Singapore rejigs visa rules to allow long stay
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Singapore – the island and city-state in Southeast Asia – is desperate for immigrant workers and has announced new work visa rules to attract foreign talent.
Singapore has pretty little natural resources in form of oil and gas or minerals but it is the financial hub of Asia and is seeking skilled personnel to add fillip to its social and economic recovery from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Reuters reports the measures to attract talent include a new five-year visa for people earning at least S$30,000 ($21,445.42) a month that allows holders to job for multiple companies at one time and grants their spouses eligibility to work.
The new visa will be available from 1 January 2023.
Singapore, a popular location for foreign firms to base their regional headquarters, tightly controlled its borders during the pandemic, leading many expatriates to leave and its population to drop for the first time in nearly two decades.
“We cannot leave any room for investors to doubt or have questions as to whether Singapore remains open,” Manpower Minister Tan See Leng told a news conference.
“As a country with little or no resources, talent is our only resource and talent acquisition is an offensive strategy for us.”
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Exceptional candidates
Some tech professionals whose skills are in short supply will from September 2023 be eligible for five-year visas, up from a two- to three-years currently.
Exceptional candidates in sports, arts, science and academia who don’t meet the salary criteria are also eligible for the long-term visa under the so-called Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) pass that will take effect from January.
The processing time for employment passes – typically granted to high-paid professionals – will also be immediately reduced to 10 days.
($1 = 1.3989 Singapore dollars).
