EP Rejection Reasons in Singapore (2025): How to Appeal and What to Do Next

We feel you. Getting a Singapore Employment Pass (EP) rejection can be stressful.

And when you’ve already found the right candidate and planned their start date - all you want is good news.

But here’s the silver lining: a rejection from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) isn’t always a final “no”.

Many EP applications get approved later on appeal. Others go through smoothly with a well-prepared fresh application.

The key is understanding why MOM rejected the Employment Pass in the first place - and fixing those issues properly.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• the most common EP rejection reasons in Singapore

• how to appeal to MOM step by step

• what to expect from EP appeal processing time

• and what to do if your EP appeal is rejected

Let’s dive right in.

Okay, so the first thing MOM checks is your potential candidate's salary.

As of 2025, Employment Pass eligibility requires higher qualifying salaries.

Think SGD 5,600 per month for most sectors and SGD 6,200 for financial services roles.

Take note though: these are baseline figures only.

Older or more experienced candidates usually need a salary above the minimum to avoid rejection.

In any case, an EP that's rejected due to a salary issue is pretty common.

Some scenarios include:

• Salary set at or just below the qualifying minimum for the sector

• Pay that doesn’t match the candidate’s seniority or years of experience

• A very low salary compared to market rates for similar roles

If the salary looks out of line, MOM is likely to view the application as weak and reject it.

Pro tip: Before applying, use MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) or EP assessment tool to check a candidate's Employment Pass eligibility.

If, let's say, the tool suggests a low pass probability, then you can consider revising the salary package before you submit.

Perhaps you may want to work with an agency like us instead. For example, we will usually run a SAT check and advise if the salary or role should be adjusted.

That way, you won't get any nasty surprises by discovering the problem in a rejection letter.

Another big reason for EP rejections? Flunking the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS).

Since 2023, COMPASS has been a major gatekeeper for new EP applications in Singapore.

Each Employment Pass is scored across four factors:

• Salary - does the pay stack up against locals in the same sector?

• Qualifications - is the candidate’s education strong and relevant?

• Diversity - does the hire improve your company’s nationality mix?

• Support for Local Employment - what’s your track record in hiring locals?

All four contribute to the final score.

Generally, an EP needs at least 40 points out of 80. A weak score in any area can pull everything down - which almost always leads to a rejection.

Low COMPASS issues tend to follow a pattern. For example:

• Salary set right at the minimum instead of matching experience

• Degree not recognised, unverified, or unrelated to the role

• Company relying heavily on foreign staff with too few locals

If your EP is rejected due to a low COMPASS score, MOM is essentially saying: your overall “candidate + company” profile isn’t strong enough yet.

There is good news, though. If the role falls under the Shortage Occupation List (SOL), you can receive the COMPASS C5 Skills Bonus. Some companies can also earn points under Singapore’s strategic economic priorities.

Tip: Before reapplying or appealing, estimate your COMPASS score using MOM’s tools. On appeal, you’ll need to show exactly how you improved it. Maybe the salary was raised, the degree got verified, the role aligns with the SOL, or you’ve strengthened local hiring efforts. These are the levers that move the score.

It's not always a case of the candidate being weak.

Sometimes, the candidate is as strong as it gets.

But the company profile ends up being the downfall. And that’s what triggers the Employment Pass rejection.

MOM will always look closely at the hiring company’s situation.

For example (and we touched on this earlier), if your workforce is overwhelmingly foreign, that’s a problem. MOM may hesitate to approve another EP.

Weak financials or a very new business can be an issue too. If the company’s revenue, capital, or business activity looks too small - or if supporting the salary seems difficult - MOM may worry about sustainability and reject the EP outright.

Don’t underestimate compliance history either. Past issues like late salary payment, levy arrears, or a pattern of non-compliant applications can hurt credibility very quickly.

And then there’s the classic one: unpaid levy for existing S Pass or Work Permit holders.

In those cases, MOM will say, “We’re not approving a new Employment Pass until the outstanding levies get settled.” 

Which is fair.

So if you received a rejection for any of these reasons and you’re planning an appeal, get your basics in order. 

Make sure your ACRA business profile is updated. Clear any levy or CPF issues. 

When you appeal, briefly explain your business model and growth plans. Attach contracts or invoices to show genuine operations. And clarify how this EP holder will contribute to future business growth - and eventually, local hiring.

If all of this feels like a lot, you can always work with an agency like Trinity Pass to help handle the details.

This one is easily - easily - overlooked. But another big reason why MOM rejects Employment Pass applications?

Paperwork issues.

MOM officers are thorough. They compare your EP form, attached documents, and any previous submissions. If something doesn’t match, you risk an Employment Pass rejection.

Simple as that.

Some typical documentation problems include:

• Typos or incorrect biodata such as name, date of birth, or passport number

• Declaring a degree but failing to upload the certificate or verification report

• Submitting education documents in a foreign language without proper English translation

• Inconsistent job history between the CV, application form, and previous MOM records

All these may sound minor. But the truth is, they can raise doubts about accuracy - or worse, suggest misrepresentation. Not exactly what you’d want in an EP submission.

