9G work visa vs ONE Pass
The 9(G) is the Philippines' employer-sponsored work visa, granted to foreign nationals "proceeding to Philippines to engage in any lawful occupation, whether for wages or salary or other forms of compensation." It runs for a maximum of three years or co-terminus with the DOLE Alien Employment Permit, whichever is shorter, and the AEP itself defaults to one year, so most people hold a one-year visa in practice. The Bureau of Immigration's published conversion fee for a principal at a non-Top 1,000 corporation is Php 10,130.00 for one year, Php 17,170.00 for two and Php 24,210.00 for three, plus US$50 to US$150 for the ACR I-Card, on top of the separate DOLE AEP fee the employer pays first. The Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass is Singapore's top-tier work pass: it requires a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 from one employer for the 12 consecutive months before you apply, or a prospective role at that salary with an established Singapore company, and it runs up to 5 years and is renewable for 5 years each time. Fees are S$105 to apply and S$225 on issuance, with most cases decided within 4 weeks. The ordinary Employment Pass alternative is far cheaper on salary - S$5,600 a month for general sectors and S$6,200 for financial services through 2026, rising to S$6,000 and S$6,600 for new applications from 1 January 2027 - but it is employer-tied and requires 40 points under COMPASS unless the candidate earns at least S$22,500 a month.
| 9G work visa | ONE Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | philippines | singapore |
| Stay per entry | ||
| Total validity | Maximum three years, or co-terminus with the AEP issued by DOLE, whichever is shorter. Because the AEP is issued "for a period of one (1) year, unless the employment contract, or other modes of engagement provides otherwise, which in no case shall exceed three (3) years," a one-year visa is the common outcome. BI sells the conversion in one-, two- and three-year bands. | Up to 5 years for first-time candidates and up to 5 years on each subsequent renewal, renewable indefinitely while the renewal criteria are met. |
| Government fee | ₱10,130 — BI published fee to convert to a 9(G) commercial visa: principal applicant, one-year validity, employer not in the Top 1,000 corporations (Php 17,170.00 for two years, Php 24,210.00 for three). The ACR I-Card is charged on top at US$50 for one year, US$100 for two, US$150 for three. BI's table is footnoted "Fees are updated as of 06 March 2014 and may change without prior notice," and the DOLE AEP fee is separate and paid first. | S$105 — S$105 application fee for each pass, plus S$225 issuance fee for each pass when the pass is granted. The Employment Pass carries the identical S$105 / S$225 fee pair. |
| Income required | None | S$30,000 — Fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 (or foreign-currency equivalent) from a single employer for the 12 consecutive months immediately before the application, or a prospective role at that salary with an established Singapore-based company. Applicants with outstanding achievements in sports, arts and culture, or academia and research may apply without meeting the salary criterion. For comparison, the Employment Pass floor is S$5,600 per month (S$6,200 financial services) for 2026. |
| Savings required | None | None |
| Deposit required | None | None |
| Minimum age | None | None |
| Health insurance | Not required | Not required |
| Processing time | Budget three to five months end to end. The DOLE Regional Office acts on a new or renewal AEP within fifteen (15) working days from payment of the fee, but that clock only starts after the vacancy has been published for 15 calendar days and the application accepted; the BI stage afterwards adds a pre-screening, a hearing, biometrics and visa implementation, each with its own queue. | Within 4 weeks for most cases. The Employment Pass is faster for a Singapore-registered employer (processed or given an update within 10 business days) but takes up to 6 weeks where the filing company has no Singapore registration. |
| Apply from | Inside the Philippines (Bureau of Immigration main office in Intramuros, Manila, or an authorized BI district office), usually as a conversion from a 9(a) temporary visitor stamp; the employer's AEP is filed first at the DOLE Regional Office with jurisdiction over the jobsite. A 9(G) can also be issued at a Philippine embassy or consulate abroad, but only after written authority is received from DFA Manila. | Outside Singapore or from within Singapore; the ONE Pass is self-sponsored and applied for online via MOM's myMOM Portal (an employer is not required to file it). The Employment Pass, by contrast, must be filed by a Singapore-registered employer or an appointed employment agent. |
Choose the 9G work visa if
- Full employment rights with a named Philippine employer, plus dependent visas for a spouse and children — BI publishes dependent fees alongside the principal's (Php 8,120.00 for a spouse on a one-year conversion).
- Renewable indefinitely while the job lasts, and years on a 9(G) count toward later permanent options such as a 13(a) by marriage or the SIRV/SRRV routes.
- The Provisional Permit to Work lets you legally start work while the 9(G) is still pending — BI grants it on proof of an AEP application rather than a finished AEP, and it runs up to one year.
- Can be converted from inside the country: most applicants enter on a 9(a) tourist stamp and convert, rather than waiting abroad for an embassy to receive DFA authority.
Choose the ONE Pass if
- Not tied to one employer - you can concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies at any one time, and you do not reapply for a pass when you change jobs.
- Self-sponsored. You can apply without a Singapore employer if your past 12 months of salary meet the bar, which no Employment Pass route allows.
- Five-year term from the first grant, against the shorter terms typical of a first Employment Pass.
- Your spouse can apply to work on a Letter of Consent rather than needing their own work pass sponsor.
- Passes are available for eligible family members.
- There is a non-salary route: outstanding achievements in sports, arts and culture, or academia and research can substitute for the S$30,000 test.
- No COMPASS points exercise at all - the ONE Pass sits outside the EP framework entirely.
9G work visa last checked 11 September 2026; ONE Pass last checked 11 September 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.