Employment / S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)

Before you spend money on an Employment Pass or S Pass application — and before your employer files anything with MOM — there is a small free tool that can save you a lot of trouble. It is called the Self-Assessment Tool, or SAT for short.

Most foreign workers and HR teams in Singapore have heard of it, but very few actually use it the right way. This guide walks you through what the tool does, how to read the result, and what to do next once you have your outcome.

What is the Employment / S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)?

The Employment / S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) is a free online checker built by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM). You fill in a few details about the job, the candidate, and the salary — and the tool tells you whether the person is likely to qualify for an Employment Pass (EP) or an S Pass.

That is it. It is a quick “yes, you probably qualify” or “no, you probably won’t” result, based on the basic MOM criteria for 2026: minimum qualifying salary, education, work experience, and the COMPASS framework for Employment Pass cases.

Two things to remember about the SAT tool right from the start:

1. It is free. There is no cost, no signup, and no payment page. If a website is charging you for an S Pass self-assessment tool, it is not the real one.
2. It is not the final word. The tool gives you a preliminary outcome only. MOM officers still review the full application, including the employer’s hiring history, fair-consideration checks, and quota status. Two people with the same SAT result can get different real outcomes.

Think of it as a green light or a red light before you start the actual application — not a guarantee.

Who should use the SAT tool?

The self-assessment tool is useful for three groups:

• Job candidates who want to check, before accepting a Singapore job offer, whether the salary and qualifications on offer will actually meet MOM’s criteria.
• HR teams and employers doing a quick eligibility check before raising an EP or S Pass application.
• Recruitment agencies screening candidates for Singapore roles.

If you are not in one of these three groups, the result of the SAT tool will not really mean much for you.

What the SAT assessment tool actually checks

When you run the SAT assessment, you are asked to enter a few details. The tool then runs them against the current MOM thresholds for 2026.

For Employment Pass (EP) — the SAT tool checks:

• Fixed monthly salary (must meet the current EP qualifying salary, which is higher for older and more experienced candidates, and higher again for the financial services sector)
• Educational qualifications (degree level, awarding institution)
• Work experience
• Job role and sector
• A points score under the COMPASS framework (introduced in 2023 and tightened since)

For S Pass — the spass assessment tool checks:

• Fixed monthly salary (S Pass minimum salary, also sector-adjusted)
• Educational qualifications (diploma level or equivalent technical certificates)
• Work experience
• Job role

Each side has its own SAT form, so make sure you pick the right one when you start. If you are not sure whether you should apply for EP or S Pass, run both — the tool is free, and trying both is the easiest way to see where the candidate fits.

How to access SAT — the right way

A lot of people search for the s pass self-assessment tool free version or the salary assessment tool by name and end up on the wrong website. So here is the clean version: the real SAT tool only lives on MOM’s official website. Any other site that asks you to enter personal details for a “free SAT check” is not the real thing.

To open the tool:

• Go directly to MOM’s official website (mom.gov.sg).
• Search inside the site for “Self-Assessment Tool” or “SAT.”
• Choose either the EP-SAT or the S Pass SAT, depending on which one you need.
• Use a current browser — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari on its latest version. Older browsers can break the form.
• Make sure JavaScript is on in your browser.

No login is needed. The tool does not store your data. Once you close the page, your information is gone — which is why you should save the result before leaving.

How to use the self-assessment tool step by step

Here is the simple flow most people follow when they run the self assessment tool:

Step 1: Pick the right pass type. Choose EP-SAT or S Pass SAT. EP is for professional, managerial, executive, and specialist roles. S Pass is for mid-skilled roles like technicians.

Step 2: Enter the basic job details. Job title, sector, the company’s name (sometimes), and the proposed fixed monthly salary in SGD. The fixed monthly salary means the basic salary plus fixed allowances — not bonuses, not variable pay.

Step 3: Enter the candidate’s profile. Nationality, age, highest qualification, awarding institution, year of graduation, and years of relevant work experience.

Step 4: Add the institution. The form has a built-in checklist of recognised institutions. Search for your university or polytechnic in the dropdown. If your institution does not show up in the SAT tool’s list, do not panic — type the name exactly as it appears on your certificate. MOM officers verify this manually later.

Step 5: Add the qualification level. If the exact qualification level on your certificate is not in the dropdown, pick the closest equivalent. The form also lets you skip this field if you really cannot match it.

Step 6: Run the SAT assessment. Hit submit. The tool processes the inputs in a few seconds and gives you one of two outcomes:

• Likely to qualify — the candidate clears the basic criteria.
• Unlikely to qualify — one or more inputs don’t meet the threshold.

Step 7: Save or print the result. This is the step almost everyone forgets. The tool does not save your result, and there is no way to retrieve it once the page closes. Take a screenshot, print to PDF, or use the print button on the result page.

Step 8: Edit and re-run if needed. If the SAT form gives a negative result, you can go back, change the salary or qualification fields, and re-run it. This is genuinely useful for HR teams negotiating salary — you can see exactly what number tips a candidate from “unlikely” to “likely.”

