Requirements When Applying for Singapore Permanent Residency

Requirements When Applying for Singapore Permanent Residency

singapore pr visit

Thousands of expats and foreigners apply to become a Singaporean Permeant Resident (PR) each year.

The status of Singapore PR is so highly sought after that as of 2018, the Department of Statistics found that there were 522,347 Singapore PR holders. Back then, Singapore had a population of 5.64 million, this meant that for every 10 Singaporeans, there would almost always be 1 PR.

Singapore PR Schemes

How then can you apply for Singapore PR? There is no one single method of application, rather several schemes exist to meet the situations of different individuals.

There are three primary schemes for Singapore PR application:

  1. Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers Scheme
  2. Sponsorship Scheme
  3. Foreign Artistic Talent Scheme

Keen to get professional step-by-step assistance in application under these schemes? Talk to First Immigrations, your apply PR Singapore specialists today.

Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) Scheme

The PTS scheme is the most popular scheme for foreign individuals applying for Singapore PR. In fact, more than 95% of all successful professionals who received their PR status, applied through the PTS scheme.

To qualify for the PTS scheme, you would first need to have one of the following valid passes:

  • Employment Pass (For experienced managers or executives)
  • Personalised Employment Pass (Experienced individuals earning a high income)
  • S Pass (Work Visa for mid-range skill level workers)
  • Entrepreneur pass (Commonly referred to as the Entre Pass)

In addition to holding on to one of the aforementioned passes, you would also have to present 6 months of payslips. These payslips are used as proof of your recent legal employment in Singapore. It should also go without saying that you should as of the time of application, still be employed in Singapore.

When applying via the PTS scheme, it is important to bear in mind that the scheme was created to retain already contributing talent in order to aid Singapore’s economy & society.

pts scheme apply singapore pr

For more information on the PTS scheme, you may visit: https://immigrations.com.sg/what-is-the-singapore-pts-scheme-for-pr-application/

Spouse or Children or Aged Parents

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) accepts applications from spouse, unmarried children and aged parents.

If you are the spouse, child or parent of a Singaporean Citizen (SC) or PR, then you may be able to apply for permeant resident status.

To be specific, you would need one of the following criteria:

  • Spouse of a SC or PR
  • Unmarried child aged below 21 of a SC or PR
  • Aged parent of a SC

It should be noted that under this sponsorship scheme, the spouse, child or parent are eligible to apply under the prevailing factors of the sponsor’s salary and CPF contributions.

Foreign Artistic Talent

The Foreign Artistic Talent Scheme (ForArts) is jointly administered by ICA and the National Arts Council (NAC). This scheme was first introduced in 1991, catering to outstanding international arts professionals.

To qualify under this scheme, you would need to meet all of the following criteria:

  • Possess relevant training/education in your field of practice
  • Have relevant professional experience and outstanding achievements in the fields of Literary Arts, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Design or Media.
  • Have made significant contributions to the arts and cultural scene within Singapore
  • Possess a strong track record of local engagements with the Singapore arts and cultural scene in the capacity of a leader
  • Put forth concrete future plans to be a part of Singapore’s arts and cultural sector
arts apply pr in singapore scheme

For the full list of criteria and assessments, you may visit the NAC Singapore website.

PR Application in Singapore is Difficult

Did you know that 90% of Singapore PR Applications are rejected? In fact, many foreigners have experienced rejection for their PR application multiple times. This coupled with waiting times that can last for several months have created an anxiety filled experience for many applicants.

Why does such a high rejection rate exist? The answer lies in the tricky position that the Singapore government finds itself in when it comes to immigration. On one hand, it needs to fuel continuous economic growth, but on the other hand the government must address local fears such as:

  • Erosion of Singaporean culture
  • Spikes in prices for goods and services
  • Increase in competition for in-demand jobs

For more information on the state of PR applications in Singapore, you may read the following article: https://immigrations.com.sg/is-getting-pr-in-singapore-easy/

Tricky Application Assessments

To alleviate the concerns listed above, the Singapore PR selection process contains multiple criteria that test your “localisation”. In essence, the authorities are keen to determine if you are a willing and capable long-term contributor to both the Singapore economy & society.

