What Is Singapore Permanent Residence Visa?
The Permanent Residence is a premium visa solution that enables holders of employment visas, entrepreneurs and investors to live and work in Singapore indefinitely enjoying flexibility and freedom in pursuing career pinnacles as well as other pleasant perks such as decent and more affordable housing and healthcare, privileges of CPF fund, better education for kids, business freedom, and so on. Investors and holders of the EntrePass/PEP/EP/S Pass are eligible for PR; however, getting qualified will take each of them different periods of time and efforts. Working on the most premium employment visa is pale in comparison with perks the permanent residence gives. If you don’t feel like leaving after having worked for a long time in SG and constant renewal procedures wear out you and your family, PR must be your ultimate destination.
Eligibility Criteria and Requirements for Permanent Residence Visa
These are categories of people who can pretend to a right of becoming Singapore permanent residents: expats working on PEP, EP and S Pass, entrepreneurs working on EntrePass, investors, artists, spouses and children of permanent residents and Singapore citizens as well as elderly parents of the citizens. Different schemes imply specific requirements:
- Getting PR through the working visa is the most popular way. Expats (PEP/EP/S Pass holders) are officially required to submit salary slips for a 6-month period they have worked in Singapore, but the “qualifying” period varies for different work visas: P1 (EP) and PEP holders have the shortest qualifying period (up to a year) while S Pass holders might need years of work history in Singapore for qualifying. The authorities don’t share the exact periods for each work pass, but our experience allows us to faultlessly assess your chances for PR, prepare the candidate’s employment profiles beforehand and strategize a timely PR application. The same refers to the holders of the Entrepreneur visa.
- Investors and their families are granted the status of PR right after making the minimum investment of 2,500,000 SGD. This money infusion can be made in several destinations: a new or already operating business or a Global Investor Programme Fund.
- Investors and their families are granted the status of PR right after making the minimum investment of 2,500,000 SGD. This money infusion can be made in several destinations: a new or already operating business or a Global Investor Programme Fund.
- Overseas artists seeking a permanent ground their talents are required to make an outstanding contribution to Singapore’s culture, boast remarkable mastery within their niche, be popular in their own country (or even worldwide) and have a vision how their talent helps to upgrade the local culture.
Features and Benefits of Singapore PR Visa
- Permanency of this visa doesn’t refer to travelling abroad: if you plan to cross the border, you will need to get your re-entry permit extended every 5 years. This is needed for saving your PR status and being able to come back to Singapore as a resident after travelling.
- PR status doesn’t put its holder on par with the Singapore citizens: only the latter hold a passport that gives them visa-free entry to more than 70 countries of the world.
- Candidates for PR must submit their packages of documents during a special appointment with the ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority).
- PR processing lasts 6 months.
- PR visa makes your employment easier and more flexible: you don’t require a work visa anymore and can swap companies at your own discretion. As there are no work visa limits, employers are more likely to consider your talents for a job position.
- PR holders can get the same permanent status for their families and parents.
- Permanent residents’ sons ought to join a military service when they are 18 years old.
- Singapore PR can make contributions to the Central Provident Fund and get coverage for their needs in medical treatment, pension, education for children, buying properties and many others.
- Expats living in Singapore on PR visa are allowed to buy HDB flats which are more affordable than private housing.
- PRs and their children can get subsidies in governmental clinics and educational institutions.
- PR means freedom in running a business.
