Relocating from your country
From China to Singapore: a founder's relocation roadmap.
Singapore is one of the most popular destinations for Chinese founders and their families. The route is well worn, and the two things that decide it are the same for everyone: real business substance, and a clear source of funds.
By Travis Tay, Immigration Expert · Updated June 2026. 我们以中文为您服务。
For a founder relocating from China, the path is: set up a Singapore company, build it into a real operating business, secure your Employment Pass under the 2026 rules, open a corporate bank account, and plan toward permanent residence. Two things matter more than anything else: the company must have genuine substance, and you must be able to document a clear, lawful source of the funds you bring in. We handle the whole journey, in Mandarin.
Why founders choose Singapore
Proximity, a Mandarin-speaking population, political stability, a trusted legal system, low taxes and excellent schools make Singapore a natural base for Chinese founders and their families. It is close enough to keep running a business in China, and credible enough to be a long-term home. That combination is why the China-to-Singapore route is so well travelled.
The roadmap, step by step
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Company setup | Incorporate a Pte Ltd with a bridging resident director and credible capital |
| 2. Build substance | Office, activity, a website and a local-hiring plan |
| 3. Employment Pass | A COMPASS-ready application under the 2026 salary floors |
| 4. Bank account | Corporate banking, with source-of-funds documented |
| 5. Family | Dependant's Passes for spouse and children |
| 6. Permanent residence | Built over your EP years, on real contribution |
The banking and source-of-funds question
This is the step that most often trips up founders moving capital out of China. Singapore banks must document where your money came from, so clear records, business income, dividends, the sale of assets, properly evidenced, make the difference between a smooth account opening and a declined one. Planning this early, alongside the company setup, is essential, and is covered more fully in opening a corporate bank account.
Genuine substance still matters most
The fundamentals do not change because you are coming from China. MOM assesses the same things: a real, operating company, a credible salary, capital that fits, and a plan for local hiring, set out in what MOM looks for in your company. A shell set up only to hold a pass is as weak for a Chinese founder as for anyone else. We build the substance properly from the start.
Support in your language
Our China desk works with you in Mandarin, from the first consultation through company setup, the Employment Pass, banking and your family's passes. Documents, explanations and updates are handled in Chinese, so nothing is lost in translation at the moments that matter.
Questions people ask
Do you provide support in Chinese? +
Yes. Our China desk works with you in Mandarin throughout, from the first consultation through company setup, the Employment Pass, banking and your family's passes, with documents and updates handled in Chinese.
Is the source of my funds a problem? +
It is not a problem if it is documented. Singapore banks must verify where your capital came from, so clear evidence, business income, dividends or asset sales, is what matters. We help you prepare this before you apply.
Can my family move with me? +
Yes. Once your Employment Pass salary is at least SGD 6,000 a month, you can bring your spouse and children under 21 on a Dependant's Pass, and at a higher salary you can bring parents on a Long-Term Visit Pass.
Can I keep my business in China running? +
Many founders do. Singapore's proximity and connectivity make it practical to base yourself here while maintaining interests in China, provided your Singapore company is a real, operating business in its own right.
How long does the whole journey take? +
Company setup takes days; the Employment Pass usually about one to one and a half months for a clean case. Permanent residence is a multi-year goal built on a real track record, not an immediate step.
Plan your move from China, in Mandarin.
Our China desk handles the whole journey, from company setup to permanent residence.