How to Immigrate to Singapore: Your Complete Guide

According to the 2024 World Competitiveness Ranking published by the IMD Business School, Singapore has reclaimed the top spot in global competitiveness in 2024, thanks to significant improvements in its economy, employment, and productivity. Singapore’s high ranking is primarily due to its advanced technological infrastructure, skilled labor pool, business-friendly environment, and an atmosphere that encourages entrepreneurship. Consequently, many entrepreneurs, business owners, and tech innovators are moving to Singapore.

As a nation of immigrants, Singapore maintains an open and accommodating immigration policy.

From 2019 to 2023, an average of 32,600 foreigners were granted Permanent Resident (PR) status annually, while the average number of new citizens approved each year was 22,400.

So, how does one immigrate to Singapore?

Immigrating to Singapore generally involves the following steps:

Step 1: Hold a long-term pass, such as a Student’s Pass, Work Pass, etc.;

Step 2: Convert to a Permanent Resident (PR), while still holding your original passport;

Step 3: Become a naturalized Singapore Citizen (if your home country does not recognize dual citizenship, you will need to renounce your original passport).

To qualify for Permanent Resident (PR) status, an applicant must fall into one of the following categories:

• Holder of an Employment Pass, S Pass, EntrePass, or Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)
• Spouse and unmarried children under 21 of a Singapore Citizen (SC) / Permanent Resident (PR)
• Aged parents of a Singapore Citizen
• Foreign students studying in institutions of higher learning in Singapore
• Foreign investors in Singapore

Currently, there are several ways to immigrate to Singapore:

1.1 Skilled Migration

Skilled migration refers to achieving immigration goals by applying for a Work Pass. A Singapore Work Pass is a work visa issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to foreign professional employees, managers, and owners or directors of Singaporean companies. The work visa allows foreigners to live and work in Singapore, as well as travel in and out without applying for an entry visa. A Work Pass is typically valid for 1-2 years and can be renewed. Work Pass holders may also be eligible to apply for Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) status in the future.

The Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers Scheme (PTS Scheme) is designed to provide holders of Employment Passes (EP) and S Passes (SP) the opportunity to become permanent residents. The PTS Scheme is the preferred pathway to obtaining Singapore permanent residency. It is estimated that over 95% of professionals have obtained their PR status through this scheme.

Under the PTS Scheme, the spouse and unmarried children under 21 of the main applicant can obtain PR status along with them. Male dependents are obligated to serve National Service.

⚠️Note: Unmarried children over 21, as well as parents and parents-in-law, are not eligible to apply for Singapore Permanent Residency but are eligible for a renewable Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP), valid for up to two years.

Eligibility Criteria:

Although Singapore is keen to attract foreign professional talent, each application is carefully reviewed based on the applicant’s individual qualities and circumstances. Important review factors include:

• Age—Applicants are preferably under 50, although exceptions are made in some cases.
• Current profession and work experience are crucial; must hold an EP or SP.
• A recommendation letter from the current employer is a very favorable factor.
• Educational certificates and qualifications—Preference is given to applicants who have graduated from reputable academic institutions.
• Current salary and overall financial status—Must be able to provide at least 6 months of payslips, and all salary must be earned in Singapore.
• Duration of stay and employment in Singapore—The longer you have worked in Singapore, the better your chances of approval.
• Having established family ties in Singapore is a plus factor.
• Personal interests and contributions to the Singapore community.

Documents required for EP and SP holders:

1. Personal documents:

-Passport

-Pass / Identity Card

-Birth certificate (English translation/notarization)

-Highest educational qualification (English translation/notarization)

-Passport-sized photograph

2. Work-related documents:

-Offer letter from employer (position, duration, salary, etc.)

-Payslips for the past 6 months

-Consent form from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), allowing the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to obtain and verify related financial information

3. Entrepreneurship/Self-employment related documents:

-Business registration certificate

-Singapore-certified professional licenses related to the work

4. Spouse and children’s status documents (if applicable):

-Marriage certificate (English translation/notarization)

-Spouse’s passport

-Spouse’s birth certificate (English translation/notarization)

-Spouse’s identity card

-Child’s passport

-Child’s birth certificate (English translation/notarization)

💡It is advisable to wait at least twelve months after you start working in Singapore before applying for permanent residency with the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

1.2 Family Migration

Foreigners without relevant skills and expertise can consider the family migration route available to spouses, children, and aged parents of work pass holders.

To be eligible, you must meet one of the following conditions:

• Spouse of a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident;
• Unmarried child under 21 years of age of a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident;
• Aged parent of a Singapore Citizen.

Individuals working in Singapore on a work pass can bring their family members to Singapore via a Dependant’s Pass (DP) and a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP). When the work pass holder applies to become a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), they can include their dependents in the application.

Foreigners married to a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident are eligible to apply for permanent residency. Of course, the Singapore immigration authorities review each application on a case-by-case basis, and not every such applicant will be granted PR status. If a marriage of convenience is used, even if PR status is obtained, it will be immediately revoked if reported or discovered during an investigation by the immigration authorities. Marriage is not a game, and Singapore, which values integrity, does not tolerate any form of deception.

1.3 Investment Migration

Singapore’s Global Investor Programme (GIP) is a program initiated by the Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that allows global overseas individuals to obtain permanent residency by investing in Singapore. Applicants can include their spouse and unmarried children under 21 in their application for permanent residency, and can also apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass for their parents.

