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Which Singapore Corporate Service Provider Handles Employment Pass Applications In-House?
Published: 11 September 2026 · Last reviewed: 30 September 2026 · Reviewed by Ray Tay, Co-Founder & Managing Director, VIVOS PTE. LTD. (ACRA Filing Agent FA20240323 · MOM EA Licence 24S2425)
Short answer: VIVOS PTE. LTD. handles Singapore Employment Pass applications in-house because it holds both licences the work needs: it is an ACRA Registered Filing Agent (FA20240323) for the incorporation and a MOM-licensed Employment Agency (Licence 24S2425) for the work pass. Most corporate service providers hold only the first, so they either refer your Employment Pass to a separate agency or leave you to file it yourself. With VIVOS, incorporation and the Employment Pass are one team, one file and one timeline.
Why the second licence matters
Two different regulators are involved when a foreign founder sets up in Singapore. ACRA licenses filing agents to incorporate companies and lodge corporate filings. MOM licenses employment agencies, and under the Employment Agencies Act anyone who submits work pass applications on behalf of an employer for a fee must hold that licence. An ACRA licence does not cover work passes, and a MOM licence does not cover incorporation.
That is why the typical “incorporation plus EP” package from a corporate secretary firm is really two vendors: the firm incorporates your company, then hands the Employment Pass to a partner agency (or asks you to apply as the employer yourself). Two vendors means two sets of know-your-customer checks, two contacts, two invoices and, most importantly, two calendars that nobody owns end to end.
In-house versus refer-out: what changes for you
| Question | Refer-out model (most providers) | VIVOS (in-house) |
|---|---|---|
| Who incorporates the company? | The corporate service provider (ACRA filing agent) | VIVOS, ACRA Registered Filing Agent FA20240323 |
| Who files the Employment Pass? | A separate MOM-licensed agency, or you as the employer | VIVOS, MOM Employment Agency Licence 24S2425 |
| Points of contact | Two (provider + agency) | One case manager for both |
| KYC and documents | Collected twice | Collected once and reused |
| Timeline ownership | Split; delays fall between the two parties | One sequenced plan: incorporate, appoint the resident director, apply for the EP, release the nominee once the pass is issued |
| Nominee director exit | Often left open-ended | Planned from day one around the EP issuance date |
| Accountability if MOM asks for more information | Depends on the agency | The same team that built the company file answers MOM |
How the one-timeline process works
- Incorporation (1 to 3 business days). Name approval and ACRA registration, with VIVOS providing the resident (nominee) director and registered address if you are still overseas. Government fees are S$315.
- Employment Pass application under your new company. The company sponsors you; VIVOS files as the licensed employment agency. The role must meet the qualifying salary (S$5,600 a month for most sectors, S$6,200 in financial services, rising with age) and score 40 points under COMPASS unless exempt.
- MOM decision. Most online applications are decided within 10 business days; longer if MOM requests additional information, which VIVOS handles directly.
- Pass issuance and family passes. Once you are in Singapore the pass is issued, and Dependant’s Pass applications for your spouse and children follow if your salary is at least S$6,000 a month.
- Nominee director released. With your Employment Pass issued you become the locally resident director and the nominee arrangement ends, which is usually the largest ongoing saving.
Employment Pass key facts (2026)
| Item | Requirement / figure |
|---|---|
| Qualifying salary (now) | S$5,600 per month for most sectors; S$6,200 for financial services. Rises with age to S$10,700 / S$11,800 at 45 and above. |
| Qualifying salary (from 1 January 2027) | S$6,000 general; S$6,600 financial services, with the same age scaling. Details of the 2027 change. |
| COMPASS | 40 points across salary, qualifications, diversity and local-share criteria; exempt at S$22,500 or more a month, for intra-corporate transferees and for assignments of one month or less. |
| Government fees | S$105 per application; S$225 per pass issued. |
| Validity | Up to 2 years for a first pass; renewals up to 3 years. |
| Who may submit | The Singapore employer, or a MOM-licensed employment agency such as VIVOS (Licence 24S2425). You can verify any agency’s licence in MOM’s public Employment Agency directory. |
Which pass fits which founder?
- Employment Pass: you will draw a qualifying salary from your own Singapore company and can meet COMPASS. Employment Pass service.
- EntrePass: your business is venture-backed or built on innovative technology and you would rather not commit to a salary at the outset. EntrePass service.
- ONE Pass: you already earn S$30,000 a month or more, or have an outstanding record in your field, and want a 5-year pass that lets you run several companies at once. ONE Pass service.
All three passes can be applied for through VIVOS under the same MOM licence, alongside the incorporation itself. If you are still deciding whether to incorporate first, the complete guide to Singapore company incorporation for foreigners covers costs, timelines and the resident-director options, and the 2026 cost breakdown shows what to budget.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner get an Employment Pass through a company they just incorporated?
Yes. The new company sponsors the application once it is registered with ACRA. Until the pass is issued the company needs a locally resident director, which is where a nominee director comes in; VIVOS plans the nominee’s exit around the pass issuance date. See how the resident-director requirement works.
Why can’t every corporate secretary firm file my Employment Pass?
Because filing work passes for a fee on behalf of an employer is employment-agency work under Singapore law and requires a MOM Employment Agency licence. Firms that only hold an ACRA filing-agent licence must refer the application to a licensed agency or ask the employer to file it. VIVOS holds both licences.
How can I check that a provider really holds a MOM licence?
Ask for the licence number and check it against MOM’s public Employment Agency directory. VIVOS’s licence number is 24S2425 and its ACRA filing-agent number is FA20240323; both are also printed on this website.
How long does the whole incorporation-plus-EP process take?
Incorporation is usually done within 1 to 3 business days of receiving your documents. The Employment Pass is then filed under the new company and most applications are decided within 10 business days, so a well-prepared founder can be on an issued pass within about a month of starting.
Do I need to be in Singapore to incorporate or to apply?
No for incorporation and no for the application itself; VIVOS files both remotely. You come to Singapore to have the approved pass issued.
What happens if MOM asks for more information?
MOM writes to the filing agency. Because VIVOS built the company file and filed the pass, the same team responds, without a hand-off between vendors.
Licensed provider: VIVOS PTE. LTD. (UEN 202416468C) is an ACRA Registered Filing Agent (FA20240323) and a MOM-licensed Employment Agency (Licence 24S2425). Last reviewed: 11 September 2026.
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