Last updated
The Global Investor Programme, or GIP, grants Singapore permanent residence to investors who put a large sum into the local economy. The Economic Development Board (EDB) runs it. There are three options, and the lowest asks for at least S$10 million. This page was checked on against the Singapore government pages that could be read.
What is the Global Investor Programme?
It is a PR scheme for investors, not a business visa. You do not need a Singapore sponsor, and you do not go through the normal employment-based PR queue. ICA's PR page lists foreign investors as their own category and tells them to visit the EDB website for the programme, the assessment criteria and the application steps.
The scheme is meant for people who will run or grow a business or investment base from Singapore. If you only want to run a small company and live here, you will probably find the work pass route more realistic. See permanent residency for business owners.
What are the three GIP investment options?
| Option | What you do | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| A | Invest in a new or existing Singapore-based business entity | At least S$10 million |
| B | Invest in a GIP-select fund that invests in Singapore-based companies | At least S$25 million |
| C | Set up a Singapore-based Single Family Office | At least S$200 million under management, with at least S$50 million deployed in designated investments |
These figures come from a Singapore government reply that restates the three options. EDB's own GIP page and factsheet were not readable when we checked, so we leave out details we could not confirm: the business track record test for Option A, the exact fund list for Option B, the processing time and any application fee. EDB publishes them. Read them before you plan.
Older articles still show S$2.5 million for Option A. That figure is out of date. If you see it, check the date on the article.
How many people get PR through the GIP?
The same government reply says about 450 individuals received PR through the scheme over the ten years it reviewed, The reply covers the ten years to its date. About half used Option A, about 40% used Option B and about 10% used Option C. It also says roughly S$500 million went into Singapore businesses through direct investments, over half of it in professional services, infocomm and financial services, and another S$430 million went into GIP funds.
Those numbers tell you something useful: Option A is the most common route, and Option C is rare. About 450 people over ten years is a small group, which fits a scheme with a price of S$10 million or more. It is a narrow door, not a mass route.
What does the GIP not give you?
Read the scheme for what it is. It grants PR, which is a status, not a business licence or a tax ruling. It does not decide your company's tax residency, your right to hold a bank account or your eligibility for grants. For those, see Singapore tax residency for a company and the business bank account page.
It also does not replace the need to run a real business. The government reply frames the GIP as a way to attract investors who will grow businesses from Singapore, and describes where the money went: direct investments in local firms and funds that back Singapore-based companies. If you plan to park money and live elsewhere, the scheme is not built for you.
Where does a Singapore company fit in?
Option A needs a Singapore-based business entity, either new or existing. That usually means a private limited company. If you are starting one, read private limited company and how to set up a company in Singapore. Option B puts your money in a fund instead, so you may not need your own company. Option C is a family office, covered on the family office page, and some family offices sit in a VCC.
Who is the GIP for, and who should skip it?
It suits an investor who already has the capital and wants to base a business or family office here. It does not suit a founder who is still raising money, or someone who wants the cheapest way to live in Singapore.
If you are a founder, the normal path is a work pass, a company and then a PR application later. Our pages on the EntrePass, the Employment Pass and starting a company as a foreigner cover that path. If you hold wealth through a family office, read the family office page too, since Option C is built around one.
How does the GIP compare with the ordinary PR route?
| GIP | Ordinary ICA PR (Employment Pass or S Pass holder) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | EDB sets criteria, ICA grants PR | ICA |
| Sponsor needed | No | No |
| Entry test | Minimum investment | Assessment of economic contribution, qualifications, age, family profile, length of residency |
| ICA fee | Not read on an official page | S$100 submission, then S$20, S$50 and S$50 on approval |
| Time | Check EDB | Within 6 months, some take longer |
ICA says its ordinary route is judged case by case. A large investment is a clear test. A work pass holder's file is a softer one, with no published points or cut-off.
What should you check before applying?
- Read the current EDB GIP page and factsheet, because EDB can change amounts. It did so in the past.
- Decide which option fits the money you hold. Do not move funds until you know the conditions.
- Check the ICA PR page for fees and what ICA does after approval.
- Talk to a licensed adviser if the structure involves a company, a fund or a family office.
Independent guide
SingaporeCompanySetupGuide.com is an independent guide. We are not EDB or ICA and we cannot apply for a GIP for you. If you need a Singapore company in place before you invest, use the quote form on the linked company set-up page and we pass your request to suitable providers.
Sources
- Singapore government reply on the Global Investor Programme (options, amounts, outcomes)
- ICA, Permanent Residence application, https://www.ica.gov.sg/reside/PR/apply (investor category, sponsor, fees, 6 month time)
