Effective September 1, 2023, the government of Singapore will require companies sponsoring foreign nationals for new Employment Passes (EPs) to verify the individual’s academic credentials. This policy will also apply to renewal applications as of September 1, 2024. Previously, verification of academic credentials was only required at government request and for select countries and institutions. Singapore’s announcement is intended to prevent fraudulent submissions and ensure the authenticity of visa applicants’ qualifications.

COMPASS and Credential Verifications

Singapore’s Employment Pass (EP) is designed for foreign professionals, managers, and executives with a job offer in Singapore and a salary of at least SGD 5,000. As part of the application process, the employer must attest to the job candidate’s professional qualifications, including their educational credentials.

Starting September 1, 2023, Singapore will implement the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) for EP applications. COMPASS will award points to EP applicants based on a range of personal and employer criteria, including the applicant’s educational qualifications.

As part of the COMPASS process, employers will be required to declare any candidate’s educational credentials which they intend to count for points. All such educational credentials must be submitted to a designated background screening company for verification. Credentials that are not declared in the application process – for example, because the points that would be rewarded are not needed to pass COMPASS – do not require verification.

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