Short-term visit pass extended and remote work

[estuador]

I have been in Singapore since March on a 90-day pass which was extended a couple of times because of the Covid situation.

Recently I've been discussing the possibility of working remotely for a firm in the Netherlands, while here, via my own UK limited company. Still aiming to fly out at some point but hoping to avoid quarantine at the destination.

Is this kind of remote work possible?

[Myasis Dragon]

I have been in Singapore since March on a 90-day pass which was extended a couple of times because of the Covid situation.

Recently I've been discussing the possibility of working remotely for a firm in the Netherlands, while here, via my own UK limited company. Still aiming to fly out at some point but hoping to avoid quarantine at the destination.

Is this kind of remote work possible?

Nobody can ever work on a social visit pass, ever. But, this applies to people coming into Singapore on a social visit pass, then taking up employment, for example, working as a waiter in a restaurant. Bad news if you get caught.

But, if you are not working for a Singapore firm, then it doesn't matter. Because you are on a short term visit pass, you continue to pay income taxes in your home country. Nobody in Singapore will care.

[taxico]

"183 days"

[estuador]

"183 days"

Yes, this is the one caveat to Myasis' very useful post -- the sheer unusual length of time entailed by Covid-associated extensions. I imagine if I got to 183 days it would be very uncomfortable indeed. However, I am some way short of that and actively starting to look at a route home with as few quarantines as possible.

[hocuspocus]

I have been in Singapore since March on a 90-day pass which was extended a couple of times because of the Covid situation.

Recently I've been discussing the possibility of working remotely for a firm in the Netherlands, while here, via my own UK limited company. Still aiming to fly out at some point but hoping to avoid quarantine at the destination.

Is this kind of remote work possible?

Nobody can ever work on a social visit pass, ever. But, this applies to people coming into Singapore on a social visit pass, then taking up employment, for example, working as a waiter in a restaurant. Bad news if you get caught.

But, if you are not working for a Singapore firm, then it doesn't matter. Because you are on a short term visit pass, you continue to pay income taxes in your home country. Nobody in Singapore will care.

I have a question about a similar sort of situation. The plot twist in this case is that my home country requires me to issue electronic invoices through a sort of centralised government portal for work I do through my own company. This is to prevent off-book working.

It's one thing for no-one to care when you can just do a bit of remote work 'under the radar', but in these days of huge information sharing, CRS, etc., isn't it a bit more precarious when there are centralised invoices with names dates and times that every government could access if they want to?

[PNGMK]

Yes - which is why you use a anonymizing service in between.

[hocuspocus]

Yes - which is why you use a anonymizing service in between.

Any recommendations for how to investigate this further?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Google is your friend. We cannot or will not advise on how to theoretically break the law in Singapore. We like our forum and it is regularly perused by several of the ministries here which I know of for fact.

moderator

[hocuspocus]

Makes sense.

I was intrigued more than anything else; once you're invoicing via a govt portal, the only anonymizing I can see would be quite James Bond/Mission Impossible in nature...