With offices in the heart of Singapore, Newland Chase Singapore provides corporations and individuals operating in this key APAC international business destination with complete support for all their immigration and visa needs – inbound to Singapore and outbound to more than 190 countries around the world. Our full spectrum of services allows us to manage all of your business visa and employee immigration needs.
Our Singapore team is located in our APAC region service center and has more than 25 years of experience supporting Singapore and other Asia-Pacific countries including the ASEAN countries, India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. We work with our network of qualified and professional immigration partners in the region to deliver bespoke immigration services to our clients locally. In the event of a complex requirement, we can engage directly with the people that matter in local government in order to find a workable solution.
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Singapore Immigration Management
We provide support in all areas of Singapore immigration for corporations and individuals – from short-term work authorization and temporary residency to long-term work authorization, permanent residency, and citizenship, including both company employees and accompanying family members. Our approach covers you from comprehensive guidance and pre-planning of new assignments and immigration options to completion of all in-country requirements to ongoing compliance monitoring.
For up-to-date information on the most common work authorization routes in Singapore, see Employment Immigration below.
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Comprehensive Global Immigration Management
For corporations and individuals located in Singapore, we also provide support in all areas of immigration to more than 190 countries around the world. Our Singapore team is part of the larger Newland Chase global team of 1,700+ expert immigration and visa professionals – specializing in everything from short-term work assignments and temporary residency to long-term work assignments, permanent residency, and citizenship throughout the world.
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Business Traveler Management
Business visas are a key component of a globally mobile workforce – allowing individuals to enter Singapore and other countries for non-work business activities. Business visas typically apply to business meetings, seminars, conferences, trade shows, limited sales activities, contract negotiations, and some supervisory activities. Newland Chase Singapore offers comprehensive services for business travelers both inbound to Singapore and outbound to more than 190 countries.
Our services include everything from personalized assessment of the activities and destination for visa compliance, to obtaining the proper visas, to tracking of the number and length of stays of your business travelers for legal compliance.
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Immigration Policy and Compliance
Our Singapore immigration experts offer an extensive suite of advisory services and immigration compliance strategies to ensure that your organization and employees remain compliant with all Singapore immigration and visa requirements. Our services include strategic guidance on immigration plans, development and implementation of immigration policies, sponsor compliance, education and training, audit support (including mock audits), and immigration compliance technology solutions.
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Consulting and Advisory Services
Our Singapore immigration experts act as trusted business advisors – supporting you in virtually any unique or complex immigration-related matter. Our Singapore team is able to manage the scope of immigration in large-scale projects and employee moves, as well as guide you through the immigration complexities involved in corporate restructuring and mergers and acquisitions.
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Dependent Pass (DP)
EP and S Pass holders with a minimum monthly fixed salary of S$5,000 or above and PEP holders are eligible to sponsor their spouses and unmarried children for a Dependent Pass (DP). Other family members such as common-law spouses, unmarried stepchildren, and parents are eligible for Long Term Visit Passes (LTVP). Note that work pass holders will need to have a minimum monthly fixed salary of S$10,000 or higher in order to be eligible to sponsor LTVP for their parents.
Dependent Pass (DP) holders are allowed to work upon obtaining a Letter of Consent from the MOM. The application can be submitted by the employer of the dependent.
Alternatively, the dependent can also submit an application for any of the work visa categories mentioned earlier. Note that all applications will be reviewed based on the dependent’s merits. Upon approval of the work pass, the dependent will need to cancel his/her existing pass before the newly approved pass can be issued.
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Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass)
The Entrepreneur Pass or EntrePass is for eligible entrepreneurs who want to start and operate a business in Singapore. There are stringent requirements for this type of pass and qualifying businesses. Certain businesses such as coffee shops, bars, karaoke bars, massage parlors and employment agencies are not eligible.
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Training Employment Pass (TEP)
The Training Employment Pass (TEP) is intended for foreign employees undergoing short-term practical training in Singapore. A TEP is valid for three months and is not renewable.
