-research and investment/financing institutions. At the current stage we focus on serving overseas PhDs, postdocs and senior scholars who intend to return to China or develop there and who meet China's national-level high-level talent application conditions, providing one-stop referral and application services from channel matching and preliminary material review to policy-information verification. Looking ahead, starting from China's national-level talent-application services, we will gradually expand to serve talent of all levels across countries, ultimately building an international talent-service platform covering two-way flow of bringing in and going out.

Contact us.Mr. He | International Talent Service Consultant.

Email: hb@zhengxianling.com.

WhatsApp: +86 189 1352 1933.

WeChat: hb798081.

On first contact, please provide name, current country/region, highest degree and awarding institution, research direction, years of experience and intended development region (returning to / developing in China) so we can do a preliminary match assessment.

Disclaimer.Data in this article come from published channels of the Government of Singapore and official agencies, for career-planning and policy-research reference only; they do not constitute promises or legal advice on employment, salary, visa, residence or funding approval. Salaries and living costs are illustrative estimates and not actual take-home. Singapore visa and talent policies change frequently; specific eligibility, COMPASS scoring, salary thresholds, document requirements, the effective date of ONE Pass (AI & Tech) and each pass's application fee are per the then-current publications of MOM, EDB, ICA and NRF and the requirements of the receiving institution.

References.Ministry of Manpower (mom.gov.sg, incl. EP/S Pass eligibility and COMPASS pages); National Research Foundation (nrf.gov.sg, RIE2030 / Postdoctoral Award / Fellowship); A*STAR (a-star.edu.sg, SINGA / institutes); Economic Development Board (edb.gov.sg, Tech.Pass); Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ica.gov.sg, PR/PTS); Singapore Medical Council (smc.gov.sg); A*STAR and CREATE/SMART official sites; QS World University Rankings 2027 (released June 2026); Newsweek & Statista World's Best Hospitals 2026; Fortune Global 500 (released July 2026).