Hiring a Japanese Chef in Singapore on an EP or S Pass

If you are hiring a Japanese chef in Singapore, the choice comes down to two passes: the Employment Pass (EP) and the S Pass. Neither has an occupation list. What decides the outcome is salary, your company's staff mix, and the chef's age and education.

Using material published by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), this article works through how COMPASS points come out for a typical Japanese restaurant and what the S Pass levy costs over a year. It reflects the January 2027 changes and the new salary benchmarks published in August 2026.

1. Only two passes work for a Japanese chef

The Work Permit for the services sector is limited to approved source countries and regions, and Japan is not one of them. Even for kitchen assistant or dishwashing roles, you cannot hire a Japanese national on a Work Permit.

For comparison, MOM's Occupational Wages survey (June 2024) puts median gross monthly wages at S$3,850 for a chef, S$3,425 for a senior cook, S$2,028 for a cook and S$4,000 for a restaurant manager. The EP qualifying salary is well above the market median for cooks.

2. Qualifying salaries: now and from January 2027

The EP qualifying salary rises with age, lowest at 23 and under and highest at 45 and over. The new levels apply to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals expiring from 1 January 2028.

The awkward part for Japanese restaurants is that the more experienced the chef you want, the higher the bar. To hire a head chef aged 45 or over on an EP from 2027, you will need a fixed monthly salary of at least S$11,500. Chefs already working on an EP must also meet the new criteria when they renew from 2028. Plan renewal dates and salary reviews now.

3. Working out COMPASS for a typical Japanese restaurant

On top of the qualifying salary, an EP needs at least 40 points under COMPASS (the Complementarity Assessment Framework). Candidates earning a fixed monthly salary of S$22,500 or more, intra-corporate transferees (ICTs) and assignments of one month or less are exempt.

Typical case: a Japanese restaurant with fewer than 25 PMETs, hiring a chef without a degree

Many Japanese restaurants fit this profile. The calculation looks like this:

• C2 (no degree): 0 points
• C3 (small company): 10 points
• C4 (small company): 10 points
• Running total: 20 points

For a chef who graduated from a cooking school, whether that qualification counts as "degree-equivalent" under C2 is decided case by case. You can check the likely score in advance with MOM's Self-Assessment Tool (SAT). For more detail on COMPASS, see also Singapore COMPASS points for chefs.

4. C1 salary benchmarks for F&B

MOM publishes C1 benchmarks by sector and age every year. The table shows figures for F&B Services at key ages (fixed monthly salary, S$).

"Current" figures were published in August 2025 and apply to new applications from 1 January to 31 December 2026 and to renewals expiring from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. "From 2027" figures were published in August 2026 and apply to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals expiring from 1 July 2027. C1 is assessed on fixed monthly salary only.

What the table tells you is that a small Japanese restaurant hiring a 35-year-old chef on an EP should budget for a fixed salary of at least S$8,763 a month during 2026, and at least S$8,687 a month from 2027. The 20-point line is set by age and is lower for younger candidates. From 2027, for candidates aged 45 and over, the qualifying salary (S$11,500) is above the 20-point line (S$11,094), so meeting the qualifying salary automatically earns 20 points on C1.

5. S Pass: working out quota and levy

The S Pass has no COMPASS, but it does have a quota and a levy.

• Quota: in the services sector, S Pass holders can make up no more than 10% of the total workforce (services sector sub-quota). A small restaurant can hire very few people on an S Pass.
• Levy: S$650 a month (a flat rate since 1 September 2025). That is S$7,800 over one year and S$15,600 over two.

The S Pass qualifying salary also rises with age. An experienced 45-year-old needs S$4,800 now and S$5,100 for new applications from 2027. Add the levy to the salary and the real cost of employing a chef on S$4,800 a month through an S Pass is at least S$5,450 a month.

6. EP or S Pass: a rule of thumb

C1 is assessed on fixed monthly salary, so raising the total package through a housing allowance or bonus does not raise the C1 score. Build the offer around fixed monthly pay. For structuring the terms, see Hire a Japanese chef in Singapore, and for overall costs, the cost of hiring Japanese cuisine staff abroad.

7. Timeline for the 2027 changes

1. During 2026: new EP applications use the current criteria. If you plan to hire, applying this year means a lower qualifying salary.
2. 1 January 2027: new qualifying salaries for both EP and S Pass, and C1 switches to the new benchmarks.
3. Renewals expiring from 1 July 2027: C1 uses the new benchmarks.
4. Renewals expiring from 1 January 2028: the new qualifying salaries also apply.

We recommend listing the renewal dates of your current chefs and lining them up with your salary reviews. Salary design from a retention point of view is covered in retaining chefs. For a comparison with Malaysia, see Malaysia's 2026 EP changes.

This article is general information prepared after checking information published by Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) as of 22 September 2026. It is not legal or immigration advice. Applications are assessed individually. Before applying, check with MOM's Self-Assessment Tool and consult a professional where needed.