Singapore “Special Talent Visa” (2026): What It Really Is

Published: 19 October 2026 · Reviewed by Ray Tay, Co-Founder & Managing Director, VIVOS PTE. LTD. (ACRA Filing Agent FA20240323 · MOM EA Licence 24S2425)

No. Singapore has no pass officially called a “special talent visa” or “global talent visa”. People searching for one usually mean the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass: a pass of up to 5 years that is not tied to one employer, for people earning at least S$30,000 a month in fixed salary or with outstanding achievements in their field.

Written by the VIVOS team (MOM Employment Agency Licence 24S2425) and reviewed by Ray Tay. Figures checked against the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Economic Development Board (EDB) on 16 October 2026.

Key facts (October 2026)

Question	Answer
Is there an official “special talent visa”?	No. MOM’s list of work passes has no pass with that name.
What people usually mean	The ONE Pass, Singapore’s top-tier personal work pass
ONE Pass salary test	At least S$30,000 a month in fixed salary, or outstanding achievements in arts and culture, sports, science and technology, or research and academia
ONE Pass length	Up to 5 years, renewable for 5 years at a time
Tied to one employer?	No. You can work for several companies and start or run your own.
MOM fees	S$105 to apply, S$225 when the pass is issued
Processing time	Within 4 weeks for most applications
New in 2027	A ONE Pass (AI & Tech) track opens on 28 January 2027. Tech.Pass stops taking new and renewal applications on the same date.

Why do people search for a Singapore “special talent visa”?

The phrase comes from news coverage. When Singapore announced the ONE Pass in 2022, international reports described it as a special visa to attract top talent, and the wording stuck. Other countries add to the confusion: the United Kingdom has an official Global Talent visa, so people assume Singapore must have one with the same name.

Singapore’s work passes have their own names. If you search MOM’s site for a “talent visa” you won’t find one. What you will find is a ladder of passes, and the top rung for individuals is the ONE Pass. For most founders and senior executives asking about a talent visa, the real question is which rung of that ladder they qualify for.

What is the ONE Pass, and who qualifies?

The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass is a personal pass. It belongs to you, not to an employer, which is the main difference from an Employment Pass. There are two ways to qualify:

By salary. A fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000. For applicants based overseas, MOM looks at fixed salary over the previous 12 months with one employer. Pay from two employers can’t be added together, and bonuses, allowances and shares don’t count towards the fixed salary.
By achievement. Outstanding achievements in arts and culture, sports, science and technology, or research and academia. There is no salary test on this route; MOM assesses the track record.

The pass lasts up to 5 years. MOM’s application fee is S$105 and the issuance fee is S$225, with S$30 for each Multiple Journey Visa if one is needed. Most applications are processed within 4 weeks.

What can you do on a ONE Pass that you can’t do on an Employment Pass?

Three things make the ONE Pass attractive to founders:

Work for more than one company. You can hold a role in an operating company and still sit on boards or advise others.
Start and run your own businesses. You can set up and operate one or more Singapore companies without a separate pass for each.
Your spouse can work. A spouse on a Dependant’s Pass can work in Singapore with a Letter of Consent.

The ONE Pass also sits outside COMPASS, the points test that applies to Employment Pass applications. When the pass comes up for renewal, MOM sets a separate test: an average fixed salary of at least S$30,000 a month over the 5 years, or a Singapore company you run that employs at least 5 local professionals, each paid at least the Employment Pass qualifying salary.

What changes on 28 January 2027?

Two changes take effect on the same day:

A new ONE Pass (AI & Tech) track opens. It is for senior people in artificial intelligence and technology. The salary test is still S$30,000 a month, but up to S$7,500 of it can be vested shares, so at least S$22,500 must be fixed salary. Applicants need 5 of the last 10 years as a founder, C-suite leader or senior technical lead. Their employer must meet a size test, such as a valuation of at least US$500 million or annual revenue of at least US$200 million. Start-ups qualify if they have raised at least US$30 million.
Tech.Pass closes. From 28 January 2027, EDB stops taking new and renewal applications for Tech.Pass. Current holders keep their pass until it expires. Nothing converts automatically, so a Tech.Pass holder who wants to stay longer has to qualify for another pass on its own terms.

If you are planning a move in early 2027, check which date applies to you. A Tech.Pass application that is not filed before 28 January 2027 can’t be filed at all.

What if you earn less than S$30,000 a month?

