How to Move to Singapore as a High Net Worth Individual (2026): All Pathways Compared

Singapore continues to be one of the world’s leading destinations for high net worth individuals (HNWI). It combines political stability, a transparent regulatory regime, a deep talent pool, and one of the most well-administered financial centres in Asia. For families and individuals considering relocation, the question is rarely whether Singapore makes sense, but which pathway fits best given their wealth profile, business interests, and family circumstances.

Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.

This 2026 guide walks through every realistic immigration pathway available to HNWIs, the trade-offs between them, the typical capital and substance commitments expected, and the tax and structuring decisions that follow. It is written for principals, family CFOs, and the legal and accounting advisors who support them.

What Counts as “High Net Worth” in Singapore Terms?

There is no single statutory definition. For practical immigration and wealth planning purposes, HNWI typically means an individual or family with at least USD 5 million in investable assets, while ultra-high net worth families generally exceed USD 50 million. Singapore’s HNWI-targeted programmes apply different thresholds, ranging from SGD 5 million for selected family office schemes to SGD 200 million for the Global Investor Programme’s family office track.

The Five Realistic Pathways

HNWI clients typically end up choosing from five real-world pathways into Singapore. Each has its own profile:

• Global Investor Programme (GIP), direct PR via substantive investment.
• Family Office structure under Section 13O or 13U, paired with EP applications for principals and family members.
• ONE Pass, the open-ended work pass for top earners and accomplished individuals.
• Tech.Pass for tech founders and operators.
• Employment Pass tied to a Singapore-based operating business, often a Pte Ltd subsidiary that the principal runs.

Pathway 1: Global Investor Programme (GIP)

The GIP is administered by EDB and is the most direct route from “foreigner with capital” to “Singapore PR”. Three investment options are available:

• Option A: Invest SGD 10 million in a new or existing Singapore-based business.
• Option B: Invest SGD 25 million in an EDB-approved GIP fund.
• Option C: Establish a Singapore-based single family office with at least SGD 200 million in assets under management (AUM), of which at least SGD 50 million must be deployed and maintained in any of four prescribed Singapore asset categories.

Across all options, applicants must demonstrate a substantial business track record (typically at least three years of audited revenue of SGD 200 million) and a commitment to live in Singapore. See our deep-dive on the Global Investor Programme 2026 for the application process, expected timeline, and common rejection reasons.

GIP grants PR directly to the principal applicant, spouse, and unmarried children under 21. Parents and unmarried children aged 21 and above can apply for a separate Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP).

Pathway 2: Family Office Under Section 13O or 13U

For families with at least SGD 20–50 million in liquid wealth, setting up a single family office (SFO) in Singapore is the most flexible pathway. The structure typically involves:

• A Singapore Pte Ltd fund vehicle holding the family’s investable assets.
• A Singapore Pte Ltd management company (the family office itself) that manages the fund.
• Tax incentives under Section 13O (onshore fund) or Section 13U (enhanced tier) of the Income Tax Act 1947.
• Principal and selected family members on Employment Pass tied to the family office company.

The Section 13O scheme generally requires minimum AUM of SGD 20 million, two investment professionals, and prescribed local business spending. Section 13U requires SGD 50 million AUM, three investment professionals (including at least one non-family member), and higher local spend. See our comparison on Section 13O vs 13U for details.

The Family Office pathway gets Employment Passes (work-pass-based residence) rather than PR directly. Principals usually progress to PR after two to three years of substantive residence in Singapore. The Family Office Principal track under ONE Pass and GIP is a more recent option, see our walkthrough.

Pathway 3: ONE Pass (Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass)

Introduced in 2023, the ONE Pass is Singapore’s pass for the world’s most distinguished professionals. It is open-ended, employer-agnostic, and lets the holder work for multiple Singapore employers without re-applying.

Eligibility requires meeting one of the following:

• Fixed monthly salary of at least SGD 30,000 in the last year (or comparable equivalent overseas).
• Demonstrated achievements in arts, culture, sports, science and technology, research, or academia.

The ONE Pass is valid for five years and is renewable. It lets the holder set up companies, take board seats, run a family office, or work for multiple businesses simultaneously. The flexibility makes it particularly attractive to founders with multi-jurisdiction interests.

