The demand for Singapore permeant resident (PR) status has always been consistently high owing to the many benefits that come attached with it. If you are an expat who is new to Singapore, then you will quickly realise that many of your fellow expats have converted into Singapore PRs. In fact, according to the department of statistics, there were 522,347 Singapore PR holders as of 2018.
What exactly makes Singapore PR so attractive? The benefits can be split into two broad categories – general benefits of living in Singapore & benefits that PRs get to enjoy over their other foreign counterparts.
What Makes Singapore An Attractive Place to Live In
Singapore has long had the reputation as an excellent country to work and live in for foreign professionals. Reasons for such include:
- Low crime rates. The crime rates in Singapore are some of lowest in the world, with only approximately 33.5 thousand cases emerging from a population of over 5 million. Guns & drugs are illegal in Singapore while routine searches by the authorities at transport stations discourages individuals from carrying melee weapons. Furthermore, petty theft is also remarkably lower than that of other major cities.
- A truly multi-racial society. While it would be a stretch to claim that any country is completely from racism, the Singaporean society definitely performs well above the average. The country was first built almost entirely by immigrants from surrounding countries while the current government has several policies to foster cohesion. Amongst which includes quotas for public housing and education that encourage families of different races to live and grow up with each other. As such, most Singaporeans have been exposed to other races from a young age, making them highly welcoming of others.
- Economic and political stability. Singapore has only ever had one government throughout its entire history since it gained its independence. This has allowed the country to chart its economic progress with minimal hinderance. You won’t find any riots or strikes in modern day Singapore, thus making it an ideal country for commerce.
What Benefits Do Singapore PRs Enjoy
The most well-known benefits are:
- The right to live, enter and leave Singapore without having to request for separate travel and work visas.
- The possibility of applying for PR for your immediate family
- The availability of long-stay visa for your parents
- The freedom to change jobs without having to re-apply for a different work permit for your new job
- You get to enjoy Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions from your employer
- You get higher priority for various loans such as the housing loan
- You will be eligible to apply for Singapore citizenship once you have stayed in Singapore for a number of years
Getting Assistance With Your PR Application
If you are a first time Singapore PR applicant, then the process may be a confounding one for you. If so, consult with an Apply PR Singapore agency today. Find out what administrative processes must be completed and the common mistakes that are made during the application. Furthermore, get professional advice on your application’s strengths and weaknesses.