Thousands of people have become Singapore permanent residents every year but not all go through the same application process. Permanent Residence (PR) application can be applied for the whole family i.e. the applicant himself plus the spouse and unmarried children under 21. The lure of gaining Singapore permanent residence through a variety of schemes has convinced thousands of foreigners of diverse backgrounds to set up home in the island-state, one of Asia’s most stable and developed countries and a key financial hub. It’s estimated that an average of 36,000 foreigners received permanent residence annually over the past decade.The number of PRs in Singapore as of June 2009 is estimated to be about 553,000 from a population of about 4.9 million people, and the numbers are increasing.

Although, most foreigners become Singapore permanent residents after working in the country for 6 months to 5 years, there are other paths leading you to Singapore PR status.  This guide provides an overview of the different types of permanent residence schemes available in Singapore so you can decide on the one that best suits your needs and circumstances. As a permanent resident of Singapore, you will enjoy most of the benefits and rights afforded to citizens. The range of benefits include the right to live in the country without visa restrictions, higher priority public schooling for your children, more freedom to buy property and participation in the retirement fund scheme. etc. At the same time, you are required to make certain commitments, such as sending your sons to compulsory two-year military service once they reach 18. For more details, see Singapore PR Benefits and Obligations.

Singapore PR Scheme for Individuals Working in Singapore

Known as Professionals/Technical Personnel & Skilled Worker scheme (or simply PTS scheme), this scheme is for foreign professionals who are working in Singapore at the time of applying for Singapore permanent residence. The PTS scheme is the easiest and most assured route to Singapore PR. It’s estimated that more than 95% of the people obtain their Singapore Permanent Residence through PTS scheme.

The key requirement under this scheme is that you must be working in Singapore at the time of application. This means you must first relocate to Singapore on a work visa of type Employment Pass or Entrepreneur Pass.

You must show a minimum of six months’ worth of salary pay slips, hence you must have stayed and worked in the country for at least that amount of time before applying. For detailed information about this scheme along with step-by-step filing procedure, see Applying for Singapore PR under PTS Scheme.

Singapore PR Scheme for Capital Investors

You can also invest your way to Singapore permanent residence through Investor Scheme (also known as Million Dollar Scheme). Under this scheme, you may apply for PR for yourself and immediate family by starting a business or investing in Singapore.

At present, under the Investor Scheme, you can choose either of the following investment options:

1. Option A: Invest at least S$2.5 million in a new business startup or expansion of an existing business operation.
2. Option B: Invest at least S$2.5 million in a GIP-approved fund.

Apart from funds to invest, you must also have a good business track record, an entrepreneurial background and a business proposal or investment plan. For more information, see Singapore Permanent Residence for Investors.

Singapore PR Scheme for Foreign Artistic Talent

Singapore is keen to promote itself as an arts hub. If you have a talent for arts, photography, dance, music, theatre, literature and film, you can apply for Singapore permanent residence through Foreign Artistics Talent scheme. To qualify for this scheme, you must be a well recognized artist in your own country, preferably with an international reputation.

Singapore Landed Permanent Residence (LPR) Scheme

The LPR Scheme is open to individuals who have either top notch education or professional background. As a rule of thumb, you must be in the top 1% of your competitive landscape on a global basis. To give you an idea, a graduate degree or a PhD from Stanford University would be considered top notch education. Once approved, you must relocate to Singapore within one year and find employment to fully secure your Singapore Permanent Residence status.

In Summary

The Government of Singapore welcomes the arrival of professionals and other foreigners who are able to make a positive contribution to the country’s development and economy. There are various permanent residence schemes in place to help you obtain Singapore permanent residence through the means that is most relevant to your situation.