Moving out Singapore for more than one year

[brifusg]

Hi there,

I am a PR holder and my PR status is valid till 2014. I am recently offered a job in my home country and I want to give it a try. I do not rule out the possibility that I might need to return to Singapore one day. Would like to seek for your advice for my following question

If I do not want to renounce my PR status, what should I need to do to keep that?

1) do I need to do the tax clearance with IRAS?
2) is there anything I need to inform CPF?
3) anything else I should know?

Very much appreciated for your help in advance.

[Mad Scientist]

Your PR does not expires but your REP does as it is a five year validity

Have a good read on this

http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=152

[brifusg]

Thanks MS, you're right - it's REP not PR. Would you know if in such a case do I need to inform IRAS that I am leaving the country; also do I need to inform CPF or any other Singapore government agency (ICA, etc.)?

I do not rule out the possibility that thing won't work well for me in my home country and would be joining back workforce in Singapore. Hence, I am not going to withdraw CPF contribution and renounce my PR status until its REP expires.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Your PR does not expires but your REP does as it is a five year validity

Have a good read on this

http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=152

[Mad Scientist]

Hard to tell on how you wish to go about it. I am second guessing your move now.

You are a PR now till 2014. Job offer in own country and you want to leave for better $$ and prospect

If you leave now on your own accord not on company assignment, you have to inform IRA that you have a job offer overseas and you have to inform CPF too if you are self employed. If not, you do not have to.

The thing is you need to come back within three years of your 5 years before your REP expires. If you have read thru the link it states to submit last 3 years of income tax and CPF contribution.
If you do not have that your REP will not renewed.

Unless you are going for further studies overseas and planning to return back to SG and have the blessing of ICA that is different

Or you are on company assignment which the company here still pay your income here and you pay your tax here no matter how small it is that is different too as you are paying tax and contributing CPF. In this instance IRA and ICA will require a letter from your employer to that effect. You do not even to return back as you are on company assignment.

So which of the above are you opting. My bet is the first one which is on your own accord.
If that is the case, you have to thread carefully as 2014 is three years from now.

[brifusg]

I will resign and join other company in my home country. I understand the requirement to renew REP and I know it is not likely that I would be able to renew. However, I am thinking if thing does not work well with my move, with PR status it would be more convenient for me to land a job here again.

So if I understand you correctly, in my case where I would be working in my home country I would need to inform IRAS as well as CPF that I am working oversea (not in Singapore) for more than one year.

[Mad Scientist]

I will resign and join other company in my home country. I understand the requirement to renew REP and I know it is not likely that I would be able to renew. However, I am thinking if thing does not work well with my move, with PR status it would be more convenient for me to land a job here again.

So if I understand you correctly, in my case where I would be working in my home country I would need to inform IRAS as well as CPF that I am working oversea (not in Singapore) for more than one year.

Again you misinterprete this wrongly. You gotten your PR via ICA and if for some reason which is highly likely that you did not get renewed on your REP, you lose your PR status. Fullstop.
TO regain employment here again you have to go to MOM to apply for EP or LRP or whatever on the cards that suits you . Whether you will regain employment will depend entirely on MOM not ICA. Keeping your CPF here while back home will tilt slightly to your advantage as withdrawing is not possible unless you renounce your PR fully.It is earning interest though which is better than the local banks.
To regain PR back you have to return all the monies taken out to the last cents plus interest. That does not necessarily means you will regain it but this is one of the condition to adhere to.
Yes, you have to inform IRA to that effect. Same goes to CPF.
I would be incline, if you can do it, inform ICA and IRA that you are going overseas to look for opportunities in your home country using SG as base office. To invest and do business there. If you can create one shell company there and proof to that effect to IRA then I think you can make your REP slightly more watertight. Talk to ICA and IRA on business opportunity overseas and how it will affect your PR status will be the way to go.

[brifusg]

Hi MS,

Thank you very much for your replies.

Rgs,