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Work Holiday Program
This is a program for eligible students or young graduates to work and holiday in Singapore for up to six months. The work pass is issued on a first-come, first-served basis subject to a quota of 2,000 at any one time. For migration advice and support on this program, contact us at one of our office locations or send us an email at the address provided.
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Permanent Residence
EP, PEP and EntrePass holders are eligible to apply for permanent residency after spending some time in Singapore. There is no standard qualifying timeframe. As a general indication, a minimum of one to two years is required.
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Entry Visas and Visa Free
Nationals from most Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries do not require an entry visa to Singapore. Travelers from these countries can enter Singapore for up to 90 days. However, the duration of stay is granted at the discretion of the immigration officer at the point of entry.
Any visitor who requires an entry visa can apply for a single or multiple entry visa which is subject to approval. Note that a Singapore visa is not an immigration pass. It is a pre-entry permission for the holder of a valid Singapore visa to travel to, and seek entry, into Singapore. The issuance of an immigration pass will be determined by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the point of entry. Possession of a valid visa alone does not guarantee entry into Singapore.
Immigration Summary
The Employment Pass (EP) is the typical immigration document authorising work for a corporate transferee or a foreign national employed by a Singaporean entity with a monthly salary of at least SGD 5,000 (SGD 5,500 for jobs in the Financial Services industry). EPs are issued valid for initial stays of up to two years and are renewable indefinitely.
There are two Employment Pass qualifying salary bands, differentiated by the dependent family members the applicant can bring with them:
- Applicants earning at least SGD 6,000 per month and above per month can apply for Dependant Passes (DP) for a spouse and unmarried dependent children of 21 years or younger, and also for Long Term Visit Passes (LTVP) for an unmarried partner who qualifies as a common-law spouse; unmarried stepchildren of 21 years or younger; and unmarried dependent children of 21 years or older in certain circumstances.
- Applicants earning at least SGD 12,000 can also apply for Long Term Visit Passes (LTVP) for parents.
The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is for certain groups of existing Employment Pass (EP) holders and overseas foreign professionals. Unlike an Employment Pass, which must be cancelled when the pass holder leaves the employer, the PEP is not tied to a particular employer and is granted on the strength of the applicant’s merit. A qualifying applicant can apply before finding a job in Singapore. A PEP holder can remain in Singapore for up to six months between jobs to evaluate new employment opportunities.
The S Pass is for mid-level skilled staff, with an employment contract directly with the Singaporean entity, with a fixed-level monthly salary of at least SGD 3,150 (SGD 3,650 for jobs in the Financial Services industry). S Passes are issued valid for stays of up to two years and renewable indefinitely.
Certain short-term work activities in Singapore may be Work Pass Exempt (WPE) for a period of up to 90 days (depending on the Short-Term Visit Pass issued on entry), with a cap of 90 days cumulative in a calendar year. Eligible activities include, among others, providing expertise or specialised skills for commissioning or auditing new plant and equipment; or installing, dismantling, transferring, repairing or maintaining any equipment or machine. Note that attending meetings, retreats, seminars, conferences and exhibitions as a participant does not require a work pass or an exemption.
An e-notification application should be submitted to inform the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) before engaging in WPE activities.
Our Singapore team members are highly qualified and dedicated professionals with extensive experience in all aspects of Singapore immigration. They come from the best of legal, consulting, in-house corporate and government backgrounds and bring a breadth of experience and insight both in immigration and a multitude of industry sectors. With a dedication to service and a consultative approach, our people act as your trusted advisors and partners in achieving your business goals in Singapore.
Our Singaporean leadership team directs over 30 immigration experts working for you in Singapore. Meet our Singapore leadership team:
Latha Olavatth
Vice President, Client Services Asia Pacific
[email protected]
Singapore
Nethi Thayyil
Immigration Director, Singapore & APAC Hub
[email protected]
Gurgaon, India