Naturally enough, due to such remarkable advantages, Singapore PR visa is pursued by crowds of foreigners, but the government gives the desired visa only to the most valuable expats. This value is measured by the contribution foreigners make to the Singaporean economy (skills, knowledge, coaching) and by how well their mindset matches the local community. Of course, the authorities play safe and reject applicants who look mediocre in comparison with their more promising counterparts. If you haven’t done your best to promote your personality for getting the permanent visa, they ask you to come back in one year or so. This can be distressing because you lose precious time. The government keeps information about the requirements quite obscure and usually doesn’t disclose the reason for the negative result. Pleasing their tricky demands isn’t about the method of thumb, but rather finding a unique key for every specific situation. During years of working shoulder to shoulder with the approving authorities, we were able to study the trends that impact their decision as well as mistakes many applicants make. They are, for example, poorly compiled application that doesn’t reflect the value this applicant means to the SG economy and society (this includes a lack of argumentation and general mistakes), badly-represented skills, unpersuasive business plan, salary insufficiency and so on. As there is no official advisory for the rejection from the ICA, we usually re-apply for this visa instead of appealing it. From our experience, blind appeals work much worse than newly strategized applications. Sometimes a strategy must be changed totally to achieve approval. After we investigate into the issue, fix it and prepare a solid documentation, you can come back to the ICA with a strong profile that stands out and save lots of time.
There are a lot of schemes that lead to the permanent residence, but we will outline the main three and advise you on getting the PR with minimum efforts from your side.
1. PR Scheme For Expats Holding Work Visas (PEP, EP, S Pass, And EntrePass)
Different working visas imply having worked in SG for a specific period. The government requires only salary slips for the last 6-month period you have worked in SG, but from our experience, there are lots of other latent requirements the authorities never share (including how long the foreigner has to work in the country to deserve the status of PR). To boost your chance and save your time, it’s better to reason out your PR application in advance: please find out from our visa professional your best “due” time and how you can make your application really outstanding.2. PR Scheme For Investors Aka GIP (Global Investor Programme)
Investors who funnel over 2,500,000 SGD into the Singaporean economy (either a new/existing company or a govt-approved GIP fund) immediately become eligible for the permanent residency for themselves and their family members. Applying for the PR is possible at the same time as applying for the GIP, but the final approval of the PR status happens only after the investment was verified. For this scheme, it is crucial to ensure your entrepreneurial background, investment portfolio and business plan for the prospective investment are polished and well-considered. We serve both the GIP and PR applications for investors to make their relocation to Singapore smooth.
3. PR Scheme For Overseas Artists
Performing artists committed to Singapore’s society have an opportunity to settle in the country permanently. The crucial point here is to persuade the govt that the country ready needs your talents and that your unique skills will help to upgrade the local culture.
The peculiarity of the PR application is that it must be submitted during a special appointment with the ICA. The documents must be compiled in impeccable English and reflect your merits and prove all claims you make in your PR application. We will shoulder your paperwork, assist you in making this appointment and teach you how to behave and how to submit your papers correctly.
Processing of the PR application is very time-consuming: the authorities need up to 6 months to analyse your situation and come up with a decision. Issues with documents can cause delays and even lead to rejections so you should ensure that you wring the maximum from your case and use your all trump cards.
Only having worked in SG for a 6-month period doesn’t guarantee you getting a permanent visa. The same as being a successful and wealthy entrepreneur in your native country still doesn’t mean you will definitely be begged to stay here permanently. The government seeks for certain and far-seeing benefits, and your profile (application) must reflect them if you want to get the PR approved. What is more, there are a lot of certain rules the govt wants to see your documents compiled according to. They do not disclose them the same as hidden criteria. Working in this niche for years, we were able to figure out trends and subjective factors that impact the govt’s decision, and we are willing to share them if you involve our professional PR service. We will promote your skills and professional, economic and social value for the city-state to win the ICA’s acclaim. Waiting for a “due” time to come is hard, and then another 6 months of PR processing. Rejection would put off your next attempt indefinitely. To avoid such frustrating situation, it’s wiser to enlist a professional visa backup.
Singapore PR visa doesn’t expire if you stay inside the country, but you have to get your re-entry permit renewed every 5 years if you need to cross the border. Such renewals help you to retain your permanent status and have a right to come back to Singapore as a PR. These renewals aren’t automatic. You have to meet certain criteria: the government will assess your contribution to the society and economy as well as how you perform professionally. For example, unless you are older than 50 years old and you have family ties with the SPR, being employed is an important criterion for getting such renewals. To get your REP extension, you must have a valid passport.