Singapore Eases PR Path for International Students with New National Exam Requirements

By Siya August 17, 2024
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According to the new laws, student pass holders who wish to obtain permanent residency (PR) in the city-state must have sat at least one national examination, such as PSLE or GCE ‘N’/’O’/’A’ levels, among others. They may also apply for PR if they are enrolled in an integrated programme.

This move represents a significant departure from the previous conditions, where international students were required to remain in Singapore for at least two years before being eligible for PR upon completing their studies.

All permanent residents and students aged 15 and above are allowed to submit their applications via the ‘Singpass’ or ‘non-Singpass’ mode on the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s online platform.

This regulation has evolved over the years. Previously, only female guardians, such as mothers or grandmothers, could apply for a long-term visit pass to accompany students, while male guardians had no such provision.

International students are permitted to be accompanied into Singapore by only one guardian.

Any person registered at a Singaporean university as an international student must apply for a student pass if they do not already hold a dependent’s pass, long-term visit pass (LTVP), or short-term visit pass.

Students enrolled in part-time courses or courses conducted in the evenings or on weekends are not eligible for a student pass, as per ICA regulations.

In terms of quality of life, graduates will be able to live and work in Singapore without visa issues and will have access to social services and a naturalisation pathway.
Earlier, the Second Minister of Home Affairs, Josephine Teo, mentioned that more than 80% of foreigners applying for permanent residence in Singapore were approved.

According to information from the Ministry of Education and the ICA, there were more than 79,300 international student pass holders in Singapore as of the end of January 2023.

Source: ICA.GOV.SG [https://www.ica.gov.sg/reside/PR ]

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