Quick answer: MOM does not publish an Employment Pass rejection rate, and it does not publish an appeal success rate for EP or S Pass. What it has said in Parliament is that “the vast majority of applications submitted are successful”, largely because employers screen candidates with the Self-Assessment Tool before applying. If your application is rejected, the employer or the authorised agent can appeal within 3 months through the EP eService, and MOM states that 85% of S Pass appeals are processed within 6 weeks. That is a processing time, not a success rate. MOM’s own advice is to appeal only if you can address the reason given in the rejection advisory.
Rejections rarely come with a detailed explanation, which is why so many people search for a rejection rate. The useful question is not what percentage fails, but which of your own numbers can be changed before you try again.
What MOM actually publishes about rejection rates
There is no official EP rejection rate. These are the figures MOM has released, and they are worth reading carefully.
| What MOM said | Where it came from |
| “The vast majority of applications submitted are successful” | Written answer in Parliament, 19 September 2023 |
| Among EP applicants between 2010 and 2022, on average 44% had no prior successful EP application, 43% had one to three, and 13% had four or more | Same written answer |
| Since 1 September 2023, about 10% of successful EP applications were exempted from COMPASS, for example those earning at least S$22,500 a month or intra-corporate transferees | Written answer in Parliament, 3 April 2024 |
| Less than 10% of approved applications scored zero on the diversity criterion C3 | Same written answer |
| About 20% of approved applications scored zero on the qualifications criterion C2 | Same written answer |
| About 30% of approved applications received 10 default points because the employer had fewer than 25 PMETs | Same written answer |
For context, Singapore had 203,300 EP holders in December 2025 and 204,300 in June 2026, with S Pass holders at 178,900 and 177,300 over the same period, according to MOM’s foreign workforce numbers.
Why a published rejection rate would not help you anyway
- The denominator is filtered. Employers run the Self-Assessment Tool first, so many weak cases are never submitted. A headline approval rate reflects pre-screening more than it reflects your odds.
- Your odds are firm-specific. Two identical candidates can get different outcomes because the employers differ on C3 nationality mix and C4 local PMET share.
- Rates move with policy. COMPASS, salary thresholds and the Shortage Occupation List all change, so last year’s number says little about this year’s application.
Treat any agency that quotes you a precise approval or appeal percentage with caution. Those numbers are not published by MOM.
Why Employment Pass applications get rejected
| Reason | What it means | What can change it |
| Salary below the qualifying threshold | The salary floor rises with age and differs for financial services | Raise the fixed monthly salary to clear the age-banded threshold |
| COMPASS below 40 points | The points-based framework, applied to new applications and renewals | Add points through salary, qualifications, Shortage Occupation List roles or firm-level improvements |
| Job advertising requirements not met | The Fair Consideration Framework requires advertising on MyCareersFuture for at least 14 consecutive days, unless exempt | Re-advertise correctly and reapply |
| Qualifications or experience do not fit the role | The declared role does not match the candidate’s record | Align the job title, scope and salary with the real role, and verify qualifications |
| Incomplete or inconsistent documents | Details differ between the form, the passport and the certificates | Fix the inconsistencies before reapplying |
| Employer-level factors | Compliance record, workforce profile, or a firm on a watchlist | Address the underlying issue, which is rarely fixed by an appeal alone |
Our guides to EP eligibility and the COMPASS framework explain both tests in detail. If the rejection is at renewal rather than first application, see Employment Pass renewal.
The S Pass appeal success rate question
There is no published S Pass appeal success rate either. What MOM does publish is this:
| Fact | Detail |
| Who can appeal | Only the employer or the authorised third party who submitted the application |
| Deadline | Within 3 months of the rejection. After that, submit a new application instead |
| Where | Through the EP eService |
| Processing | MOM states that 85% of appeals are processed within 6 weeks |
| MOM’s advice | “You should only appeal if you can address the issues in your rejection advisory” |
| Reality check | Outcomes usually do not change unless the appeal brings new information that answers the original reason |
The 85% figure is a processing time, not an approval rate. It means most appeals get an answer within six weeks. It says nothing about how many are approved. If you have seen that number quoted as a success rate, it has been misread.
The same logic applies to EP appeals: the window is 3 months, the appeal goes through the EP eService, and it only works if something material has changed.
