Singapore Expats

Freelancer PR

Relocating, travelling or planning to make Singapore home? Discuss the criterias, passes or visa that is required.
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georgekvla
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Freelancer PR

Post by georgekvla » Fri, 08 Oct 2010 2:19 pm

Hi,

I currently a PR residing in Singapore and I recently quit my job to pursue my freelance career.

My question is will i have any issue while extending PR the next time? I have clients here and married with a house here.

Thanks for the help in advance.
Regards,
George

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Re: Freelancer PR

Post by Mad Scientist » Fri, 08 Oct 2010 3:27 pm

[quote="georgekvla"]Hi,

I currently a PR residing in Singapore and I recently quit my job to pursue my freelance career.

My question is will i have any issue while extending PR the next time? I have clients here and married with a house here.

Thanks for the help in advance.[/quote

As long as three years of your five or ten years PR is in Singapore prior to your REP renewal, you should be good.

Your PR does not expire . Your REP does.

Make sure pay your tax even when you are on freelance basis and your REP will be renewed
The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!

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Post by beppi » Fri, 08 Oct 2010 7:08 pm

I am in the same situation, but my freelance work is mostly in other Asian countries, so I have no or minimal income and taxes in Singapore. I asked ICA, three years before my REP was up, whether I need to change and find regular employment in Singapore to ensure it is renewed. Their answer was No, I just need to explain the situation and they will renew it based on my family ties (wife and daughter Singaporean).
The three years are not up, so I haven't tried and tested it yet, but this was their reply!

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Strong Eagle
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Post by Strong Eagle » Fri, 08 Oct 2010 7:27 pm

beppi wrote:I am in the same situation, but my freelance work is mostly in other Asian countries, so I have no or minimal income and taxes in Singapore. I asked ICA, three years before my REP was up, whether I need to change and find regular employment in Singapore to ensure it is renewed. Their answer was No, I just need to explain the situation and they will renew it based on my family ties (wife and daughter Singaporean).
The three years are not up, so I haven't tried and tested it yet, but this was their reply!
I assume then, that you have tax liabilities in the other countries in which you work? If yes, then tax treaties would satisfy Singapore requirements, if no... well... that is most often known as tax avoidance.

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Post by beppi » Fri, 08 Oct 2010 7:40 pm

IRAS isn't interested in whether you pay your taxes elsewhere or not: Income for work done abroad is non-taxable in Singapore without further ifs and buts - you don't even need to declare it at all.
And yes, I do clear my tax liability whenever required at the places I work (every country has different rules for this).
But this thread was about PR renewal and not about taxes!

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Post by Mad Scientist » Sat, 09 Oct 2010 1:27 am

beppi wrote:I am in the same situation, but my freelance work is mostly in other Asian countries, so I have no or minimal income and taxes in Singapore. I asked ICA, three years before my REP was up, whether I need to change and find regular employment in Singapore to ensure it is renewed. Their answer was No, I just need to explain the situation and they will renew it based on my family ties (wife and daughter Singaporean).
The three years are not up, so I haven't tried and tested it yet, but this was their reply!
Beppi, from memory, you are married to a Sger hence your wife is your sponsor. It is totally different than OP
It is against the guideline to break up the family unit of a SPR married to SGer just because it does not satisfy the 3 yrs income tax rule

Oh yes, the income tax rule plays a big part in the REP renewal to see whether PRs have done cross migration during their REP period. It is linked with ICA, MOM, MHA, CPF and MFA
OP , I believe is in different situation
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Post by Strong Eagle » Sat, 09 Oct 2010 6:43 am

beppi wrote:IRAS isn't interested in whether you pay your taxes elsewhere or not: Income for work done abroad is non-taxable in Singapore without further ifs and buts - you don't even need to declare it at all.
And yes, I do clear my tax liability whenever required at the places I work (every country has different rules for this).
But this thread was about PR renewal and not about taxes!
I think it plays a significant role. ICA is aware of people who get PR but then never work here, they work (and live) somewhere else. A quick peek into IRAS records and they see the person doesn't have a job here, a bit more digging around and they discover the address used doesn't have the person living there.

My point is that if this is your domicile, and you are not paying taxes in SG, then you can always refer to tax treaties as requiring you to pay elsewhere even though you live here.

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Post by beppi » Sat, 09 Oct 2010 9:18 am

The OP is (in his own words) "married here". If that means (as I assumed) married to a Singaporean, he is in a very similar situation as me.

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