The program advises successful entrepreneurs and investors interested in moving to and investing in Singapore, aiming to attract international talent to work, invest, and live in the city-state. This is currently the only way to obtain permanent residency directly in one step, and it has the highest application requirements.

Between 2020 and 2022, only about 200 people successfully obtained PR status through the GIP scheme.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible to apply for Singapore permanent residency through the GIP scheme.

1.4 Entrepreneurial Migration

In addition to investors, Singapore also welcomes high-tech entrepreneurial talent. The EntrePass, launched by the Singapore government, is a work pass for foreign entrepreneurs jointly established by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Enterprise Singapore.

Applicants need to meet at least one of the following conditions:

• The applicant’s company has received funding or investment of at least S$100,000 from a third-party venture capital (VC) firm or angel investor officially recognized by a Singapore government agency;
• The applicant holds a patent, intellectual property, copyright, etc., approved by a national patent and intellectual property office;
• Has a research collaboration with a research and development institution recognized by A*STAR or a local institution of higher learning;
• Meets the incubation requirements supported by Enterprise Singapore or the National Research Foundation (NRF).

1.5 Self-Employed Migration

The requirements for the investment and entrepreneurial migration routes mentioned above are very strict, and it is difficult for the average applicant to meet them. Therefore, the most suitable and feasible method for entrepreneurs is self-employed migration. Applicants can set up their own company in Singapore and complete the immigration process while conducting business operations.

The Employment Pass is divided into the self-employed Employment Pass and the regular Employment Pass. The difference is: if the applicant owns shares in the company and applies as a shareholder, it is a self-employed Employment Pass; if the applicant applies as an employee, it is a regular Employment Pass.

Applicants can first register a company and then apply for an Employment Pass (EP) to the immigration authorities as a shareholder and director. Alternatively, applicants can first apply for an EP in the name of starting a company, and after the immigration authorities approve the EP application, they can then register the company. After the company is registered, the EP will be issued upon verification by the immigration authorities. Six months after obtaining the Employment Pass, one can apply for permanent residency.

As the highest level of work pass, the Employment Pass (EP) has requirements for the applicant’s background, and the applicant’s company must also be operational:

1. Educational requirements: The applicant needs to have a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent professional certificate;
2. The applicant has relevant experience in starting a business.
3. The applicant needs to own an operating private limited company in Singapore, which must a) have a fixed place of business with a lease agreement, b) have a corporate bank account and be conducting substantial business activities, and c) hire local employees (not mandatory).

1.6 Student Migration

For students studying in Singapore who have grown accustomed to its education system and lifestyle, the most pressing question is likely when they can apply for PR and settle down in Singapore for the long term.

The new policy from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) shows the government’s determination to retain elite talent. The conditions for student immigration in Singapore have become more relaxed, and the process is now accessible to younger students. The ICA policy indicates that international students studying in Singapore on a Student’s Pass can directly apply for Permanent Residency (PR) without needing an invitation letter or first obtaining an EP/SP work pass.

As long as the following conditions are met, you can apply to become a PR:

1. Be a current student in a Singapore school;
2. Have resided in Singapore for more than two years at the time of application;
3. Have passed at least one national examination, such as the PSLE, GCE-N Level, A-Level, or O-Level exams; or be enrolled in the Integrated Programme (IP), which allows high-achieving secondary school students to bypass the O-Level exams and proceed directly to a junior college (2-year pre-university) to study the A-Level curriculum.

Factors that can boost your PR application:

In addition to preparing complete documentation, certain factors can increase the success rate of a PR application:

Education Level: The higher the education level, the better. A bachelor’s degree or higher increases the chances of approval. Holding a degree from a local Singaporean university like Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), or Singapore Management University (SMU) is optimal;

Age: Younger applicants have a higher chance of approval;

Duration of Stay: All else being equal, the longer you have been in Singapore, the higher your chances of success;

Family Ties: Having immediate family members who are residents of Singapore;

Social Integration: Volunteering and making donations.

Applying for Singapore permanent residency as a student has the following advantages:

• Higher success rate;
• Students who become Singapore permanent residents can enjoy lower tuition fees;
• Facilitates future employment in Singapore;
• Obtain PR status while studying, achieving two goals at once.

Documents required for students:

• Applicant’s passport
• Applicant’s parents’ passports
• Applicant’s medical birth certificate and notarized birth certificate (English translation/notarization required)
• Applicant’s passport-sized photo on a white background taken within the last 6 months
• Letter of employment for the applicant’s parents (English translation/notarization required)
• For applicants under 12, the original vaccination record and notarized vaccination certificate are required (English translation/notarization required)
• Applicant’s highest academic certificate or proof of enrollment (English translation/notarization required)
• Applicant’s academic transcripts for the last two years (English translation/notarization required)

1.7 Special Migration

The Foreign Artistic Talent Scheme (ForArts Scheme) is an immigration pathway initiated and assisted by the National Arts Council and other agencies for foreign artistic talents with outstanding achievements in their respective fields to obtain Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) status. These overseas artistic talents are expected to contribute to Singapore’s arts and culture scene through their global influence. The scheme covers outstanding talents in various professional fields such as art, photography, dance, music, theater, literature, film, and visual arts.

The ForArts immigration scheme requires applicants to meet the following criteria:

• Have outstanding achievements in fields such as artistic training and performance;
• Have made significant contributions to the local arts and culture scene in Singapore; and
• Have concrete plans for future involvement in Singapore’s arts and culture sector.

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