Passes are assessed, not granted
Investor & Employee Immigration in Singapore
Owning a Singapore company gives you no right to live or work there. The pass is a separate, assessed application.
GCC business setup specialists
Assessment, not entitlement
Singapore work passes are assessed against published criteria including salary benchmarks and, for Employment Passes, a points-based framework that scores the candidate and the employer. Incorporating a company does not create an entitlement.
- Pass route assessed before you rely on it
- Points framework and salary benchmarks explained
- No promises about discretionary outcomes
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
Black Swan Business Setup Services•Black Swan Business Setup Services•Black Swan Business Setup Services
How it fits together
Routes and what they assess
Each route has its own criteria and none follows from incorporation.
| Route | Broadly for | What is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass | Professionals and managers | Salary benchmark plus a points-based assessment of candidate and employer |
| EntrePass | Founders of innovative businesses | Business substance, funding and innovation criteria |
| S Pass | Mid-skilled staff | Salary, qualifications and employer quota |
| Work Permit | Specific sectors | Sector quotas and levies |
| Dependant passes | Family of eligible pass holders | The sponsor’s pass type and salary |
| Permanent residence | Long-term settlement | A separate, highly discretionary assessment |
Pass criteria, salary benchmarks, quotas and the points framework are set by the Ministry of Manpower and change frequently. Nothing here is a guarantee of outcome.
How it works
Assessing the route
We assess before you build plans around a pass.
01
Assess eligibility
Your circumstances against current criteria, salary benchmarks and the points framework, with an honest view rather than an encouraging one.
02
Prepare the application
Supporting evidence assembled, including the employer-side factors that the points framework scores.
03
Submit and follow through
Application submitted, queries answered, and realistic expectations on timing and outcome.
For each applicant
What is typically needed
Evidence quality matters more than volume.
- Passport and personal particulars
- Educational qualifications and verification
- Professional experience evidence
- Employment contract and salary details
- Company business profile and financials
- Company headcount and local workforce mix
- Job description and advertising evidence where required
- Evidence of the role’s seniority
- Dependant documents where applicable
- Prior pass history and any refusals
- Criminal record disclosures
- Business plan where EntrePass is used
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Eligibility assessment against current criteria
- Honest view of prospects
- Route recommendation
- Application preparation and submission
- Guidance on employer-side scoring factors
- Responses to ministry queries
- Dependant applications
- Expiry and renewal tracking
Not included, quoted separately
- Ministry fees and levies, paid at cost
- Any guarantee of a pass outcome
- Appeals against refusals, quoted separately
- Qualification verification fees
- Accommodation arrangements
- Permanent residence applications
- Immigration advice in other jurisdictions
- Recruitment and candidate sourcing
Verify independently
Official Singapore authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)Ministry of ManpowerCentral Provident Fund BoardSingapore CustomsSingapore Food Agency
Questions
Singapore immigration — FAQs
Does owning a Singapore company get me a pass?
No. Company ownership and immigration are separate, and incorporation confers no right to live or work in Singapore.
What is the points framework?
Employment Pass applications are assessed on points covering the candidate’s salary and qualifications and the employer’s workforce profile. Both sides matter.
Can my new company sponsor me immediately?
It can apply, but a newly incorporated company with no local staff and no track record scores poorly. We will tell you that before you rely on it.
What is EntrePass?
A route for founders of businesses meeting innovation and funding criteria. It is narrower than most people expect and we assess honestly against the criteria.
How long does an application take?
It runs on the ministry’s timetable and is discretionary. We give a realistic range rather than a promise.
Careers
Apply for a role
Tell us which role you are applying for and what you have done that is relevant. If you have UAE or GCC experience, say which jurisdictions and authorities you have worked with.
Connect with us
Request a setup assessment
For founders and business decision-makers considering paid business services. Not for job applications, employment searches or personal visa-only requests.
Talk to a consultant
At Black Swan Business Setup Services, our mission is simple: to empower entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes to establish and expand their presence in the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and beyond.
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