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Immigration to Singapore

Singapore has become the ideal business and profitable center in Southeast Asia, moderately due to its creative immigration policies designed to charm seasoned entrepreneurs and working professionals from around the world.

With continuous strong economic growth, Singapore developed as one of the world's most affluent countries, with sturdy international trading links and its port is one of the world's busiest and with a per capita GDP above that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Singapore Immigration & Singapore Visa options are available for those who want to live, work & settle in Singapore. Singapore immigration laws are relatively liberal compared to other countries.

If an applicant has professional or tertiary level qualification and would like to live and work in Singapore, he / she may be eligible for a one-year visa that will allow them to move to Singapore to find a job. 

The applicant will normally be issued a permanent residence if during this time you find a job in Singapore. Also, the unemployment rate is very low  in Singapore, which is really a good news for Singapore economy.

ELIGIBILITY TOWARDS BECOMING SINGAPORE PERMANENT RESIDENT 

An applicant will have two ways towards applying for Permanent Immigration visa to Singapore:  sponsored through Permanent residency in Singapore and Citizenship or through the following options. In order to be eligible for Permanent Singapore Immigration an applicant must meet one of the following requirements.

• FAMILY CONNECTION: If you are the spouse or child (under 21) of a Singapore citizen/permanent resident, you may qualify for permanent immigration to Singapore. Aged parents of a Singapore citizen may also be eligible.  Married to Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) / Spouse of a Singapore citizen (SC)  
• EMPLOYMENT PASS:  An applicant who has worked in Singapore may be eligible to apply for permanent Singapore immigration if the applicant possesses Employment pass (or) S pass.  The S pass stands for the Short-Term Employment Pass given to an applicant  and E Pass refers to the Employment Pass. Foreigners who are skilled and eligible to work under specialist jobs, executives, managerial, and administrative jobs assigned by the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) are eligible to apply for this pass
• INVESTORS / ENTREPRENEURS: For this the applicant should make a considerable contribution to the Singapore economy.  Towards obtaining Permanent Residency (PR) status by investing a minimum of S$2.5 million in Singapore-registered companies or GIP funds that in-turn invest in Singapore companies.
• STUDENTS: Student studying in Singapore after completion can apply provided they meet the employment demand, gain the work experiences, and have contributed to the Singapore economy and then can apply to convert to PR visa to Singapore. 
• OTHER:  Singapore may accept permanent residency applications in other special circumstances, please contact our office to take the free assessment to find out if you meet any of the requirements for immigration to Singapore. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT WITH IMMIGRATION AND CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY (ICA):  The eligibility requirement to become Singapore Permanent Resident require all documents in order and the required approvals towards lodging a successful permanent residence application to Singapore.

IMMIGRATION AND CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY (ICA): The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is the border control agency of Singapore under the department of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ICA is responsible for border control, immigration enforcement, and customs services in Singapore. The ICA is accountable to Parliament through the Minister for Home Affairs.  

ICA takes into account factors such as the individual's family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency, to assess the applicant's ability to contribute to Singapore and integrate into their society, as well as their commitment to the country’s welfare.

PROCEDURE:  All permanent residence applications are submitted online and we can assist in finding the eligibility before an application is made towards obtaining the permanent residence visa to Singapore.

PROCESSING TIME:  The general processing time for permanent residence applications submitted with the correct documentation takes about 6-10 months more or less if all documents are in order. 

NATIONAL SERVICE LIABILITY REQUIREMENTS:  Under the Enlistment Act, all male Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, unless exempted1, are required to serve National Service (NS). Next the completion of full-time NS, they will be obligatory to serve up to 40 days of Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) per year for the period of their ORNS exercise cycle, till the age of 50 years (for officers) or 40 years (for other ranks).

Main applicants who are granted PR status under the Professionals/Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers Scheme or the Investor Scheme, are exempted from NS.

The male applicants who are approved PR status as a External Student or under their parents’ sponsorship are mandatory to register for NS upon reaching 16½ years old and will be scheduled for deployment at the earliest opportunity upon reaching 18 years old. 

SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT:  There are three main pathways to Singaporean citizenship:

• Applicants aged under 21 who have lived in Singapore for at least 2 to 6 years can apply for citizenship under Singapore immigration laws.
• The spouse of a Singapore citizen can apply for citizenship if their marriage and immigration to Singapore are more than two years old.
• Singapore immigration authorities will grant citizenship to a child born outside Singapore who has at least one Singaporean parent.

SINGAPORE EMPLOYMENT PASS REQUIREMENTS: 

The Singapore Employment Pass allows applicants, who are foreign professionals to work in Singapore.  The requirement is that the applicants must hold recognized qualifications and earn a fixed monthly salary of above 2,500 SGD. There are three different types of this pass (P1, P2 and Q1 Pass). 

• The P1 Pass is applicable for employees earning more than 7,000 SGD.
• The P2 Pass is used for employees earning more than 3,500 SGD. 
• The Q1 Pass is applicable for employees earning a fixed salary of more than 2,500 SGD per month.

