About 3,000 Overseas Networks & Expertise Passes (One Pass) were issued in 2024, with financial and insurance, information and communications and professional services being the top three sectors that these passholders were employed in.
The figure includes the conversion of existing work pass holders who meet the One Pass criteria. One in 6 were new entrants.
The data was revealed in parliament on Wednesday (Feb 5) by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, in response to Nominated MP Neil Parekh, who asked what improvements to the scheme have been considered.
Dr Tan said that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is working with other sector agencies to increase the outreach to global talent and raise greater awareness of the One Pass.
“We encourage One Pass holders to participate in local programmes, to mentor, to network and to exchange insights with current and future generations of local leaders, such as the Singapore Leaders Network,” he added.
The One Pass is open to top talent across all sectors, and allows them to start, operate and work for multiple companies at any one time. To qualify, applicants must earn a monthly salary of at least S$30,000, either within the past year or with a future employer in Singapore.
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MOM has started to collect data from existing One Pass holders and will be reviewing the data as well as evaluate their contributions to Singapore. However, Dr Tan stressed that the impact of One Pass holders goes beyond their individual contributions. For Singapore to continue to remain attractive to leading firms and investors, the country needs to ensure that top talent are anchored here, he said.
“When it comes to top global talent, the proverbial rainmakers, the ones that can bring deals… reinforcing our competitiveness as a hub for global talent, we can never have enough.”
Replying to a supplementary question about the economic impact of the One Pass scheme, Dr Tan said his ministry is working with other economic agencies to monitor how Singapore performs at a macro level. This would include the competitiveness of Singapore’s economy as well as how it translates into good employment outcomes for Singaporeans.
There would be a balanced scorecard update at the upcoming MOM Committee of Supply (COS) debate.
