Singapore Expats

Have found myself in a situation which I am struggling to find a way around, am sure there is an easy solution but I am not familiar with the process in Singapore. My situation is as follows:

I am currently employed in Singapore in Banking holding a PEP, I have been here for just short of two years. I have also just applied for my PR status and will get a decision in the next few months.
I have an offer of going to work in HK for 6 months doing some contract work I dont wish to leave Singapore as I have a family and new flat here. Ideally I would like to stay living here and fly to HK for weekdays returning at the weekends.

Can anyone help with a solution? Cheers in advance

Are you applying for your family under PTS scheme?

Your PEP is only good for a 6 month stint of no work. So if you work in Hong Kong for six months, will you have a job the exact day you come back to Singapore?

You didn't mention your race or income, two very important factors in determining PR chance. (Also, if you applied for your family or just yourself). You're likely being extremely optimistic on your ETA of receiving a verdict on PR application. It's taking over a year for a lot of people that post here.

Lets swap family for a home/life. I am single (so just me applied for PR) but have significant interests here that I want to return to ideally

I am White British and earn >200K SGD per anum. I have seen people in my current company get their PR in under 6 months so I guess people hear different things.....

dickybosh wrote:Lets swap family for a home/life. I am single (so just me applied for PR) but have significant interests here that I want to return to ideally

I am White British and earn >200K SGD per anum. I have seen people in my current company get their PR in under 6 months so I guess people hear different things.....

Well, it depends. What I hear are mostly the people on this board, of which there are half a dozen a week on average talking about their experience. And the old wisdom of the Internet always is, you don't post about something if it went smoothly and quickly. You post when you complain about your problems. Even then, in the past year or so PR applications have generally been slower.

But at your end of the wage spectrum, it should be much faster. Anyone over P1 salary level (which you almost double) won't have that working against them, to say the least.

That still doesn't solve the problem though of 6 months being too long for your PEP. If your PEP lapses while applying for PR I'd say your application is toast.

dickybosh wrote:Lets swap family for a home/life. I am single (so just me applied for PR) but have significant interests here that I want to return to ideally

I am White British and earn >200K SGD per anum. I have seen people in my current company get their PR in under 6 months so I guess people hear different things.....

I would believe if you meet the Singapore residential rules it shouldn't matter that you are working 5 days in HK a week and returning at weekend. I would suggest talking to the tax office about it and immigration to be clear on the PEP rules.. Residential status change is 183 consecutive days outside Singapore, if you are returning at weekends It shouldn't effect your residence, it may effect your PEP as you have 6 months to find work in Singapore, cutting the timeline quite fine.

I'm sure if you can line a position up in Singapore before your 6 months limit is up, you will be fine! Depending on the PEP travel restrictions if any

SE may know! Or ask immigration, MOM and Tax office about paying tax in Singapore on the earnings

I believe you will find that SE is probably paid from his Singapore office regardless of where he is. Also, he is a PR not a PEP.

If the poster is going to be paid from the company where he is going to work, then he will not have any taxable income to Singapore and that is one of the requirement to support the PEP. The fact that he has income from elsewhere is the same scenario as a PR working outside of Singapore and then trying to figure out why ICA won't renew their REP. So, he better hope his stint without income in Singapore is less than 6 months or I'm afraid he may well have a problem.

Recently Singapore has become rather strict when following requirements for the various Visas.

Residency here has no bearing on it at all. Even if he is still in Singapore the whole time, he can only be out of work for 6 months, full stop. Oh, and the CPF board will has to also reflect the payments and the "required" payments have to be deposited. Voluntary top up payments will not count.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Oh, and the CPF board will has to also reflect the payments and the "required" payments have to be deposited. Voluntary top up payments will not count.

But CPF wouldn't apply in the OP's case (PEP), right?

dickybosh wrote:Have found myself in a situation which I am struggling to find a way around, am sure there is an easy solution but I am not familiar with the process in Singapore. My situation is as follows:

I am currently employed in Singapore in Banking holding a PEP, I have been here for just short of two years. I have also just applied for my PR status and will get a decision in the next few months.
I have an offer of going to work in HK for 6 months doing some contract work I dont wish to leave Singapore as I have a family and new flat here. Ideally I would like to stay living here and fly to HK for weekdays returning at the weekends.

Can anyone help with a solution? Cheers in advance

You don't provide enough information. Are you leaving your current job to take on the contract? Are you working for an HK firm? Where are you being paid?

If Singapore firm contracting you and you are paid in Singapore, no problem.

No problem with flying all you want. Two questions that matter. What country is the company that pays you registered, and where are you getting paid?