Pro tip: Before you submit or reapply, audit the entire application. Give it a good, honest look. Check every field against the passport. Ensure all declared qualifications have proper verification reports. And most importantly, make sure the CV and application tell one consistent story.

Sometimes, it’s not about what you do.

There are many cases where MOM feels the candidate simply doesn’t fit the role being applied for.

This might look like:

• A candidate with a long history in one field being hired for a completely different role. That usually raises suspicion

• A junior profile being slotted into a very senior job title. Again, not something you’d see commonly

• A job that usually requires a degree being filled by someone with no relevant qualifications - something that immediately raises question marks

• A sudden jump from a much lower previous salary to a high EP-level salary without clear justification - big red flag

From MOM’s perspective, the question is simple: why is a foreign candidate needed for this role when a local with the right background could fill it? It’s a fair question. And one you should always keep in mind.

If your Singapore Employment Pass application is rejected due to a profile mismatch, you’ll need to either adjust the role and job description to match the candidate’s actual experience or reconsider whether an EP is appropriate for this hire at all.

Receiving an EP rejection letter from MOM isn’t great. It can feel like a dead end. But in reality, it’s the start of the appeal process.

From here, you’ve got two options:

• File an EP appeal with MOM

• Submit a fresh Employment Pass application

Here’s how to decide what makes sense for your situation.

The rejection advisory will outline the exact Employment Pass rejection reasons. Whether it’s salary, COMPASS score, missing documents, or issues with your company’s track record. List each point clearly. Your appeal strategy must address every one of them.

Ask yourself: can you fix the issues quickly?

 Do you need to revise the salary, upload missing documents, or clarify something MOM might have misunderstood? Can you provide new information that wasn’t in the original application?

If yes, an appeal is worth filing.

But if the original profile was fundamentally weak - way below salary or COMPASS thresholds, for example. Or if you need to change many things at once (think role, salary, duties, even company structure), then a fresh EP application may be the better move.

It goes without saying, but before drafting any MOM appeal, you’ll want to close the gaps properly.

You definitely don’t want another Employment Pass refusal. So fix what needs fixing. Adjust the salary if required. Gather missing certificates, verification reports, affidavits, and translations.

Clear any unpaid levies. Update your ACRA profile. Prepare basic financials or contracts if MOM requests them.

And make sure nothing mismatches. Refine the job description so it accurately reflects the candidate’s real experience.

At the end of the day, if you show MOM that you’ve taken their feedback seriously, your EP appeal success rate goes up significantly.

You don’t need to have novelist-like skills to write an appeal letter. Even opening ChatGPT will do the trick. But there are a few key ingredients.

First, address MOM politely. Then identify the case clearly. Include the candidate’s name, FIN or passport number, and the application ID.

Acknowledge the rejection reason upfront. Then address each issue point by point, explaining what has changed.

Attach all supporting evidence. After that, briefly explain the candidate’s value to your company and to Singapore.

Finally, end with a straightforward request for reconsideration.

Keep the appeal letter factual, concise, and no longer than one to two pages. MOM officers handle many appeals daily. Your job is to make your case easy to review and even easier to approve.

If you’d like to submit an EP appeal, it must be filed by you as the employer. Either that or by your appointed employment agency, via EP Online or the myMOM Portal. 

Candidates cannot submit their own appeals.

Once it’s submitted, you can check the Employment Pass appeal status through the same portal used for the original application. The status will usually show as “Pending” until MOM makes a final decision.

The good news? Not too long. Most EP appeals take about 4-6 weeks.

Some straightforward cases may be approved even sooner. More complex applications, or those needing extra documents, can take longer than 8 weeks.

If MOM needs more information, they’ll email the employer or the agent with a specific request and a link to upload any additional documents.

Here are a few things worth noting:

• You cannot speed up an EP appeal by calling or visiting MOM. It won’t help, so save your time and energy.

• The candidate cannot start work until the Employment Pass is formally approved and issued. Doing so would be breaking the law.

• If the candidate is on a visit pass, make sure their stay remains valid throughout the appeal process. That part is on you.

There may be cases where your EP appeal takes longer than the usual processing time. It happens. You can follow up through MOM’s feedback channels.

But ultimately, decisions will still be made through the online system.

Sometimes, even after a well-prepared appeal, the outcome is still a “no.” When that happens, you still have options.

Depending on your situation, you might:

• File a fresh Employment Pass application later with a stronger profile

• Consider an S Pass instead, if the role and salary fit those criteria

Restructure the role or team so that a local hire can fill the position

Navigating this process can be pretty time-consuming, especially if HR or founders are juggling many priorities.

You might want to consider working with us at Trinity Pass.

For example, we:

• Review your candidate and company profile against the latest EP rules and COMPASS criteria

• Flag potential issues in advance, such as salary, company headcount mix, or documentation gaps

• Prepare or refine your EP appeal letter with the right tone and structure

• Help you respond quickly and clearly when MOM asks for more information

Our role is simple: make your applications cleaner and your appeals stronger, so you can focus on running the business while we handle the MOM side of things.