When some say the grass is always greener on the other side, it is probably true. A cosmopolitan city in the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore has become one of the best places to live and work abroad. While re-locating oneself and living in this country as a Permanent Resident (PR) can be a daunting experience for some, it can also bring enriching experiences with new discoveries every day – culture, language, food, transportation and people, amongst others.
Key benefits of becoming a Permanent Resident (PR) in Singapore
Obtaining a permanent residency in the lion city is highly-valued. The benefits that PRs stand to gain are plenty. This is something that non-citizens could not enjoy.
As a Singapore PR, you can:
- Be the sponsor for your children of single status, under the age of 21, and spouse in the PR application. If you plan to enrol your children in the local school, they get to enjoy being on the priority list, behind citizens, to enter public schools.
- Have your parents or foreign spouse stay longer with long-stay visas
- Hold on to a re-entry permit that allows you to leave and enter the city-state without hassle. The validity of the permit may vary from person to person, but it is usually a validity of up to 5 years. Application for separate Singapore visas to work or travel would not be required with this permit. Do note that renewal upon expiry is subject to regulatory approval.
- Enjoy the financial and tax benefits. If you are employed, a monthly minimum amount would be contributed by your employer and yourself, to your pension fund. This fund can be used for healthcare-related purposes, funding your new HDB flat, family protection and even growing your assets in this city-state.
- Avoid risking delay or rejection of Singapore work permit reapplication each time that you change employment. If you hold a Singapore visa for work and want to change jobs, you’ll have to cancel your permit and reapply for a new one.
- Purchase property and be in a higher priority compared to non-PRs. PR holders are also eligible to buy second-hand units of government Housing Development Board’s flats.
- Enjoy the same rights as locals after you successfully apply for Singapore citizenship. You are eligible to do so after holding the permanent residence status for several years.
With so many applications, what are the chances of obtaining a Singapore PR?
From the below chart, we can see that every year since 2010, about 30,000 foreigners are granted permanent residency on a yearly basis. Sounds good? But taking a closer look at the chart, we can see that since 2008, there was more than double the amount of PR status granted. What this means is that Singapore’s immigration can only get stricter every year.
While the government welcomes people to take up PR option to contribute to the economy, it is important to note that no one has an automatic legal right to the PR status.
We believe there have been multiple cases where applicants, even for those who are highly qualified, have seen their applications being rejected. The government’s PR decisions are entirely to their discretion. In fact, they do not disclose the assessment processes and evaluation criteria or broad generalities, such as long-term citizen population-related targets.
So, how do I know if I am eligible to apply to be a PR and what is the application process like?
Make no mistake that these benefits sound great. However, before imagining a move to this city-state, it is important to know your eligibility based on these criteria:
- Spouse of a Singapore citizen (SC) or Singapore permanent resident (PR)
- Child aged below 21, unmarried, and born within the context of legal marriage of SC or PR
- Child aged below 21, unmarried, and legally adopted by, a SC or PR
- Student studying in Singapore
- Holder of an Employment Pass or S Pass
- Aged parent of a SC
- Foreign investor in Singapore.
All permanent residence applications must be submitted using Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore (ICA) e-Service and applicants have to read through the explanatory notes and review submission requirements before preparing the supporting documents.
A S$100 non-refundable processing fee is also payable for each applicant at the point of submission of PR application.
Although the application may sound straightforward, more often than not, this process may be administratively cumbersome and result in applicants overlooking to submit certain essential documents. This is a common situation faced by first-time applicants.
The general processing time will take between four to six months. Once it is completed, you will be scheduled for an appointment at the ICA building for interview and submission of documents. If the submission is not in proper order, be prepared that the process will be delayed significantly or worse still, rejected.
Engaging professional help will make a big difference
With this in mind, assessing your chances of gaining PR may leave you feeling run down and stress out. As time is of the essence, you can always make it a lot smoother and increase your chances by engaging the services of an immigration consultancy firm.
Paul Immigrations Reviews
Since being established in 2016, Paul Immigrations has built a strong track record of serving over 15,000 satisfied customers in their applications.
They stand out as the consultancy firm that is not just equipped with the expertise, but also the experience to guide and increase your chances amidst thousands of other applications.
The firm’s consultants are meticulous in ensuring that your application is submitted according to the prescribed guidelines by the ICA. Did we mention that they will also craft a professionally written cover letter to help your application stand out from the crowd?
With such dedication, it comes as no surprise that the firm has been receiving these good reviews:
“The consultants at Paul Immigrations were very patient. They provided detailed explanations to my queries too. I’m so happy to have them handle my submission & even more so now that it is approved!”
Priya Darshini, 27, accountant
“So glad that I finally got my approval in 5 months! Thanks to the consultant and team of Paul Immigrations, the troublesome applying process is so much less stressful for me! Kudos to the team!
Yap Khai Wen, 32, Corporate Communications Executive
“Booked a consultation with Paul Immigrations after knowing about them from a friend who engaged their professional service. The process was so much easier than trying to do it on my own!”
Sandra Liu Hua, 35, lead engineer
It is good to read the testimonials from these people but nothing beats experiencing it for yourself. If you are a PR-hopeful, you can assess your PR eligibility with them.
Paul Immigrations
Contact: +65 6206 6390
Address: Suntec Tower Two, 9 Temasek Boulevard, #13-01/02/03, Singapore 038989
Monday to Friday: 9.00am to 6.00pm (do note that it is strictly by appointment only)