If you want to build a company on the island rather than join one, the EntrePass Singapore is the work pass designed with you in mind. It is meant for foreign entrepreneurs, innovators and experienced business owners who plan to start and actively run a venture that is registered here. Unlike passes tied to an employer offer, the EntrePass puts your own business at the centre of the application, which is why the criteria focus on what your company does, how it is funded and the value it brings to the local ecosystem.
This guide gives you a clear, practical picture of who the pass is for and how it generally works. Please treat it as background information rather than legal or immigration advice. The EntrePass is jointly assessed by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Enterprise Singapore, and the eligibility conditions, funding expectations and processes change from time to time. Always confirm the current requirements on the official MOM and Enterprise Singapore websites before you commit time or money.
Who the EntrePass is for
The EntrePass is aimed at founders whose businesses are innovative, venture backed or built on strong intellectual property or technology. In broad terms, the authorities look for companies that are more than a small trading shopfront or a lifestyle service. They tend to favour ventures that can scale, create jobs for locals over time and contribute to sectors that Singapore wants to grow, such as technology, deep science, advanced manufacturing and other knowledge intensive fields.
You do not need to be a first time founder to apply. Many applicants are serial entrepreneurs, angel investors, accelerator alumni or people with a track record of building or funding companies. Others are researchers and innovators with a promising idea and credible backing. What ties these profiles together is a genuine, active role in the business. The EntrePass is not intended for someone who simply wants to hold a passive shareholding while living here. You are expected to be involved in running the company day to day.
It is also worth being honest with yourself about stage and readiness. A polished pitch deck alone is unlikely to be enough. The strongest applications usually show real substance, whether that is committed funding, a working product, recognised incubator support, patents or a team already forming. If your venture is still only an idea on paper, it may be wiser to develop it further, or to explore other routes, before applying.
How the pass generally works
At a high level, you register or plan to register a private limited company in Singapore and then apply for the EntrePass on the strength of that business. The application is assessed against the current criteria set by MOM and Enterprise Singapore, which typically cover things such as the nature of the business, its funding or investment, its innovation or intellectual property, and your own role and experience. Because these details are updated periodically, you should read the live requirements rather than rely on figures quoted in older articles.
The pass is issued for a defined period and can usually be renewed if your business continues to meet the conditions in force at renewal. Renewals commonly look at whether the company is genuinely operating and progressing, for example whether it is spending on the business, hiring and meeting the milestones expected of it. Keeping clean records, filing your accounts and documenting your hires and spending will make renewal far smoother.
Once you hold the pass, you can generally live in Singapore and run your company. In time, and subject to separate rules, an established and growing business may open doors to other options for you and your team. None of that is automatic, so build your plans around the requirements as they stand, not around the outcome you hope for.
The table below sets out the essentials in general terms. Use it as an orientation only and confirm the specifics with the authorities.
| Item | In general terms |
|---|---|
| Who it is for | Foreign entrepreneurs, innovators and experienced founders starting and running a business here |
| Business type favoured | Innovative, venture backed or technology and intellectual property driven ventures with room to scale |
| Your role | Active, hands on involvement in running the company, not a passive shareholder |
| Assessed by | MOM together with Enterprise Singapore |
| Validity | Issued for a set period and renewable if conditions are still met |
| Renewal focus | Evidence the business is genuinely operating, spending, hiring and progressing |
Preparing a stronger application
A little groundwork goes a long way. Start by getting your company documents in order, including your business plan, your funding evidence and any proof of intellectual property, awards or incubator acceptance. Be ready to explain, in plain language, what your company does, why it is innovative and how it will grow and eventually employ locals. Vague ambitions are hard to assess, so specific milestones and credible numbers help your case.
It also pays to think about substance from day one. Opening a proper company bank account, keeping tidy financial records and showing real activity all signal that your venture is serious. If you plan to bring in co founders or early staff, understand how their own passes would work, since their eligibility is assessed separately under the relevant frameworks.
It is also worth mapping out your first year or two in advance. Set yourself concrete milestones for hiring, product progress and revenue, and keep evidence as you go, because a renewal is far easier when you can point to steady, documented progress rather than reconstruct it later. Think too about how your family might join you, since dependant arrangements are governed by their own separate rules and are worth understanding early rather than as an afterthought.
Finally, give yourself time. Gathering funding evidence, registering the company and preparing a persuasive submission cannot be rushed if you want to do it well. If your situation is complex, or a great deal is riding on the outcome, consider speaking to a qualified professional and, above all, verify everything against the current MOM and Enterprise Singapore guidance before you apply.
Explore more
Singapore Work Pass Guide
Relocating a Business to Singapore
Appealing a Rejected Work Pass
Renewing Your Work Pass
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a first-time founder with no investors qualify for the EntrePass? It is possible, but harder without visible backing. You do not need to have started a company before, yet applications generally look stronger with real substance such as committed funding, a working product, incubator support or intellectual property. Check MOM and Enterprise Singapore for the current criteria.
How is the EntrePass different from an Employment Pass? An Employment Pass depends on a job offer from an employer, while the EntrePass rests on your own business and your active role in running it. The assessment looks at the company’s innovation, funding and prospects rather than a salary. The two passes are assessed under different frameworks.
Can my spouse and children come to Singapore with me on an EntrePass? Family members may be able to join you, but dependant arrangements are governed by their own separate rules rather than automatically following the EntrePass. It is worth understanding those rules early, before you apply. MOM sets the current eligibility and conditions for dependants.
Do I have to hire local staff to renew my EntrePass? Renewal usually looks at whether your company is genuinely operating and progressing, and hiring, spending and meeting milestones are part of that picture. The exact expectations are set by MOM and Enterprise Singapore and change from time to time. Keep documented evidence of your hires and spending.
Will holding an EntrePass lead to permanent residence? Not automatically. An established, growing business may open doors to other options for you and your team, but those are subject to separate rules and assessment. Build your plans around the EntrePass requirements as they stand, and ask ICA about the current permanent residence criteria.
Official sources: Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
Further reading: Startup SG Founder Grant: Eligibility and How to Apply