Singapore Expats

All trying to get some sage advice from regulars. Apologies if this has been raised before but it’s not evident that it has.

I’m seeking advice on my best options to retain legal residency status and travel benefits for my Wife.

My particulars:
1) Canadian chinese
2) EP holder in Singapore for 10 years with fair earnings over the period

My Wife
1) married for 7 years
2) Malaysia Chinese PR holder
3) unemployed for three years

I was posted overseas with my company and my Wife quit her job to join me. I’ve since returned to Singapore and have resume local employment under my EP. My Wife has had difficulty finding employment at a similar level pre-assignment. Her REP is due for renewal.

What are our best options for her to retain the ability to stay, work, and travel?

1) remain in sg until gainful employment found and apply to renew REP?
2) rescind the PR and retain residency status as a DP on my EP
3) is there any impact if I were to be successful in a PR application? Eg could her legal status be based on my PR? (Assuming this is approved)

Appreciate any insight.

In my experience, point 3 is yes. My husband and I applied PR separately thru PTS route, and when my REP due for renewal while being jobless, my renewal got subsumed under my husband's PR.

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Try the REP renewal route first. I wouldn't worry about employment. Be prepared to appeal and explain circumstances of non-employment of wife, and your ability to support her. You'll know quite quickly. Do note that as long as she remains in the country her PR is valid, so there are no residency issues for her to worry about.

If the REP renewal doesn't work, and she absolutely must leave the country, put her on a DP under your EP. This should be relatively automatic and will give you breathing space for any other actions, such as an additional appeal for her REP renewal.

Finally, you can attempt to pursue PR for yourself. This, however, is going to take quite a bit of time and is not guaranteed, especially since you left the country for what appears to be 3 years. But, probably worth pursuing since your wife will have legal right to stay in Singapore as a DP or as a PR, so long as she never leaves.

All, thanks for the input. Will attempt to see if we can renew the REP. And I will apply for my own PR.

If you can apply for PR, it would be goodthat you can support her PR too.
But meanwhile, you can apply for Dependant's Pass under your EP. But be aware of salary limit (which I think shouldn't be your issue).

Thanks for the continued advice. I did attempt to add her as a dependent on my EP, however as my Wife holds PR status, I was unable to do so.

Klee1977 wrote:Thanks for the continued advice. I did attempt to add her as a dependent on my EP, however as my Wife holds PR status, I was unable to do so.

If her REP is not renewed you will be able to add her on as a DP under your EP. I can't imagine her REP won't be renewed tho.

PNGMK wrote:

Klee1977 wrote:Thanks for the continued advice. I did attempt to add her as a dependent on my EP, however as my Wife holds PR status, I was unable to do so.

If her REP is not renewed you will be able to add her on as a DP under your EP. I can't imagine her REP won't be renewed tho.

It doesn't matter if her REP is renewed or not because a REP is a Re-Entry Permit, not a PR renewal. As long as she remains in Singapore she keeps her PR status. Even if they don't renew her REP, she remains a PR, and the only way she could become a DP is by renouncing PR status by either doing so formally or leaving the country without a REP.

I agree with you... hard to imagine her REP not being renewed.

Strong Eagle wrote:

PNGMK wrote:

Klee1977 wrote:Thanks for the continued advice. I did attempt to add her as a dependent on my EP, however as my Wife holds PR status, I was unable to do so.

If her REP is not renewed you will be able to add her on as a DP under your EP. I can't imagine her REP won't be renewed tho.

It doesn't matter if her REP is renewed or not because a REP is a Re-Entry Permit, not a PR renewal. As long as she remains in Singapore she keeps her PR status. Even if they don't renew her REP, she remains a PR, and the only way she could become a DP is by renouncing PR status by either doing so formally or leaving the country without a REP.

I agree with you... hard to imagine her REP not being renewed.

I think if her REP is no renewed then yes you're right. She would need to go down to ICA, renounce PR, collect an SVP and then go for DP.