Appeal or reapply?
| Situation | Better move |
| Salary was below the threshold and the employer will raise it | Appeal, with the new salary |
| A document was missing or inconsistent | Appeal, with the correct document |
| Quota or levy issue for an S Pass, now resolved | Appeal, stating the resolved position |
| COMPASS score was short and nothing has changed | Neither. Fix the score first |
| The role itself was the problem | Reapply with a correctly scoped role |
| The 3-month window has passed | Reapply |
| The candidate has another offer from a different employer | A fresh application by that employer, assessed on its own COMPASS profile |
Before appealing, write down the specific reason in the rejection advisory and the specific change you are presenting. If you cannot name both, an appeal is unlikely to help.
What actually moves the outcome
| Lever | How it works |
| Fixed monthly salary | Lifts C1 points and clears the qualifying salary for the age band |
| Shortage Occupation List | A qualifying role can add significant bonus points under C5 |
| Qualifications | Declared and verifiable qualifications affect C2 |
| Firm profile | C3 nationality mix and C4 local PMET share are firm-level and take time to shift |
| Small firms | Firms with fewer than 25 PMETs receive 10 default points on C3 and C4 |
| Documents | Consistency across the form, passport and certificates removes avoidable rejections |
Run the numbers in MOM’s Self-Assessment Tool before resubmitting anything. If the tool still shows a shortfall, the appeal will not fix it.
Timeline after a rejection
| When | What to do |
| Day 0 | Read the rejection advisory and identify the exact reason |
| Week 1 | Decide appeal or reapply. Check the Self-Assessment Tool with revised figures |
| Weeks 1 to 2 | Make the change: salary adjustment, re-advertising, corrected documents |
| Within 3 months | Submit the appeal through the EP eService, or submit a fresh application |
| Up to 6 weeks after | MOM processes most appeals in this window. Track it in the eService, as covered in our guide on checking work pass status |
| If approved | The IPA follows. See our IPA status check guide |
If the candidate cannot wait
| Option | Notes |
| S Pass | If the role and salary fit mid-skilled criteria, and quota is available. See S Pass criteria and S Pass quota |
| A different employer | A new application scored against that firm’s COMPASS profile |
| Overseas start | Begin the role from abroad while the position is restructured |
| Long-term planning | For a candidate already in Singapore, Singapore PR removes the pass dependency entirely. See Employment Pass to PR |
How First Immigration can help
- Diagnose the rejection against the actual reason given, rather than guessing.
- Score the case on salary and COMPASS before anything is resubmitted, so you are not appealing on hope.
- Prepare the appeal with the specific change that answers MOM’s reason.
- Rebuild the application where an appeal is the wrong move, through our Employment Pass service or S Pass service.
We will not quote you an approval percentage, because MOM does not publish one. Book a free assessment through our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Employment Pass rejection rate in Singapore?
MOM does not publish one. In Parliament it has said that the vast majority of applications submitted are successful, which reflects the fact that employers screen candidates with the Self-Assessment Tool before applying.
What is the S Pass appeal success rate?
MOM does not publish a success rate. It does state that 85% of appeals are processed within 6 weeks, which is a processing time rather than an approval rate.
How long do I have to appeal an EP or S Pass rejection?
Three months from the date of rejection. After that you have to submit a new application.
Who can submit the appeal?
Only the employer or the authorised third party that submitted the original application. The candidate cannot appeal directly.
How long does an appeal take?
MOM says 85% of S Pass appeals are processed within 6 weeks. EP appeals run on a similar timescale.
Should I appeal or just reapply?
Appeal if you can point to the reason in the rejection advisory and the specific change that answers it, such as a higher salary or a corrected document. Otherwise fix the underlying problem and reapply.
Why was my EP rejected when the salary met the threshold?
Salary is only the first test. The application also has to score at least 40 points under COMPASS, which includes firm-level criteria such as nationality mix and local PMET share.
Does a rejection affect future applications?
A rejection by itself does not bar a future application. Repeated applications with no change, or inconsistent declarations, do not help.
Can an agency guarantee my appeal will succeed?
No. MOM decides each case, and no agency has visibility of or influence over the outcome.
What if my candidate is already in Singapore when the pass is rejected?
The employer must sort out their immigration status immediately. Depending on the situation that can mean a Short-Term Visit Pass arranged through MOM, or departure, and the person cannot work in the meantime.
Official sources: MOM written answers in Parliament dated 19 September 2023 (EP applications and approval data) and 3 April 2024 (EP applications under COMPASS); MOM, Appeal against a rejected S Pass application and Appeal against a rejected Employment Pass application; MOM, Foreign workforce numbers, updated 22 September 2026.
Disclaimer: Thresholds, COMPASS criteria and processing times are set by MOM and change. Figures were checked in October 2026. Each application is assessed individually and nothing here guarantees an outcome.
