Why is residency so expensive?

[JB300]

A good and not so far away place to check it out is Singapore's residency rate. Please update us.

No (significant) fees in getting a Singapore PR & the minimum amount of time you need to be resident here before you can apply is only 6 months, but that's the kicker, if you're not resident here (I.e. Working or have s$20Million in the bank for an investment visa), you can't apply.

you can't obtain Permanent Residency in Singapore just after working there 6 months!

You can #apply# for PR after 6 months, there's a 6 month waiting list for the initial appointment than approx 4 months for your application to be considered so a minimum of 16 months (unless you have s$20Million lying around).

"The first question that typically comes to the mind of majority of the work pass holders: when can I apply for my Singapore PR?

Theoretically, you can apply for Singapore permanent residence the day you start working in the country as an EP holder. However, one of the requirements is to provide salary slips that go back six months from your Singapore employer which means you should wait for at least six months.

In practical terms, how soon you can apply for PR status also depends on the type of work pass you are holding and the unofficial annual quota set by the government. If you are holding a P1 pass, your chances of approval are high if you apply after 1 year. If you are holding a P2 pass, you are likely to have a good chance if you apply after 2 years. If on the other hand, you are holding a Q or S pass, it is recommended that you apply after 3 years to have a decent chance of approval."

Edited May 22, 2014 by JB300

[uptheos]

Can't imagine too many people want it or need it.........small supply, high cost.

[JB300]

IMHO Singapore PR is pretty pointless nowadays unless you have young children (have better chance of getting them in a good school) or are on a lower wage (minimum salary criteria for Employment Passes tends to rise faster than your salary)

It's biggest draw was the ability to purchase HDB housing, but the criteria for this has changed so much that even that's not worth it nowadays.

Upshot is, If I didn't work here, I wouldn't live here (it's only cheap due to the low levels of taxation on your income).

Edited May 22, 2014 by JB300

[Sayonarax]

My first car costed more.. first day on earth?

[Kan Win]

Tomtomtom69, on 21 May 2014 - 20:54, said:

Just out of interest, for the 3 year qualifying period for permanent residency (or citizenship if married to a Thai) when you say continuous how does it work if you change jobs within that period? For example, if you switch jobs after 1 year and then have to cancel your extension of stay but you get a new visa and extension of stay 2-3 weeks later? Does that mean the chain has been broken? So would that mean that an unbroken 3 year stay period would have to be 3 years at the same job or at least, if you do change jobs all the paperwork has to be done within the country?

It depends on your original Visa of stay.

In may case, non Imm O based on marriage to my Thai Wife, when I change my job, one did not have to break my visa non O of extension due to job change, I just change my place of work and carried on for the last 23 years or so.

If your Visa of stay is based on your work then ............................. as you said.......

Win