Pathway 4: Tech.Pass

The Tech.Pass is targeted at established tech founders and operators. It supports up to 500 candidates per intake and requires meeting two of three criteria:

• Last drawn fixed monthly salary of at least SGD 22,500.
• At least five years of cumulative experience in a leadership role in a technology product or service company with revenue of at least USD 100 million or USD 30 million in raised capital.
• At least five years of cumulative experience leading the development of a technology product with at least 100,000 monthly active users or USD 100 million in revenue.

Tech.Pass holders can run companies, take board seats, raise funding, and serve as mentors or investors, all under a single pass. It is valid for two years initially and is renewable.

Pathway 5: Employment Pass Tied to Operating Business

For HNWIs who want a Singapore base without committing to the GIP capital threshold, setting up a Singapore Pte Ltd and obtaining an Employment Pass is the most accessible route. The principal becomes a director, draws a salary above the EP minimum threshold (currently SGD 5,600 for general roles, SGD 6,400 for financial services), and runs a substantive business from Singapore.

This pathway works best when the principal has:

• An actual operating business they intend to manage from Singapore.
• Sufficient personal funds to draw an above-market salary.
• A medium-term plan to apply for PR after two to four years.

See our comparison of EP vs ONE Pass vs PEP for context.

Comparison Table

Tax Considerations on Relocation

Singapore is attractive partly because it does not tax foreign-sourced income that is not remitted into Singapore, has no capital gains tax (under section 13Z, see our explainer), no estate duty, and no wealth tax (though property and luxury goods are taxed). Personal income tax for residents is progressive, peaking at 24% for income above SGD 1 million.

Critical questions to think through with your tax advisor:

• Exit taxes: Does your current country impose exit or deemed-disposal taxes?
• Residency timing: When does Singapore tax residency commence, and when does your previous residency cease?
• Foreign-sourced income: Will income be remitted into Singapore (taxable) or kept offshore (generally exempt)?
• Source structuring: Use of holding companies, trusts, and offshore entities to manage source.

Wealth Structuring: Beyond the Visa

Most HNWI relocations involve more than just an immigration application. Typical companion structures include:

• Family office: management Pte Ltd plus fund Pte Ltd.
• Variable Capital Company (VCC) for funds that want to segregate sub-fund assets, see our VCC sub-funds explainer.
• Private Trust Company (PTC) for families that want to retain trustee control.
• Offshore holding entities (BVI, Cayman) connected to the Singapore family office.
• Bespoke insurance and succession planning structures.

Practical Sequencing for Most HNWI Families

A typical multi-year plan looks like this:

1. Year 0: Initial advisory engagement, tax residency analysis, family office structure design.
2. Year 0 Q2: Singapore family office and fund vehicles incorporated; application for 13O or 13U; EP applications for principals.
3. Year 1: Principal relocates, family follows, AUM deployed in Singapore.
4. Year 2: Continued substance build, school placements for children, integration into Singapore community.
5. Year 3: PR application for principal and family, where eligible.

Common Mistakes

• Choosing the wrong pathway for the wrong reason. The “fastest” pathway is not always the most appropriate.
• Setting up structures before clarifying tax residency. Misaligned timing can create double-tax exposure.
• Under-spending on local substance. Section 13O / 13U incentives require minimum local business spend; missing this can void the incentive.
• Treating MAS approval as a formality. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) reviews family office applications rigorously, see our MAS approval walkthrough.
• Ignoring CRS and FATCA implications. Cross-border reporting obligations follow the family even after relocation.

How Raffles Corporate Services Helps HNWI Families

We coordinate the Singapore-side of HNWI relocations end-to-end, from initial pathway analysis, family office incorporation, MAS application liaison, work pass and PR application support, to ongoing compliance, tax filings, and family office reporting. We partner with private banks, fund administrators, and family law specialists for the components that sit outside our core practice. For families exploring the Section 13O / 13U structure, we sequence the application carefully so the immigration, tax, and substance elements all fit together cleanly.

Statutory references: Income Tax Act 1947, sections 13O, 13U, 13Z (SSO); Immigration Act 1959 (SSO). Practice references: EDB (GIP), MAS (family office), MOM (work passes), ICA (PR).

— The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services