In order to select individuals who meet these criteria, the PR application process assesses you from multiple perspectives. For foreigners who are unaware of the different criteria, it is entirely possible that they fail to demonstrate their competence in each.

Assessment Criteria for the Different Schemes

As alluded to before, each scheme has its own different set of assessment criteria for applicants. These are in addition to general criteria that is used to selecting applicants. These include:

  1. Education & Employment history
  2. Financial track records
  3. Involvement and contribution to Singapore’s society
  4. Existing family ties

Education & Employment History

Traditionally, your education and employment history would have been key criteria for PR application in Singapore. These two metrics are used to estimate your current and potential future contributions to Singapore economy.

It is advantageous to you if:

  • You graduated from a prestigious university
  • Have had success and been recognised at your various places of employment
  • Demonstrated adaptability and willingness to upgrade your skillset

Ultimately, when providing information under this category, it is important that you demonstrate competence and reliability to aid Singapore’s economy.

Financial Track Records

Your financial track records further elaborate on your credit worthiness and trustworthiness. No country would be keen to take in individuals who are unable to control their debts or have skipped out on credit or tax payments in the past.

Community Involvement

Of increasing importance is your involvement and contribution to society. This metric acts as a proxy to measure how well you have assimilated into Singapore’s community. Furthermore, it ensures that accepted applicants willing contribute their time and skills to help the local community.

It would be advantageous if you:

  • Are able to list daily routines with a “local flavour”
  • Have volunteered time and effort at a non-profit organization within Singapore
  • Possess skills that can be used to train or help the community (e.g. licensed to teach CPR)
volunteering helps apply pr singapore

Paperwork for The PR Application

When applying for Singapore PR, the spouse and/or unmarried children (below 21) of a Singapore PR or citizen would need to fill out Form 4, which is the application for permanent residence.

Form 4 requires basic information, such as the applicant’s name in their travel document, nationality, date of birth, marital status, and highest academic qualifications attained. In addition, information about the applicant’s spouse, parents, and children will be requested.

There are two sections which are to be filled up by the sponsor information such as the sponsor’s Singapore Identity Card number, occupation, and monthly salary. It has eight pages in all; nine, including the authorization to obtain and verify financial information.

Along with Form 4, the applicant should also fulfil the requirements listed in the Explanatory Notes to Form 4. These include a recent passport-sized picture, a valid travel document along with photocopies of the pages where the applicant’s personal information is shown, and a change of name certificate, if applicable.

If the applicant is employed, then they need to produce:

  • Payslips for a least 6 months
  • Income Tax Notices for the past 3 years or its alternative
  • An employer’s letter with pertinent information like the position of the applicant Monthly salary
  • Date of employment

The sponsor also needs to produce their ID, payslips for the past 6 months, Central Provident Fund statement indicating contribution history for the last 12 months, and Income Tax Notices of Assessment for the past 3 years.

If applicable, they also have to prepare their Singapore Citizenship Certificate, change of name certificate, Business Registration certificate, and documents of their siblings.

Parents also need to produce the birth certificate of each child. If applicable, adoption papers and death and divorce certificates should also be prepared along with custody papers.

Engaging First Immigrations as your PR Application Agency

First Immigrations is the leading PR application consultant in Singapore. Having been in the industry for many years, we truly understand the frustration of foreigners applying for PR status. From past cases, we have found that 90% of all applicants who were rejected had errors in their application.

When you apply Singapore PR with us, we give you a realistic evaluation of your current chance of success before telling you the required steps needed to improve your odds. We take special care to ensure that your application is not only error free, but also correctly angled to demonstrate the desired traits under the PR application program.



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