Singapore lures AI experts with five-year residency pass starting in 2027

Singapore wants to make it easier for top specialists in artificial intelligence and advanced technology to move to the country. It is doing so with a new AI and tech track under the Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass, known as the ONE Pass, a residence and work permit.

The track is aimed at attracting high-earning specialists. It is scheduled to take effect in January 2027 and will replace the existing Tech.Pass.

Five years instead of two

The pass is set to run for five years. The previous tech scheme granted two years.

Applicants must have earned at least 30,000 Singapore dollars a month in the 12 months before applying. Equity-based pay, such as stock options, is explicitly recognized as part of the salary. Stock options are a right to buy shares in a company, often at an agreed price.

Applicants must also have at least five years of experience in a senior technical role or a top leadership role within the past ten years.

Employer requirements

The employer must meet at least one size criterion: annual revenue of at least USD 200 million, a market value of at least USD 500 million, or at least USD 500 million in assets under management.

Competition for talent

According to Human Resources Online, the scheme is meant to counter growing global competition for talent in frontier technology, meaning the very newest technology, and to support Singapore's position as a tech hub.

Minister Tan See Leng said Singapore must be open to global talent while ensuring that foreign professionals complement and strengthen the local workforce.

Other adjustments

The new track is being announced alongside broader changes to foreign work permits. The minimum salary for the Employment Pass is being raised from 5,600 to 6,000 Singapore dollars a month, and for the S Pass from 3,300 to 3,600 Singapore dollars.

Advice for employers

Mayumi Soh, an employment law specialist, points out that employers need to get the vesting schedule, cliff periods and exercise rules right when structuring compensation for candidates. Vesting means the employee earns the right to shares gradually over time. Otherwise, she says, immigration problems can arise.

For readers outside Singapore, the takeaway is that the competition for AI talent is also being fought through visas and residence permits, not just through pay.