To become a permeant resident in Singapore, there are several different schemes for you apply through. The most popular of which is the PTS scheme. Otherwise known as the Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers scheme, it is popular route chosen by foreign individuals looking to attain Singapore PR status.
Why Use The PTS Scheme
If you are a foreign professional who is currently holding on to the Singapore employment Pass, S Pass, PEP or EntrePass, then you will likely qualify for this scheme. Given its applicability to foreign professionals, it should not be surprising that more than 95% of all foreign professionals who received their PR status did so using this scheme.
Employment Pass & EntrePass
As mentioned earlier, you will require an employment pass or an equivalent before you can apply for Singapore PR through the PTS scheme. Both of these passes are temporary residency schemes that give you and your immediate family the right to live in Singapore. Typically, you will be granted 1 to 2 years passes that are renewable by the authorities.
Applying Under The PTS Scheme
The PTS scheme was designed with the intention of retaining foreign professionals in Singapore who had contributed to the city’s economy. Ideally, these same individuals would become long term contributors to the nation’s workforce. With this in mind, there are 3 perquisites for this scheme:
- You are currently holding onto a Singapore employment pass, S Pass, EntrePass or are a PEP holder
- You are currently working in Singapore
- You have worked for at least 6 months under your current work pass
What Determines Your Success Under The PTS Scheme
Many of the same factors that affect PR application success under other schemes are applicable here as well. This includes:
- Educational background
- Employment history
- Duration of stay in the country
- Societal contributions
- Family ties
Educational Background & Employment History
Your education and employment history were traditionally the central pillars for assessing the value of your PR application. The authorities are constantly on the look out for individuals who can value add to the economy. As such, these two criteria serve as a proxy for determining if you are a capable individual who is both adaptive and productive.
Duration of Stay & Family Ties
The duration of your current stay in Singapore coupled with any existing family ties serve to determine if you are likely to continue living and working in Singapore. If you are an individual who has not consistently lived in Singapore for an extended period, then there is room to doubt your interest in becoming a permeant resident.
Societal Contributions
A relatively new criteria for Singapore PR applications, your existing and potential societal contributions will also be assessed. The authorities will look for any prior voluntary efforts as a sign of willingness to contribute to Singapore’s community. At the same time, if you possess certain skills such as first aid and are keen to share it with the community, then that would benefit your application as well.
Where To Start
Unsure where to start or what to include in your application? If so then consider hiring an Apply PR Singapore agency to review your case. Having professional and experienced individuals to help you assess your application’s strengths and weaknesses could go a long way towards getting Singapore PR on your first try.