Employment Pass (EP) is the main type of Singapore work visa issued to foreign professional, managerial (managing director, general manager, CEO), executive or specialist who wishes to work in Singapore.

Bilimoria & Associate will assist you in collection and compilation of all necessary documents and forms for the Employment Pass.  

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) allows the foreigner to apply for a Singapore Employment Pass after they have incorporated their Singapore Company to enable them to live and work in Singapore. The EP does not fall under any quota system nor is there a monthly levy charge for EP.

The Singapore Employment Pass visa scheme is applicable, if:

• Applicant is a foreign Entrepreneur, professional, managing director, shareholders of Singapore companies who wish to relocate to Singapore to manage company operations.
• Applicant is a locally incorporated Singapore Company and need to hire foreign employees
• Applicant has an Employment offer from a prospective Singapore employer. In this case, the applicant will need the company to apply the employment pass application on behalf him.

Eligibility Requirements for Singapore Employment Pass  - To be considered for an Employment Pass, you must have a fixed monthly salary of at least S$2,500, which is a mandatory requirement and possess one or more of the following:

• Generally, a recognized Diploma/Degree qualification from a reputable university is expected.
• Professional qualifications
• Specialist skills
• Work related experience

Having a recognised educational qualification does not guarantee a successful EP application as the applicant also need to satisfy other criteria such as relevant work experience and/or professional skills. Similarly, an applicant who does not possess a recognized educational qualification may not necessarily be rejected for EP if he possesses other compensating factors.

Categories of Employment Pass - There are three categories of Employment Pass: P1, P2 and Q1 Pass, which is for foreigners seeking managerial, executive or specialist jobs.

• P1 Pass – for applicants earning a fixed monthly salary of more than S$7,000.
• P2 Pass – for applicants earning a fixed monthly salary of more than S$3,500 and up to S$7,000, and he/she possesses recognised qualifications.
• Q1 Pass – for applicants earning a fixed monthly salary of more than S$2,500 and he/she possesses recognised qualifications.

Validity period of Employment Pass   - The validity period of an EP varies for:

• First-time applicants – up to two years
• Employment Pass renewals – up to three years

Dependant Pass - Applicants of P and Q1 Pass can apply for Dependant’s Pass for their  spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age.

Approval and Collection of Employment Pass - Once the Employment Pass application is approved, the Ministry of Manpower will issue an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter via email. The IPA letter must be produced upon collection of the EP at the Work Pass Division at Ministry of Manpower. An IPA letter is valid for Six months from the date of notification of approval. 

Permanent Residence Eligibility - EP pass holders of P1, P2 and Q status are eligible to apply for Permanent Residence through Professional, Technical & Skilled Workers scheme. There is no designated waiting period but since one of the documents required is 6 months of salary record, hence it is advisable to wait for at least six months prior to application. 

It is, however, advisable for Q1 pass holders wait for at least 2 years before applying for permanent residence.

SINGAPORE STUDENT VISA REQUIREMENTS:

A student who wish to pursue full-time studies in Singapore can apply for Singapore Student visa, if he/she has been accepted by an educational institution to pursue full-time studies in Singapore.

Depending on the type of educational institution that a foreign student is intending to study at, the requirements and procedures for applying for a Student's Pass will differ.  There are different type of Education Institutions where the students can pursue their studies. They are as follows:

• Approved Private Education Organizations 
• Kindergartens Registered with MOE/Childcare Centres Licensed by MCYS 
• Foreign System Schools 
• Institutes of Technical Education 
• Government/Government-Aided/Independent Schools  
• Polytechnics and Universities 

Universities are popular for people to study in Singapore, given their quality. In the meanwhile, Singapore is prominent for its strict border control and any mistakes are found in applying for a Singapore student pass, it can jeopardise the applicant’s education.

The applicant will need a Student Visa for Singapore to remain in the country, which lasts after end of the studies. It is possible to get a short-term Social Visit pass for Singapore if the course can be completed within the 30 day limit. Otherwise, if the course is expected to go for longer, then a student visa is required for Singapore.

Singapore Student Visa Documents:  The next step is to get the necessary documents to support your application for a student pass to Singapore. These include photographs, proof of education and grades, and even financial ability. 

Bilimoria & Associate will help you to prepare suitable application for the above based on pre-assessment and wll guide you with supporting documents towards meeting the requirements to apply for Permanent Residence visa to Singapore. 

Bilimoria & Associate, Immigration Consultants and specialist in visa processing in Chennai has been providing Immigration services to many people every year from different parts of the country and have local knowledge and international understanding while preparing an application for a Singapore visa for work through employer nomination and Singapore permanent residence.  

To find out your eligibility please contact Bilimoria & Associate by completing our Assessment form.  

Kindly forward us your detailed resume to  neville@bilimoriaassociate.com  for us to assess and advise on your eligibility, or Call our office on  +91 44 2822 7222 / 2823 9229 / 4350 8191 for consultation or an appointment.

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