Most founders and executives moving to Singapore don’t need the ONE Pass. The usual alternatives are:

Pass	Who it suits	Key test (October 2026)	Length
Employment Pass	Professionals and founders employed by a Singapore company, including their own	S$5,600 a month (S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age to S$10,700 (S$11,800) at 45 and over; 40 COMPASS points unless paid at least S$22,500 a month	Up to 2 years, then 3-year renewals
EntrePass	Founders of an innovative start-up	A Singapore private limited company in which you hold at least 30%, plus at least one of MOM’s innovation criteria, for example at least S$100,000 raised in a single funding round	1 year, renewed for 1 year, then 2-year renewals
Personalised Employment Pass	High earners who want a pass not tied to one employer, without the ONE Pass salary	Fixed salary of at least S$22,500 a month	Up to 3 years, issued once only

The Employment Pass qualifying salary rises on 1 January 2027: to S$6,000 a month (S$6,600 in financial services), and to S$11,500 (S$12,700) at the top of the age scale. Our Employment Pass guide explains COMPASS scoring in detail, and our EP vs EntrePass vs ONE Pass comparison sets the three side by side. If you are a founder weighing the EntrePass, the EntrePass eligibility checker takes about two minutes.

Which pass should a founder apply for?

Start from your salary and your plans, not from the name of the pass:

Fixed salary of S$30,000 a month or more, and you want freedom to run several businesses: the ONE Pass. It is the closest thing Singapore has to a “talent visa”.
You will be employed by a Singapore company, including one you set up: the Employment Pass. Your own company can apply for you, but MOM looks at whether the business is real: paid-up capital, a business plan, local hiring and an office.
You are building an innovative start-up and own at least 30% of it: the EntrePass.
You work in AI or technology at a large or well-funded company: look at the ONE Pass (AI & Tech) track from 28 January 2027, or Tech.Pass before that date while it is still open.

If you are comparing Singapore with Hong Kong, the Hong Kong side works differently: its schemes include a Top Talent Pass with its own tests. Our group’s guide to Hong Kong work visa options covers them.

What most guides get wrong

They treat the “special talent visa” as a real pass. It isn’t one. The phrase is a news description of the ONE Pass from its 2022 launch.
They misread the S$30,000 test. It is fixed monthly salary, not total pay. For overseas applicants, MOM looks at 12 consecutive months with one employer. Shares only count on the AI & Tech track from 28 January 2027, and even then at least S$22,500 must be fixed salary.
They give 1 January 2027 for the Tech.Pass change. MOM and EDB give 28 January 2027, both for the new AI & Tech track and for Tech.Pass closing to applications.
They say the ONE Pass renews automatically. Renewal has its own test: an average of S$30,000 a month over the 5 years, or a Singapore company employing at least 5 local professionals.

How VIVOS can help

VIVOS is a licensed employment agency (MOM EA Licence 24S2425) and an ACRA registered filing agent. We prepare ONE Pass, Employment Pass and EntrePass applications, and set up the Singapore company behind them when one is needed. See our ONE Pass application service, or read our step-by-step guide on how to apply for the ONE Pass. To talk it through, WhatsApp us on +65 8827 7870 or email contact@vivos.com.sg.

Frequently asked questions

Does Singapore have a special talent visa or global talent visa?

No. Singapore has no pass with either name. The pass people usually mean is the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass, a personal work pass of up to 5 years for people earning at least S$30,000 a month in fixed salary or with outstanding achievements in their field.

What is the minimum salary for the ONE Pass?

A fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000. Overseas applicants need to show that salary over the previous 12 months with one employer. Applicants with outstanding achievements in arts and culture, sports, science and technology, or research and academia can qualify without the salary test.

Can I still apply for Tech.Pass in 2026?

Yes, until 28 January 2027. From that date EDB stops taking new and renewal Tech.Pass applications. Current holders keep their pass until it expires, and a new ONE Pass (AI & Tech) track opens on the same day.

Can I run my own company on a ONE Pass?

Yes. A ONE Pass holder can start and run one or more Singapore companies and work for several companies at the same time, without a separate pass for each.

What if I earn less than S$30,000 a month?

Look at the Employment Pass, which needs S$5,600 a month or more (S$6,000 from 1 January 2027) plus 40 COMPASS points, or the EntrePass if you are building an innovative start-up and own at least 30% of it. The Personalised Employment Pass needs a fixed salary of at least S$22,500 a month.