Singapore Visa and Immigration

Apply for a visa to Singapore

Applying for Singapore visas is a fairly straightforward. Once visa is obtained visa-holders are often eligible to apply for permanent residence which then makes them eligible for Singapore citizenship. Singapore’s immigration processing for visa applications is fast. If the applicant submits substantial supporting documents, approvals for an employment pass can be received in as little as 48 hours. However it can drag on for several weeks if sufficient documentation is not provided or an application is not prepared properly.

Benefits of Immigrating to Singapore

• Ease of international travel to and from Singapore
• Enjoy a high standard of living for both individuals and families
• Low personal income tax rates
• Opportunities in life and work abound in Singapore
• Ethnically diverse modern society

Singapore Immigration and Visas

Why Relocate to Singapore in 2014?

Singapore is top-rated in both business and lifestyle

By relocating to Singapore the expatriate will enjoy all of the day to day lifestyle improvements that Singapore has to offer. As a Alpha+ city Singapore offers ample opportunities in business and work. Modern transportation and conveniences make it easy to get around and take care of day to day activities. Singapore also offers perks such as clean tropical beaches and amusement attractions for both kids and adults. Family life Singapore is hard to beat with several top-rated international and local schools, clean pollution free environment and the ability to hire domestic help make most aspects of life in Singapore a breeze. To top it all off Singapore also offers low income tax rate. You can learn more on Singapore’s income tax rates in the Singapore Personal Income Tax Guide.

Singapore Employment Pass

Singapore’s employment visa for professionals and executives

A Singapore Employment Pass, also known as an “EP” or “Epass” is a work visa for professionals, managers and executives and can also be issued to the owners and directors of Singaporean companies or foreign companies with offices in Singapore. While there is no quota limiting the number of employment passes by a company, the requirements for obtaining an employment pass are getting more stringent. To learn more in-depth about the Singapore Employment Pass and apply for this visa please visit Singapore Employment Pass and Application.

Requirements for an Employment Pass:

• Requires a fixed salary of at least S$3,300
• Work experience within your field/and
• A qualifying degree from a recognised institution
• Supporting documentation and references are advised
• Ability to support Dependant Pass for family members
• Ability to support Long-Term Social Visit Pass for non-family members
• Eligibility to apply for permanent residency

Advantages of an Employment Pass

• Ability to support Dependant Pass for family members (salary requirements apply)
• Ability to support Long-Term Social Visit Pass for non-family members (salary requirements apply)
• Eligibility to apply for permanent residency

Singapore Personalised Employment Pass

Freedom of Employment options and path to Singapore permanent residency

A Singapore Personalised Employment Pass, or “PEP” for short is considered the highest level of Employment Pass. Current holders of a Employment Pass must have either a locally paid fixed salary more than S$12,000 or overseas sourced income greater than S$18,000 (The last drawn fixed monthly salary overseas should be no more than six months from the time of the application). There are also many criteria that restrict eligibility beyond the financial requirements as well such as they can not be a owner, share holder or partner or director in a Singapore company, a foreigner can not be journalist, editor, sub-editor or producer and can not be employed by a foreign company without a physical business presence in Singapore. To learn more in-depth about the Singapore Personalised Employment Pass and apply for this visa please visit Singapore Personalised Employment Pass and Application.

Entrepreneur Pass Singapore’s innovative entrepreneur visa

Commonly called the “EntrePass” the Singapore Entrepreneur Pass is an Employment Pass designed as a way for a new business owner to relocate to Singapore while not qualifying for all the normal requirements of Singapore Employment Pass. Instead there are a different set of requirements including ownership of the company and capital in the company. On top the applicant must also qualify for 1 of 4 subset requirements regarding the sourcing of the funding, intellectual property holding, approved types of research, or be a part of a business incubator. To learn more in-depth about the Singapore Entrepreneur Pass and apply for this visa please visit Singapore Entrepreneur Pass and Application.

Skilled Labour Pass

Singapore’s visa for mid-level skilled workers

Known more commonly as the Singapore “S Pass” this Singapore visa is designed for mid-level skilled foreign labours such as technicians. There is a limit on the ratio of S Pass holding employees to Singaporean employees and the minimum salaries is now S$ 2,200. Also the S Pass applicant must meet a set of requirements related to work experience, salary and education. To learn more in-depth about the Singapore Skilled Labour Pass and apply for this visa please visit Singapore S Pass and Application.

Minimum Salary Requirements

Requires a fixed salary of at least S$2,200
To qualify a Singaporean Employee for the required ratio they must earn a minimum of $1000

Education Requirements

Should hold a degree or accredited diploma
A technical certificate can be considered for some fields

Relevant Work Experience

The amount of years of work experience depending on the field of work

Strategic Skills in Demand

Several fields of business have high demand for foreign workers such as;

• Manufacturing in Electronics, Chemical, Aerospace and Marine Industries
• Construction Industry
• Healthcare Industry
• Financial Industry
• Information, Communications, and Digital Media Industry
• Tourism Industry

Dependant’s Pass

Singapore’s visa for family members of work visa holders

Singapore offers a visa for the family members of it’s higher-tier work visa holders. This is called a Dependant’s Pass. To learn more in-depth about the Singapore Dependant’s Pass and apply for this visa please visit Singapore Dependant’s Pass and Application. To be eligible for a dependant pass the applicant must fit the follow requirements:

Direct Family Relationship

• A legally married spouse
• Unmarried children by birth under 21 years of age
• Unmarried legally adopted children under 21 years of age
• For those who do not qualify for a Dependant’s Pass you can consider a Long Term Visit Pass

Long-Term Social Visit Pass

Singapore’s visa for non-family members of work visa holders
Employment Pass holders earning above S$ 4,000 per month, Permanent Residence, EntrePass, and Personalised Employment Pass Holders are able to support Long Term Visit Passes. A Long Term Visit Pass is designed as an alternative to a Dependant’s Pass for non-qualified individuals who are still financially dependant on the sponsor such as common-law spouse, handicapped children over the age of 21, stepchildren, and the Singapore work visa holder’s parents. To learn more in-depth about the Singapore Dependant’s Pass and apply for this visa please visit Singapore Long-Term Social Visit Pass and Application.

Other Types of Work Visas in Singapore

Singapore offers several other visa types

Singapore offers other visas for specific needs whether it be required for work, business, social activities or visits. Below are several of these Singapore visa types.

Miscellaneous Work Pass

• Issued for short-term work assignments only
• Typically for experts appearing at seminars, conferences, or workshops
• Also used for religious workers giving talks or attending gatherings
• OR journalists, reporters or their accompanying crew members
• Singapore Miscellaneous Work Pass Application.

Performing Artist Work Permit

• Issued for a maximum of 6 months per applicant
• Strict limitations on the number of permits that can be issued per supporting company
• All foreign artists performing at any Public Entertainment Licensed venue must have this permit

Working Holiday Visa

• Applicant must be between 18 and 25 years old
• Ability to live and work in Singapore for up to 6 months
• Must be a university graduate
• Apply for a Singapore Working Holiday Visa

Training Employment Pass

• For foreigners undergoing practical training for future full-time employment
• Must be in training for a professional, managerial, executive or specialists job in Singapore
• The job obtained post training must qualify the foreign individual for an Employment Pass