Immigration Lawyers in Singapore
Work passes, dependants, permanent residence and what to do when an application is refused. Most immigration problems are application problems, and most application problems are fixable before they become refusals.
We advise employers on bringing people into Singapore and keeping them here lawfully, and individuals on their own position: the pass, the family, the path to residence, and what happens when something goes wrong.
Immigration here is administered rather than litigated. Decisions are made by agencies applying policy, which means outcomes turn on how an application is put together far more than on argument after the fact.
For employers
Choosing the right pass. Employment Pass, S Pass, work permit and the specialist passes each carry different qualifying criteria, different levies and quotas, and different consequences for the business. Putting a candidate forward on the wrong basis is the most common cause of an avoidable refusal.
The framework the application is assessed against. Employment Pass applications are assessed on a points-based framework that looks beyond salary to qualifications, to the diversity and local employment profile of the firm, and to shortage occupations. That means the strength of an application depends partly on the employer rather than only on the candidate, and an employer can improve its position over time.
Quotas and levies. S Pass and work permit hiring is constrained by ratios and cost that vary by sector. These are business planning questions as much as legal ones.
Fair consideration obligations. Advertising requirements and fair employment expectations sit alongside the pass application, and non-compliance has consequences beyond the individual application.
Renewals, changes and cancellations. Changing role, salary or employer usually requires action, and letting a pass lapse or continuing to employ someone whose pass has changed status is a serious matter rather than an administrative slip.
For individuals
Employment Pass and S Pass, including what a refusal means and whether it can be addressed.
Dependants and family. Which family members can join you depends on your pass type and salary, and it is a question worth answering before you accept an offer rather than after you have moved.
Permanent residence. Assessed on a range of factors including how long you have been here, your employment, your family situation and your economic contribution. There is no published formula and no guaranteed route, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
Citizenship, and what it requires you to give up.
When an application is refused
A refusal is not always the end. An appeal can be lodged, and it succeeds when it addresses the basis of the refusal with material that was not properly before the decision-maker, rather than restating the original application more forcefully.
The window is short, and a weak appeal filed quickly can make a stronger one harder later. Our regulatory appeals page covers how we approach agency decisions generally.
Where immigration meets everything else
Employment. The pass and the employment contract have to be consistent with each other, and a change to one frequently requires a change to the other. See employment.
Setting up here. Foreign founders face the resident director requirement and the pass question at the same time, and the sequence matters. See company registration.
Offences. Immigration offences carry penalties heavier than people expect, including mandatory ones. Our note on common immigration offences sets out the ground, and our criminal defence team acts on them.
Immigration in Singapore: frequently asked questions
My Employment Pass application was rejected. What now?
Find out the stated basis for the refusal, because that is what an appeal has to address. Refusals frequently turn on how the role, the salary and the candidate’s qualifications were presented, or on the employer’s own profile, rather than on the person being unsuitable. An appeal is possible, and it works when it fixes the gap rather than repeating the application.
Can my employer just apply again?
Sometimes a fresh application is better than an appeal, particularly where circumstances have changed, the role has been restructured, or the earlier submission was thin. Which route to take depends on why it was refused, so establish that first.
Can my family come with me?
It depends on your pass and your salary. Dependant’s passes and long term visit passes have their own criteria, and not every pass holder can bring family. If this matters to you, check it before you accept the offer, because it can affect what you should be negotiating.
How do I improve my chances of permanent residence?
There is no formula and nobody can guarantee an outcome. What can be done is to make sure the application presents the relevant factors properly and completely: your employment history here, your family circumstances, your contributions, and your intention to remain. Applications are also frequently declined on timing rather than merit, and reapplying later can be the right answer.
What happens if we employ someone whose pass has expired?
It is an offence, and it is treated seriously, with consequences for the company and potentially for the individuals responsible. If you think this has happened, get advice immediately rather than quietly correcting it, because how it is handled from that point matters a great deal.
Do you handle immigration offences and detentions?
Yes, through our criminal defence team. Immigration offences carry heavier penalties than most people expect, including mandatory ones for certain offences, so this is not an area to approach on the assumption that a first offence will be treated leniently.
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