Singapore is creating a dedicated immigration lane for AI and technology talent. At Committee of Supply 2026 on 3 March 2026, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced a new ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track, set to commence in January 2027 and to replace the existing Tech.Pass. The headline change for founders and senior engineers: vested equity will count toward the qualifying salary. Here is the working version of what we tell clients.

What is changing, and when

MOM is introducing a new ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track that commences in January 2027 and offers more attractive terms than Tech.Pass, which it replaces. The track is a sub-lane within the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass, which was introduced in 2023 to attract pinnacle talent across all sectors. The new sub-track is aimed squarely at strengthening Singapore’s position as a global hub for AI and tech talent.

The core eligibility figure is a total remuneration of at least S$30,000 per month, sustained for 12 consecutive months leading up to the application date. That dollar bar matches the standard ONE Pass — but the way you may satisfy it is materially different, as set out below.

Announcement versus commencement: what MOM confirmed at COS 2026

The track was announced on 3 March 2026, but it does not take effect until January 2027 — two distinct dates that should not be conflated. The announcement came via MOM’s factsheet and the press release “Partnering Businesses and Workers to Thrive in a Changed World” at Committee of Supply 2026.

What is confirmed: the existence of the track, the S$30,000 remuneration rule, the cash-plus-equity mechanic, and the company and experience criteria. What is still pending: MOM has stated that more details on eligibility — including renewals — will be published on its website. In practice, that means the criteria below should be read as announced for January 2027 and subject to refinement before launch.

Tech.Pass is being retired for new applicants

MOM has stated the AI and Tech track “will replace the existing Tech.Pass” from January 2027. The safe reading for planning purposes is that the new track replaces Tech.Pass for new applications.

The factsheet does not set out how existing Tech.Pass holders or their renewals will be treated, nor a precise cut-off date for new Tech.Pass applications. We are not asserting any specific treatment of current holders as fact — those transition details are pending MOM publication. If you hold a Tech.Pass today or are mid-application, the practical step is to track MOM’s forthcoming guidance and plan against the new track’s terms.

The standard ONE Pass versus the new AI and Tech track

Both tracks require S$30,000 a month, but the AI and Tech track is more flexible on how that figure is composed and which firms qualify. The table below compares the two on a primary-source basis.

The S$22,500 cash + vested ESOP/ESOW mechanic, explained

The defining feature of the AI and Tech track is that vested equity counts toward the S$30,000 monthly bar. MOM’s rationale is that top AI and tech talent are often compensated through non-cash components such as Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Employee Share Ownership (ESOW). The track therefore lets applicants meet the salary criterion through a combination of cash and non-cash.

In practice, an applicant must show:

• a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500; plus
• vested non-cash components (e.g. ESOP/ESOW) that bridge the gap to S$30,000, subject to assessment by MOM.

This is a genuine departure from the standard ONE Pass, which requires the full S$30,000 in fixed salary with no equity substitution. For early-stage operators who run lean on cash but hold meaningful equity, the new track can be the difference between qualifying and not.

Company and experience criteria: who and which firms qualify

Eligibility turns on three things at once — where you work, how large or well-funded that firm is, and your track record. The applicant’s current or last-held role must be in a tech company, a tech division within a company, or a tech venture capital firm.

The employing firm must satisfy at least one of these value tests:

• valuation or market capitalisation of at least US$500 million; or
• annual revenue of at least US$200 million; or
• at least US$500 million in assets under management; or
• a tech company that has raised funding of at least US$30 million.

That US$30 million funding alternative is notably startup-friendly and is not available under the standard route. On the individual side, applicants need at least 5 cumulative years in a founder/C-suite role or a technical role (for example, Senior Software Engineer), clocked within the past 10 years.

Who should care: AI/tech founders, C-suite and senior technical hires

This track is built for senior AI and tech talent whose pay is equity-heavy — precisely the people the standard ONE Pass salary test tends to exclude. Three profiles benefit most:

• Founders relocating or expanding into Singapore who draw modest cash but hold substantial vested equity.
• C-suite leaders at funded tech companies, including those backed by VC rounds of US$30 million or more.
• Senior technical hires with five-plus years of depth whose compensation packages lean on ESOP/ESOW.

If your cash salary alone clears S$30,000, the standard ONE Pass remains open to you. Where cash sits between S$22,500 and S$30,000 and equity makes up the rest, the AI and Tech track is the lane to watch.

ONE Pass privileges that matter

As a ONE Pass sub-track, the AI and Tech lane is expected to carry the ONE Pass’s flexibility, though track-specific renewal terms are still to be published. The headline ONE Pass features are:

• validity of up to 5 years for both first-time and renewal applications;
• the ability to concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies, with no need to reapply when changing jobs;
• exemption from COMPASS and the Fair Consideration Framework job-advertising requirement; and
• no foreign-worker levy or quota.

Family matters too: a ONE Pass holder’s spouse can apply to work on a Letter of Consent, and family members can obtain dependant passes — relevant for senior hires relocating with their household. We present these as features of the ONE Pass that the new track sits under; MOM has not separately confirmed track-specific privileges or renewal terms.

How to prepare in 2026

The single most useful thing you can do this year is build a clean, dated evidence file, because the track tests a 12-month remuneration history and a multi-year experience record. Start now:

1. Document salary history. Keep 12 consecutive months of payslips showing fixed cash of at least S$22,500/month.
2. Map your equity. Gather ESOP/ESOW grant letters and vesting schedules; isolate what is vested, since only vested components count and are subject to assessment.
3. Evidence company metrics. Pull valuation, revenue, AUM or funding-raised documentation (term sheets, audited accounts, cap tables) proving at least one value test.
4. Build the experience record. Confirm at least 5 cumulative years in a founder/C-suite or technical role within the past 10 years, with references and titles.
5. Watch MOM. Final criteria, including renewals, will be published before the January 2027 launch.

Founders also weighing an Employment Pass should note that EP and S Pass qualifying salaries rise for new applications from 1 January 2027 (EP general from S$5,600 to S$6,000; financial services from S$6,200 to S$6,600), with renewals assessed against the new thresholds from 1 January 2028. See our 2026 EP salary thresholds guide for the full picture.

Caveat: criteria are subject to MOM refinement before January 2027

Every figure here is drawn from MOM’s 3 March 2026 factsheet, but MOM has expressly said more details — including renewals — will be published on its website. The track should therefore be treated as announced for January 2027, with criteria that may still be refined. Plan against these terms, but verify the final published rules before you file, and do not assume any particular treatment of existing Tech.Pass holders until MOM confirms it.

How Asprin can help you assess and apply

Asprin assesses whether you fit the ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track, the standard ONE Pass, or an Employment Pass — and prepares the application accordingly. As a licensed MOM employment agency (Licence 25C3163), we structure the cash-plus-equity remuneration evidence, test your firm against the value criteria, and assemble a defensible 12-month and 10-year record. A named specialist reviews your case within the same business day and quotes a fixed fee. See our Singapore work pass services.

Sources and further reading

• MOM — Factsheet on Foreign Workforce Policies (3 March 2026), incl. ONE Pass (AI and Tech) Annex A
• MOM — Press release: Partnering Businesses and Workers to Thrive in a Changed World (COS 2026)
• MOM — Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass — Eligibility
• MOM — Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass — Key Facts
• Asprin — Singapore Employment Pass: the complete 2026 guide
• Asprin — Singapore work pass and relocation services