Many foreigners fall in love with Singapore, and it’s not hard to see why. Apart from being a cultural melting pot, this metropolitan state is also home to a dizzying array of cultural food and events. On the economic side of the spectrum, Singapore emerged as the world’s most competitive economy in 2019 and is today considered one of the best trading and financial centres. Children grow up with world-class education, and healthcare and retirement policies are put in place to ensure both the young and old are taken care of for life. Additionally, we’re also the second-safest city in the world, as ranked by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
With all these in consideration, it’s no surprise that Singapore is one of the most coveted countries in the world to live in.
But all these are only best enjoyed if you’re a Singaporean or Permanent Resident (PR). With that said, not everyone is able to get the green light to be a citizen or PR. Here are some criteria you have to meet to become a PR:
- Hold an Employment Pass or S Pass
- Have a spouse who’s a Singapore Citizen or PR
- Studying in Singapore as a student
- Aged parent of a Singapore Citizen
- Unmarried child below 21 who is legally adopted by or born to a Singapore Citizen or PR
- Foreign investor in Singapore
Do you fall into at least one of the above categories? If yes, then great! You immediately qualify to apply for PR. But because Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officials receive so many applications on the daily, here are some factors that might significantly increase your chances of attaining the coveted PR status:
1. Age
Are you below the age of 50? Then the odds are in your favour. As Singapore is an ageing population, youths are fundamental in helping this fast-progressing nation grow, as well as to balance out our old-age support ratio. However, it’s equally important to note that age is not a primary deciding factor; ICA will take into consideration other elements like your potential contribution and impact to society. So don’t fret just yet — you matter!
2. Education level
Most foreign working professionals apply for PR through the Professionals/Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) Scheme — which means you’re up against a high number of skilled and qualified professionals. In this case, it matters if you possess good academic qualifications from reputable institutions, or have expertise and skills in key market sectors.
3. Financial stability
To put it simply — are you a self sufficient individual who can take care of yourself financially and potentially contribute to the economy? What does your spending power look like?
4. Employment industry
Subject-matter expertise and knowledge in key business sectors that propel the economy would be a huge advantage here. An example would be the Research and Development (R&D) field and tech industry. Additionally, another factor the ICA would take into consideration is whether the business industry you’re in is seasonal and if your employment is on a short or long term basis.
5. Kinship and family ties
Are you planning to start a new life here, or have family members and/or close relatives residing in Singapore as citizens or PRs? If so, then your chances of getting your PR application approved are higher as fostering family ties are one of Singapore’s prized values.
6. The PR Application
So you’ve got an impressive resume to show off and ticked at least one of the boxes above. But all that would come to almost nothing if you don’t take your application seriously or miss out on certain important documents. We recommend that you engage the help of a trusted immigration consultancy firm that will assist you in the application process, right from the submission of forms to writing cover letters.
Paul Immigrations Reviews: Getting the help of a professional
The application process can be daunting with so many forms and procedures — why not leave it in the hands of professionals to guide you every step of the way? Immigration consultancy firm Paul Immigrations has a track record of over 15,000 satisfied customers. This 4-year-old company has a team of about 100 employees dedicated to helping individuals from diverse backgrounds apply for PR status. They’re also happy to share free expert tips on what to do and what not to do!
Here are the six steps you’ll undergo with them.
Step 1: Get on a call with a representative to ascertain your PR eligibility — this includes sharing information like your type of work pass, family ties in Singapore, age, salary and more.
Step 2: After the first round of interview, you’ll be scheduled to meet in person to physically verify your work pass and review your profile. The representative will also share with you factors that will affect your PR approval (if any), ICA’s annual quota and the current political climate in Singapore at the time of application. At this point, you are free to decide if you would like to engage their help in your PR application process or apply on your own.
Step 3: Submit relevant documents either physically or digitally. Often times, individuals forget to submit essential documents or leave out certain paperwork (e.g. charity related) that will affect or even void the application. To prevent any of such incidents, Paul Immigrations will ensure nothing is left out.
Step 4: An executive will fill out the PR application form for you based on your documents, and an in-house writer will craft a personalised cover letter on your behalf.
Step 5: Online submission of your application
Step 6: Sit back and wait for the results of your application! This will take about four to six months. Depending on the outcome, the specialists will guide you on the next course of action to take.
So essentially you’ll just have to provide all the relevant information and the experts at Paul Immigrations will put in the work for you. Take this time to consolidate all the documents you have — it’ll pay off. A cover letter will also most definitely help; Paul Immigrations already has that settled for you.
Good luck!
To find out more about Paul Immigrations services, click here.
