Immigration Services

The Global Investor Program (GIP) grants Singapore Permanent Residence (PR) status to eligible foreign investors who have a highly successful entrepreneurial background. Such successful investors who wish to relocate to Singapore or invest in the country can apply for PR through the GIP.

The GIP is administered by a division of the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Singapore. Established or new business owners need to qualify on the basis of a number of prerequisites and requirements. Eligible investors will need to apply under the GIP, pay its fee of S$10,000 to EDP, and show up at the interview. Once assessed, the applicant will be granted an Approval-in-Principal (AIP) status, valid for 6 months. During these 6 months, the applicant can make all necessary investments and provide evidence of investments. The final approval letter is issued once the investments have been verified by EDB. The applicant then has to file for his PR status within 12 months of the issuing of this final approval letter.

Our professional immigration consultants at CZ Consultancy can help businesses assess their eligibility and assist them through the entire PR application with the Economic Development Board under the GIP.

Relocating your existing business or setting up a new business in Singapore entails the following process:

• Choose your business structure by creating your parent company locally, creating a parent company overseas, or turning your foreign company into a parent company in the country.
• Apply for a work visa by choosing either the Employment Pass (EP) or EntrePass. You may also apply for permanent residence in the country under GIP if eligible.
• The next step is to transfer business assets and liabilities.
• Close the account books of your foreign company and deregister yourself.
• Make sure your company complies with all the local regulations and tax laws.

Taking the services of our immigration and corporate secretarial consultants can help you navigate the process of relocating into Singapore.

Getting a work permit is an important part of immigration in Singapore. You can get a work permit by applying for it with the Ministry of Manpower. The process of applying for a work permit comprises the following steps:

• Submit an application for the issuance of a work permit.
• Prepare for the worker’s arrival by buying the necessary medical insurance and healthcare plan, and complying with other legal prerequisites.
• Get the permit issued from the Ministry of Manpower’s online portal.
• Register fingerprints and photo of the applicant if required after the work permit is issued and notification letter given.
• Complete the registration within 1 week after the work permit is issued.
• Receive the work permit card within five days of registration and verification.

Singapore offers various work passes depending on the qualifications, experience, and other factors of the applicant who wishes to migrate here. Depending on which employment standards you comply to, you can apply for a particular type of work pass. These work passes include Employment Pass (EP), S Pass, Personalized Employment Pass (PEP), and Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE).

The Employment Pass is suitable for highly skilled or qualified professionals who are experts in their fields and have university degrees. These individuals usually work at executive and managerial positions in companies.

The Employment pass is applied through the Ministry of Manpower’s online portal. The Government of Singapore has created tight laws and regulations regarding work passes eligibility, applications, and other aspects related to immigration. Our immigration services provide complete assistance and guidance throughout the EP application to make it a seamless and convenient process.

A Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) in Singapore refers to the type of visa that allows some particular close relatives of EP or S Pass holders to stay in Singapore with them as they relocate to the new city. They can then stay here for as long as the EP or S Pass is valid. The LTVP is also applicable for those individuals who wish to visit Singapore for more than 30 days.

A dependant’s pass is issued by the Ministry of Manpower to some family members of a work pass holder in Singapore which allows those members to stay in the country as long as the work pass is valid. A legally married spouse and unmarried children below the age of 21 are eligible for a Dependant's pass.

On the other hand, an LTVP is issued to some related individuals of the work pass holder who do not qualify for the Dependant’s pass. These include parents, non-legal spouses, unmarried stepchildren below the age of 21, and unmarried handicapped children above the age of 21. The LTVP is issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

There are some other eligibility criteria for the issuance of Dependant’s pass and LTVP. A professional immigration consultant can help in providing your family a seamless entry into Singapore by assessing all criteria and handling the complete application process.

You can check your immigration status by checking the online portal of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in Singapore and select the relevant pass or card for which you have applied and inquire about its status.

You can become a permanent resident in Singapore if you are a current work pass holder and have been working in the country for at least six months. Once the 6 months have passed, you are eligible to apply for PR.

Alternatively, you can also apply for PR if you qualify for any of the following options:

• Your legal spouse is a Singaporean citizen or PR holder.
• If you are unmarried, below the age of 21, and at least one of your parents is a Singapore citizen or PR holder.
• You are a senior citizen and are a parent to a Singapore citizen.
• You are a foreign investor in Singapore.
• You are a student in Singapore.

Once your Singapore PR has been approved, you need to follow the following process:

• Schedule a medical examination to receive the medical certificate as required by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
• Buy medical health insurance.
• Gather all the necessary documentation provided in the checklist with your IPA letter.
• Book an appointment with the ICA officer, at the end of which you will receive a temporary identity receipt and a collection slip for the PR card.
• Book another appointment with the ICA officer to collect your PR card.

Singapore offers a highly conducive and prospective environment for businesses to relocate to or set up from scratch. Although there are a lot of opportunities for foreign investors, the government enforces strict visa and employment regulations. Therefore, it is not possible for an individual to immigrate to Singapore without a job. You must have a job offer before you can immigrate and apply for a work pass. Once you have been working in the country for at least 6 months, you may be eligible to apply for PR in Singapore if you meet all their eligibility criteria.

As an immigration consultancy firm, we can help you with the process of applying for work passes and PR if you have a job offer to facilitate your immigration journey.