Spoiler: No! And here’s what you can do instead. If you’ve started researching how to apply for Singapore Permanent Residency (PR),...

Singapore is famous for being easy to start a business in. Many expatriates arrive with big ideas and are pleasantly surprised by how fast incorporation happens. Some even boast that their company was registered within a day. But what few realise at the start is that setting up a company is the easy part. Keeping it compliant is where the real work begins. Singapore’s reputation as a global business hub depends on strict regulation and steady enforcement. Foreign entrepreneur

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Government will increase the number of permanent residents (PRs) it grants each year to around 40,000 over the next five years , Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong  said during the parliamentary debate on the Budget for the Prime Minister’s Office.   The planned increase, up from the current level of about 35,000 PR approvals annually , reflects a recalibration of Singapore’s long-term population strategy as the country responds to evolving demographi

For years, Raffles Music College (RMC) has been known primarily as a place where musicians train seriously. Long practice hours, intense rehearsals, and the familiar sounds of scales drifting down hallways were the norm. But anyone who has walked through the doors recently might have noticed something different. There is a shift in energy. People who are not students are wandering in with guitars, camera bags, sheet music, or equipment cases. Rooms that once felt like traditi

Ask a room full of expatriates why they chose Singapore, and you will hear different answers. Some came for work and stayed for opportunity. Others arrived cautiously, planning a short stint, and ended up building companies that now operate across continents. Singapore does not sell itself loudly. It does not need to. What draws global entrepreneurs here is something quieter and harder to replicate. The system works, and it keeps working . For business owners who value predic

There is something refreshing about a place that does not try too hard to be seen. The Coup Bar & Kitchen is built for people who look for atmosphere rather than attention . Hidden away from the main streets, it feels like a word-of-mouth destination, the kind you hear about from friends rather than advertisements. Walking into The Coup feels like stepping out of the rush of the city. The underground setting immediately slows things down. This is not a bar designed for a quic

Image courtesy of https://www.lkhpd.com.sg For many expatriates, moving to Singapore feels exciting at first, then confusing the moment paperwork enters the picture. Singapore is efficient, structured, and rule-driven, but that also means immigration processes are clearly divided across different government bodies. One of the most common questions new arrivals ask is surprisingly simple. Do I deal with MOM or ICA for my immigration matters? The answer depends on what you are

Ask almost any expatriate living in Singapore what they miss most from home, and food will come up quickly. Bread that tastes right. Coffee that feels familiar. A place where brunch stretches into the afternoon without anyone rushing you out the door. Over the years, Singapore’s brunch culture has quietly become one of the strongest comfort points for expats , offering everything from Australian-style cafés to indulgent weekend feasts. This article looks at where expats actua

For many expatriates, Singapore feels like a breath of fresh air when it comes to doing business. Compared to other countries, setting up a company here is quick, transparent, and refreshingly efficient. It is not unusual to hear someone say, “I registered my company in a day.” What often comes later, sometimes months or even years later, is the realisation that running a compliant business in Singapore requires far more attention than setting one up . Singapore’s reputation

Arriving in Singapore can feel surprisingly smooth. The trains run on time. The streets feel safe. Daily life becomes efficient very quickly. Many expats settle into routines within weeks. Work, groceries, gym, sleep. Repeat. And yet, for many people, something still feels missing. It is not the logistics. It is the people. Building a social circle in Singapore often takes longer than expected. Not because the city is unfriendly, but because relationships here tend to grow qu

For many expatriates, Singapore feels like a logical next step. It is efficient, safe, well connected, and serious about business. People arrive with solid resumes, international experience, and job offers in hand, fully expecting the paperwork to be routine. Then the rejection email arrives, often short and vague, and confidence takes a knock. Work pass rejection in Singapore is more common than most people realise , especially in recent years. This does not always mean the

When people talk about moving to Singapore, the same phrases come up again and again. Safe. Efficient. Easy to settle into. And while all of that is true, it only tells part of the story. Life here runs smoothly because most people quietly follow a shared set of expectations. Those expectations are not always written down, but they are felt everywhere. Many expatriates arrive assuming that cultural adjustment will be minimal. English is spoken widely. Offices look internation

Singapore is often described as predictable, orderly, and efficient. For foreign professionals, that reputation is largely accurate. Contracts are clear, infrastructure works, and rules are publicly available. Yet immigration is where many expatriates discover that clarity does not always mean simplicity. The immigration system here is precise, and precision leaves little room for misunderstanding. Even experienced professionals can be caught out by assumptions , especially t

For many expatriates in Singapore, remote work is no longer a temporary arrangement. It has quietly become part of daily life. Some days call for focus and solitude. Others need a bit of background noise, good coffee, and the feeling of being surrounded by people who are also getting things done. Singapore offers no shortage of cafés, but not all of them are suited for remote work. Some are too loud. Others rush you out. A few have beautiful interiors but unreliable Wi-Fi. Ov

For many expatriates, working in Singapore feels familiar at first. Offices are modern, English is widely spoken, and colleagues are often internationally educated. On the surface, business interactions can look very similar to those in London, Sydney, New York, or Hong Kong. Yet, after a few months, many expats notice something subtle. Meetings that seem productive do not always lead to quick decisions. Feedback is polite, sometimes vague. Disagreements rarely happen openly.

For many expats, Singapore starts out feeling efficient rather than emotional. You arrive, you work, and you settle into a routine that runs smoothly but sometimes feels a little too polished. The trains arrive on time. The coffee is consistent. Life works. And yet, after the first few months, a quiet question often appears: What does living here actually feel like? The answer usually reveals itself on the weekend. Weekends are when Singapore softens. The pace slows just enou

For many expatriates, accepting a role in Singapore is not a difficult decision. The city is safe, efficient, and professionally rewarding. The harder part often comes later, when the question turns from career to family. Can your spouse come with you? What about your children? How complicated is the paperwork, and how long does it really take? Most families eventually encounter the Dependant’s Pass , which is Singapore’s primary immigration route for bringing immediate famil

When people think about Singapore, they often picture clean streets, shiny buildings, and a city that moves at a fast but steady pace. What many newcomers discover only after they arrive is that Singapore also has a warm network of communities that sit quietly beneath its modern exterior. These groups help people stay connected, whether they are Singaporeans living overseas or foreigners trying to find their footing in a new environment. This article explores that network, th

Most foreign entrepreneurs do not arrive in Singapore with a business plan in their suitcase. They arrive with a job, a contract, and the intention to stay for a while. The idea of starting a company usually comes later, often quietly. It might surface after noticing how efficient things are here, or after spotting a gap in the market that keeps repeating itself. Singapore has a way of making entrepreneurship feel possible. Not romantic or chaotic, but realistic. Things work.

Image courtesy of makeyourasia.com Moving to Singapore can feel both exciting and overwhelming. The city is efficient, clean, and buzzing with energy, yet settling in can still take time. Many expatriates quickly discover that life becomes far smoother once they build a network of people who understand both the joys and the challenges of living abroad. Finding your tribe is not just a feel-good idea . It is one of the most practical ways to adapt, stay emotionally balanced, a