How to read your SAT result

The SAT tool’s outcome is intentionally short. It does not give you a score; it gives you a verdict.

“Likely to qualify” means the candidate meets MOM’s basic published criteria for that pass type, including the relevant COMPASS or salary threshold. It does not mean the application will succeed — MOM still checks employer quota, fair hiring, and full documents.

“Unlikely to qualify” means at least one input is below the threshold. Common reasons: salary is too low for the age/experience band, the institution is not recognised, or the COMPASS score is short. Read the result page carefully — it usually hints at which area failed.

If the SAT tool gives an unlikely result, you have three real options:

• Increase the salary offer (if the gap is small).
• Change the pass type (sometimes an EP candidate fits S Pass better, or vice versa).
• Strengthen the candidate’s documentation (more proof of work experience, better-recognised qualification).

What if the SAT tool says “unlikely” but you still want to try?

The tool is conservative. It is built on the published criteria only. In real applications, MOM officers do exercise judgment — strong work experience, a critical-skills role, or a job in a priority sector can sometimes push through an application even when the SAT says “unlikely.”

But it is risky. An EP or S Pass application costs application fees, employer effort, and time. If the SAT clearly says no, talk to MOM or to an experienced immigration consultant before filing.

A safer path: fix the issue the SAT pointed out, then re-run. Most rejections that show up in the tool also show up in the real review.

Translating the documents you need for EP or S Pass

The SAT tool only checks eligibility — it does not look at your actual documents. When you move to the real application, every supporting document that is not in English must be officially translated.

The common ones we translate for EP and S Pass applicants include educational certificates, transcripts, employment letters from past employers, pay slips, marriage certificates (for dependent passes), and birth certificates (for children). All of these need certified translation that MOM accepts.

For the full set of MOM-side documents, our MOM document translation services cover everything in one go. If you specifically need your degree or diploma translated, see our academic certificate translation services for fast turnaround. And for past-employer letters or contracts, our employee contracts translation team handles those daily.

If your role involves work-permit-level staff for projects or trainings, you can also check our training work permit translation service for a separate pass category.

Common questions about the Self-Assessment Tool

Does MOM store the data I enter into SAT?

No. The Ministry of Manpower has confirmed that the tool does not save any personal information you enter. Once you close the page, the data is gone. This is exactly why you should save or print the outcome before leaving the SAT page.

Is there a charge for using the s pass self-assessment tool?

No. The S Pass SAT is free. So is the EP-SAT. If a website is asking you for payment to “check your eligibility,” it is not the official tool. Use mom.gov.sg directly.

What is the difference between EP-SAT and S Pass SAT?

EP-SAT checks Employment Pass eligibility, which is for higher-skilled professional roles with higher salary and qualification requirements. S Pass SAT checks mid-skilled roles with lower thresholds. The form fields are similar but the salary cut-offs and COMPASS points are different.

Can a candidate use the SAT tool by themselves, without their employer?

Yes. The tool is open to anyone. Many candidates run their own self-assessment before signing the offer letter, to make sure the salary is high enough to pass MOM’s bar. The actual EP or S Pass application, however, has to be filed by the employer — not the candidate.

Is the SAT tool the same as a salary calculator?

Close, but not exactly. The s pass calculator concept gets close, but the SAT does more than salary — it also checks qualifications, age, experience, and the COMPASS score. The salary number is one big piece, but not the only piece.

Why does the SAT result say “likely to qualify” but my application got rejected?

This happens. The SAT tool only checks published thresholds. MOM officers also check the employer’s quota, fair hiring practices, the company’s track record, the genuineness of the role, and the COMPASS score in full. The tool cannot see any of that.

Why does the SAT form show “unlikely” when I clearly meet the salary?

Usually one of three reasons: your qualification’s awarding institution is not on MOM’s recognised list, your work experience is short, or your COMPASS score is below 40 points. Re-check those fields.

How often does MOM update the criteria inside the SAT tool?

At least once a year, usually when the EP and S Pass minimum salaries are reviewed. The 2026 numbers are higher than 2024 for both pass types, and the financial services sector has its own higher band. Always run the tool fresh — old results from a year ago may no longer apply.

Can I use the EP self-assessment tool to check my chance for a dependent pass or LTVP?

No. The SAT only covers EP and S Pass. Dependent Pass, LTVP, and other passes have their own separate forms on MOM’s website.

Final word

The SAT tool is small, free, and underused. Five minutes with it can save you weeks of wasted application work. Run it before you accept an offer. Run it before you file. And if the result says “unlikely,” fix the gap before you spend money on the real application.

If you have done your SAT check and are ready to file, get your supporting documents translated and certified first — that is usually the slowest step in the whole process, and the one most people leave for the last minute. We have been handling MOM document translations for foreign professionals and Singapore employers since 2003, so if you need a fast turnaround, you know where to find us.