# Consultant moves to Singapore



## medflyer (Apr 25, 2016)

Hi, 

a consultant of my company moves from Switzerland to Singapore with her boyfriend. 

She planned to make a sabatical, , i.e. stay on a tourist visa in Sg and periodically leave the country, but I would like her to continue to work for my project remotely. 

Is this allowed? 

She would basically invoice my company (in Germany), and pay taxes in Singapore.

She would invoice approx 15.000 SG Dollar / month i.e. it is a qualified job. 

Obviously she would apply for the work permit, etc. but the question is what the process is and how complicated it is and how long it takes. 

Any help would be very helpful. 

Best regards 

Andreas


----------



## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

medflyer said:


> Is this allowed?


Short answer: no.

Longer answer.... She's got at least a few problems with her plan. The first is that she's attempting to reside in Singapore, de facto, with a Short Term Visit Pass (STVP), taking "visa runs" to attempt to get new 30 day (typically) STVPs. That might work once or twice until it doesn't work, whereupon she'll be barred from Singapore and unceremoniously pointed in the other direction. The second is that her work activities would likely exceed the scope of her STVP stay permission. And the third is that Singapore doesn't routinely issue work permits for either self-employment or for subordinate employment when there's no Singapore-based employing entity. (The EntrePass and Global Investor Programme are possible exceptions but quite difficult to obtain.)

The correct, legal way to do this is for a Singapore-based employer (a Pte. Ltd.) to apply for an Employment Pass for her and, if approved, to hire her. That employer pays her salary, directs her work, etc. Her work can be for foreign customers, and the Singapore-based company bills those foreign customers.

I hope she's not an immigration, tax, or employment law consultant.


----------

