Under the new regulations, international students in Singapore can now apply for permanent residency if they have successfully passed at least one national examination, such as the PSLE or GCE 'N', 'O', or 'A' levels. They are also eligible to apply for PR if they are enrolled in an integrated programme. This marks a significant change from the previous requirement, which mandated a wait of at least two years after course completion before applying for PR.
Students aged 15 and above can submit their applications through the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's e-service website using either the 'Singpass' or 'non-Singpass' options. Previously, only female guardians—such as mothers or grandmothers—were permitted to apply for a long-term visit pass to accompany the students. However, the new rules now allow male guardians to apply as well. It is important to note that only one guardian is permitted to accompany an international student to Singapore.
International students enrolled in a Singapore university must apply for a student pass unless they hold a valid dependant’s pass, LTVP, or short-term visit pass. The ICA specifies that students enrolled in part-time courses or those conducted in the evenings or on weekends are not eligible for a student pass. Beyond the clear benefits of permanent residency, such as the ability to live and work in Singapore without visa limitations, graduates will also gain access to social security services and a potential pathway to citizenship.
Previously, the second minister of home affairs Josephine Teo stated that over 80% of international applicants gained residency in Singapore. “In assessing whether an applicant should be granted ‘PR’ or Singapore citizenship, an important consideration is the applicant’s ability to integrate with the local population as well as his potential to contribute to our society”, said Teo in a statement. According to data from the Ministry of Education and the ICA, there were over 79,300 international student pass holders in Singapore by the end of January 2023.
