On the Foreign Scene
Singapore has announced new work visa rules that will start from January next year, to attract talented foreigners as it gathers energy to fortify its recovery from COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Reuters, the measures have a new five-year visa for people earning at least S$30,000 ($21,445.42) a month that permits holders to seek job for multiple companies at one time and grants their spouses eligibility to work.
Recall that duding the pandemic, Singapore, a popular location for foreign firms to base their regional headquarters, tightly controlled its borders , which led to many expatriates leaving and its population dropped for the first time in almost two decades.
Tan See Leng, the city-state’s manpower Minister said that as a country with little or no resources, talent is their only resource and talent acquisition is an offensive strategy for them.
Among the other measures, some tech professionals whose skills are in short supply will, from September 2023, be eligible for five-year visas, up from a two- to three-year currently.
The processing time for employment passes typically granted to high-paid professionals will be also be immediately reduced to 10 days.
