As countries compete to attract entrepreneurial talent, Singapore has long maintained one of the more deliberately designed immigration pathways for startup founders. The EntrePass — short for Entrepreneur Pass — is a work visa administered by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower that allows foreign entrepreneurs to relocate to the city-state and establish innovation-led, venture-backed businesses, without the salary thresholds or employer sponsorship requirements that typically govern conventional work passes.
The pass is intended for serial entrepreneurs, high-calibre innovators, and experienced investors looking to operate a business in Singapore that is venture-backed or owns innovative technologies. Unlike the Employment Pass, which ties holders to an existing employer and carries strict salary floors, the EntrePass offers entrepreneurs full control over their business operations, allowing founders to make agile decisions and respond quickly to market conditions.
To qualify, applicants must hold at least 30 percent ownership of their company and must meet at least one of several entrepreneurial requirements, including having raised at least 100,000 Singapore dollars from recognised investors. Other qualifying criteria include being incubated at a government-recognised accelerator, holding registered intellectual property, maintaining an ongoing research collaboration with a Singapore university or institution, or demonstrating an exceptional track record of founding or scaling high-growth ventures. Routine businesses such as food courts, employment agencies, or traditional services do not qualify under the scheme.
There is no minimum salary requirement for EntrePass applicants. Instead, eligibility is assessed based on the applicant’s entrepreneurial background and the business’s innovation, funding, or research profile. This makes it particularly accessible for early-stage founders who have not yet drawn a salary from their startup. The key advantage of the EntrePass is its flexibility in allowing foreign entrepreneurs to set up their company with a paid-up capital of as little as one Singapore dollar, as long as they meet one of the innovative criteria prescribed by the Ministry of Manpower.
A new EntrePass is initially issued for one year. The first renewal is valid for one year, and thereafter all renewals are valid for two years. Founders who build their businesses successfully over time may also become eligible for Singapore permanent residency, with the pathway opening after the second renewal, contingent on demonstrated business performance, job creation, and economic contribution.
EntrePass holders also gain access to Singapore’s vibrant local technology startup community, including networking, fundraising, and co-innovation opportunities, as well as government endorsement for up to ten new Employment Passes to build out their team in Singapore. Selected founders can additionally tap into Enterprise Singapore’s Startup SG Accelerator and Startup SG Founder programmes, along with grants and schemes from the Infocomm Media Development Authority and the Economic Development Board.
For Pakistani founders and startups across South Asia looking to establish a regional or global base, the EntrePass represents a concrete and structured pathway into one of Asia’s most active innovation ecosystems, one where government policy, investor networks, and startup infrastructure have been deliberately aligned to support scale.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.