Singapore: conditions for obtaining visas relaxed for the highest paid

The government of Singapore is set to introduce a special visa for foreign workers earning over S$30,000 (€21,350) per month that want to move to the Southeast Asian city state. Unlike other international recruits, these “talents” will not need to provide proof of their upcoming employment in order to obtain the work visa. This salary threshold applies to around 5% of existing visa holders, according to Singapore’s manpower minister Tan See Leng. People who have achieved “remarkable success” in the arts, culture, sports or research will also be eligible for this new pass. Another advantage over the current visa is that it will be valid for five years, compared to two years for the general visa. The pass will also make it possible to set up a company, to work as a self-employed person for several companies at the same time, and for one’s spouse to work in the country. Applicants will be able to apply from 1 January 2023. Tan See Leng says those that arrive under the scheme can help Singapore “push new frontiers, draw in greater investments and interest to grow our local ecosystem, and most importantly, create a diverse range of opportunities for Singaporeans”. The government is also promising to reduce the processing time for all visas from a maximum of three weeks to 10 working days and to “create a local pool of emerging leaders”.