Singapore's ONE Pass — Fast-Track, Employer-Independent Residency for Top Global Talent

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) introduced the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass in January 2023: a five-year, employer-independent work pass for very senior professionals that lets holders start, run or work for multiple companies at once rather than being tied to a single sponsoring employer.

The pass targets a narrow slice of top global talent, aiming to attract senior professionals in business, the arts, sports, science and academia without requiring a single sponsoring employer.

To qualify, applicants must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 (about US$22,000) or demonstrate outstanding achievement in an approved field; the Economic Development Board (EDB) supports outreach to prospective candidates alongside MOM's processing role.

In a written parliamentary reply, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng disclosed that nearly 4,200 applications were approved in the pass's first year (2023), followed by 3,000 further approvals in 2024; about one in six 2024 approvals were entirely new arrivals rather than conversions from an existing employment pass, and financial services, information & communications, and professional services were the three largest sectors of employment. Only one ONE Pass had ever been revoked, following a holder's drink-driving conviction.

This illustrates both the scheme's tight vetting and its still-small, elite-targeted scale; the high salary bar means the pass reaches a narrow slice of top global earners rather than a broad talent pool.