Singapore · long-stay visa routes and official sources
5 routes tracked · last reviewed · every route links to its official government source
Long-term visa difficulty for Singapore: Very hard (75/100, lower is easier). Most practical route: Employment Pass.
Common questions
What is the most practical long-term visa route to Singapore?
Based on our July 2026 review, the most practical route is usually: Employment Pass. Overall difficulty is rated "Very hard" (75/100, lower is easier).
Can I move to Singapore without a local job offer?
Yes — 1 of the 5 tracked routes do not require a local employer: Student's Pass. Each has its own income, funds, or admission requirements.
High bar but clear: salary, credentials, COMPASS, and employer matter; minimum salary thresholds for new applications rise in January 2027.
Typical timeline / duration: 1-3 months
A job offer from a Singapore employer for a professional, manager, executive, or technician role.
Fixed monthly salary of at least S$5,600 currently, increasing progressively with age and higher for financial services; verify the current table.
Pass the COMPASS points framework unless exempt, and meet the Fair Consideration Framework advertising requirement.
Employer or appointed employment agent submits the application with passport, company profile, and qualification verification where points are claimed.
For eligible foreign entrepreneurs intending to start/operate a Singapore private limited company that is registered with ACRA, where the pass holder holds at least 30% of the registered company, and the business is venture-backed or owns innovative technologies.
Documents include business plan and passport page.
This route grants permanent residence, not a visa. Singapore's closest equivalent to an investor-residence route: PR for investors who meet substantial investment requirements.
Typical timeline / duration: Permanent residence, formalised within 12 months of Final Approval. Comes with a 5-year Re-Entry Permit, renewable for 5 or 3 years if the investment, employment and residency conditions are met.
Grants Singapore Permanent Residence, not a visa or pass. Spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included as dependants; parents and children 21+ cannot (they may apply for a Long Term Visit Pass instead).
Qualify under one of four profiles: Established Business Owners, Next Generation Business Owners, Founders of Fast Growth Companies, or Family Office Principals.
Option A — invest at least S$10 million in a new or expanding Singapore business, hold 30%+ of it, sit on its management team, and operate in an EDB-listed industry.
Option B — invest S$25 million in a GIP-select fund investing in Singapore-based companies, from a personal account at a Singapore-registered bank.
Option C — set up a Singapore single family office with at least S$200 million AUM, of which at least S$50 million is transferred to Singapore and deployed in EDB-specified investments. Family Office Principals must use Option C.
The investment must be made within 6 months of the Approval-in-Principle letter, with documentary evidence and a signed Investment Undertaking submitted to EDB.
Option A and C applicants must submit a detailed 5-year business plan with projected employment and financials (Form B).
Clean criminal record and full notarised documentation of shareholding, audited accounts and personal particulars.
Visa rules change frequently. Figures and requirements above were reviewed on the dates shown; always confirm against the linked official source before applying.