Start a company
How to start a Singapore company as a foreigner
A foreigner can own a Singapore company, but must arrange registration, an eligible resident director and any required work pass separately. Plan the operating business as well as the registration.
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Nominee director and your Employment Pass: duties and replacement
A nominee director helps meet the resident-director requirement but remains a director with legal duties. The arrangement does not secure your EP or automatically end when it is approved.
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How much capital should your Singapore company have?
Choose funding around the business’s actual costs, salary and cash flow. The amount paid for shares is different from professional fees, current cash and any sector-specific minimum.
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The real cost of setting up and running a Singapore company
Compare the full first-year scope, not only the registration price. Professional fees, authority fees, company funding and recurring administration are different parts of the budget.
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Moving your business from China to Singapore: a planning roadmap
Plan company registration, work permission, banking and family arrangements separately. Each has its own requirements, and approval of one does not guarantee the others.
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Singapore company name reservation: checks, fees and the 120-day period
Reserve an approved name before incorporating your company. Check existing and reserved names, the business activity and brand availability before paying for the application.
Read the guide →Employment Pass & family passes
COMPASS explained: salary, qualifications and company points
Most Employment Pass applicants need 40 COMPASS points as well as the qualifying salary. A stronger qualification can help the score, but it cannot remove the age- and sector-dependent salary floor.
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Employment Pass salary requirements in 2026: age, sector and COMPASS
An Employment Pass salary must meet the qualifying floor for the candidate’s age and sector. COMPASS then compares salary with local professionals; those are separate checks.
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Singapore Employment Pass guide for founders and professionals
The Employment Pass is for eligible foreign professionals employed in Singapore. Founders must qualify as employees of a genuine business; company registration alone is not enough.
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When MOM asks for more Employment Pass documents: what to prepare
MOM can request more information to assess an Employment Pass application, including whether the declared salary will be paid. Respond with evidence that addresses the actual request.
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Employment Pass renewal: requirements and records to prepare
For an Employment Pass renewal, check the salary and COMPASS requirements that apply to the pass expiry date. Prepare current employment, salary-payment and company records.
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EntrePass in Singapore: who the route is designed for
EntrePass is for eligible entrepreneurs running a venture-backed or innovative business. It is not a general shortcut for every foreign founder whose Employment Pass is difficult.
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Employment Pass or EntrePass: which fits your business?
The EP assesses an employment role and candidate. EntrePass assesses an eligible entrepreneur and venture-backed or innovative business. Being a company founder does not automatically qualify you for either.
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Personalised Employment Pass: salary requirements and founder restrictions
The PEP offers eligible high-earning professionals flexibility between employers. It does not permit entrepreneurial activity and is usually unsuitable for someone planning to operate their own business.
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Bringing your family to Singapore on an Employment Pass
Eligible EP holders can apply for family passes, but the route depends on salary and relationship. A family pass does not give every dependant permission to work.
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Company records for an EP application: what your business should show
Prepare records that explain what the company actually does, how it is funded and why the role is needed. No website, capital figure or checklist can guarantee an Employment Pass decision.
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Employment Pass rejected: when to appeal and what to prepare
Read the rejection advisory before deciding whether to appeal. An appeal needs to address the issue MOM identified; resubmitting the same explanation is unlikely to help.
Read the guide →Permanent residence planning
Singapore PR and the six-month myth: eligibility versus evidence
ICA does not publish a universal six-month waiting rule for EP or S Pass holders to apply for PR. A request for six months of payslips is a document requirement, not an automatic approval milestone.
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From Employment Pass to PR: records and decisions to plan
An EP gives eligible employment permission, not a guaranteed path to PR. Use your time in Singapore to build accurate records of your work, residence and family circumstances.
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Singapore Global Investor Programme: investment options and eligibility
GIP is a permanent-residence route for qualifying investors with substantial business or investment experience. Meeting an investment amount alone is not enough.
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Singapore PR documents: prepare for your applicant category
Use ICA’s current checklist for your category and family members. Organise accurate records before applying and distinguish a requested period of evidence from a supposed waiting rule.
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Singapore PR processing time: checking status and handling a longer wait
ICA generally processes a complete PR application within six months, although some take longer. A pending status alone does not tell you whether the application will be approved.
Read the guide →Accounts, tax & company filings
Corporate bank account
Opening a Singapore corporate bank account as a foreign-owned company
The bank reviews the company, its owners, funds and expected activity. Prepare the actual business evidence and choose a provider whose account fits your needs.
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Digital business account or bank account: what to check before choosing
An online application does not tell you whether the provider is a bank. Compare the account’s legal provider, money protection, payment facilities and eligibility against your company’s transactions.
Read the guide →Company website
WordPress, Wix, Squarespace or HTML: which website suits your Singapore business?
Compare editing, ongoing costs, online selling and upkeep before choosing a website. We explain where our HTML website with PHP enquiry forms fits, and when another system makes more sense.
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Company website cost in Singapore: compare pages, content and yearly fees
Compare what a website quotation includes, not just its headline price. Pages, written content, enquiry forms, updates and renewal costs all affect what you receive.
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What to put on a service page so customers can decide and enquire
Explain what the service includes, who it suits, what it costs where available and what information you need from the customer. Give each page a specific job.
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Website lead tracking: find out which visits become enquiries
Record how a visitor arrived, which service they requested and whether their form was accepted. Then record the sales outcome privately so you can compare sources by customer value.
Read the guide →Study & qualification options
BCA registration & builder licences
BCA Technical Controller and Approved Person: who you need and what they do
A builder’s Approved Person and Technical Controller are different from CRS technical personnel. Check the scheme and licence class before choosing a person or a qualification.
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BCA builder licence: who needs one and how to apply
A builder licence covers regulated building works. It is separate from contractor registration, which determines your workhead and grade. Your business may need both.
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BCA workheads explained: choose the category for your construction work
A workhead identifies what your company does; a grade sets the applicable registration and public tender level. Choose from your real contract scope, not simply the category with the lowest entry requirement.
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BCA L1 registration requirements: capital, records and personnel
For an ME L1 application, check the required paid-up capital, net worth, project records and technical personnel. L1 is a CRS grade, not a builder licence.
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BCA ME04 registration requirements: scope and L1 checklist
ME04 covers communications, CCTV, alarm, access/carpark security and CATV installation or maintenance. Match your real contract work and technical personnel to the current registration requirements.
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BCA ME05 registration requirements: scope and L1 checklist
ME05 covers electrical systems and installations. Match your real contract work and technical personnel to the current registration requirements.
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BCA tendering limits 2026–2027: CRS workheads and grades
Check the public tender limit for the specified CRS grade and workhead. The current figures apply from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 and are separate from builder licence ceilings.
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