Permanent Resident vs. Citizen in Singapore: Which Is Better?

Singapore is widely regarded as one of the most efficient, clean, and safe countries in the world. With strong infrastructure, a stable political environment, world-class education, and excellent healthcare, it’s no wonder many foreigners aspire to stay long-term. For those who’ve lived and worked in the city-state, two possible statuses can define your future here: Permanent Residency (PR) and Singapore Citizenship.

While both offer significant benefits over short-term passes or Work Permits, they are fundamentally different in terms of rights, obligations, and opportunities. Whether you're a long-time PR considering citizenship or weighing which path suits your family best, this article will break down the differences between PR and Citizenship in Singapore.

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Understanding the Basics

What is Permanent Residency (PR)?

PR status allows foreigners to live, work, and study in Singapore without needing to apply for new work passes. It is typically renewable every 5 or 10 years via a Re-Entry Permit (REP).

What is Singapore Citizenship?

Citizenship is the highest legal status available to any individual in Singapore. A citizen enjoys full political, social, and economic rights, including voting, owning public housing without restrictions, and accessing the full range of subsidies and schemes.

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Key Differences Between PR and Citizenship

1. Residency and Travel Rights

• PR: You can live in Singapore indefinitely, but to travel freely and return, you must maintain a valid Re-Entry Permit (REP).

• Citizen: You enjoy unrestricted residency and travel in and out of Singapore with a Singapore passport.

Advantage: Citizenship

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2. Voting and Political Participation

• PR: No voting rights or ability to run for public office.

• Citizen: Full political rights, including voting and standing for election.

Advantage: Citizenship

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3. National Service Obligation

• PR: Male PRs (2nd generation or those granted PR under family ties) are required to serve National Service (NS).

• Citizen: All male citizens must serve NS.

Note: This obligation is often a deciding factor for some families.

Advantage: Neutral (Obligation for both)

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4. Public Housing (HDB) Eligibility

• PR: Can only buy resale flats (after 3 years of PR status) and only with another PR spouse.

• Citizen: Can purchase new BTO flats (heavily subsidized) and enjoy priority in housing grants and schemes.

Advantage: Citizenship

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5. Central Provident Fund (CPF) and Retirement

• PR: Contribute to CPF and are eligible for MediSave and MediShield Life.

• Citizen: Same CPF contributions and benefits, with additional access to CPF Life, Silver Support Scheme, and retirement subsidies.

Advantage: Slight edge to Citizenship for additional support.

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6. Healthcare Subsidies

• PR: Receive partial subsidies at public hospitals and clinics.

• Citizen: Receive higher tier subsidies, with greater access to financial assistance schemes (e.g. CHAS, Medifund).

Advantage: Citizenship

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7. Education Priority

• PR: Children can apply to public schools but fall behind citizens in admission priority and pay higher school fees.

• Citizen: Children receive top priority in school admissions, subsidized school fees, and Edusave support.

Advantage: Citizenship

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8. Citizenship of Other Countries

• PR: Can retain foreign citizenship and travel freely under your original passport.

• Citizen: Singapore does not allow dual citizenship; you must renounce your foreign nationality.

Advantage: PR, if you want to keep dual nationality

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9. Ease of Giving Up Status

• PR: You can renounce PR status easily with minimal consequences (except CPF withdrawal and NS implications).

• Citizen: Renouncing citizenship is serious and irreversible; may affect your ability to return and live in Singapore.

Advantage: PR for flexibility

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10. Business and Investment Opportunities

• PR: Access to most business permits and can register companies in Singapore.

• Citizen: Eligible for more grants, tenders, and government incentives targeted at local entrepreneurs.

Advantage: Citizenship

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Pros and Cons Table: PR vs. Citizen

Category	Permanent Resident (PR)	Singapore Citizen	Advantage
Residency Rights	Indefinite (with valid REP)	Unrestricted	Citizen
Travel Freedom	Foreign passport + REP	Singapore passport	Citizen
Voting Rights	Not allowed	Full voting rights	Citizen
National Service	Required for male PRs	Required for male citizens	Neutral
Housing Eligibility	Resale HDB with PR spouse (after 3 years)	Eligible for new BTO + resale	Citizen
Healthcare	Partial subsidies	Higher subsidies, more schemes	Citizen
Education	Medium priority, higher fees	Top priority, lower fees	Citizen
CPF & Retirement	CPF + MediShield	CPF + CPF Life + more support	Citizen
Dual Citizenship	Allowed	Not allowed	PR
Renunciation Flexibility	Easy	Difficult	PR
Business Opportunities	Broad access	Full access + grants	Citizen

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So, Which Should You Choose?

When PR Might Be Better:

• You want flexibility to retain your foreign citizenship.

• You're not ready to commit long-term to one nationality.

• You want to live and work in Singapore with fewer legal obligations.

• You’re planning to retire elsewhere but benefit from CPF and healthcare while in Singapore.

When Citizenship Is Better:

• You see Singapore as your forever home.

• You want to raise children here with full benefits in education and housing.

• You're willing to give up foreign nationality for full integration and rights.

• You want greater social security, subsidies, and voting rights.

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Final Thoughts

Becoming a Singapore Permanent Resident is a significant milestone and brings many advantages over temporary work passes. But taking the next step to citizenship is a major life decision that requires thoughtful consideration. While citizenship opens the door to full integration and state support, PR offers flexibility and a good quality of life with fewer obligations.

It really depends on your personal priorities, family plans, and long-term goals. Whether you choose to remain a PR or become a citizen, one thing is clear—Singapore continues to be one of the best places in the world to build a secure and prosperous future.

 

The Perks of Being a Singapore Permanent Resident Compared to a Work Permit Holder

Singapore is one of Asia’s most desirable places to live and work, thanks to its world-class infrastructure, strong economy, political stability, and high quality of life. Every year, thousands of foreigners move to Singapore on various types of work passes. Among them, Work Permit (WP) holders and Permanent Residents (PRs) represent two very different categories of residents in terms of privileges, lifestyle, and long-term opportunities.

While a Work Permit allows foreign workers to live and work in Singapore temporarily, attaining Permanent Resident status opens the door to a host of benefits and rights that bring stability, flexibility, and a sense of belonging. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key perks of being a PR in Singapore and how it compares to being a Work Permit holder.

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1. Stability of Residency

Work Permit Holder:
Work Permits are typically issued to semi-skilled or unskilled foreign workers in sectors like construction, manufacturing, marine, and services. These permits are valid for up to 2 years and are tied to the sponsoring employer. If the employment ends, the Work Permit is canceled, and the individual must leave Singapore.

Permanent Resident:
PRs enjoy the freedom to live and work in Singapore without being tied to a specific employer. They can stay in the country indefinitely, and although their PR status needs to be renewed every 5 or 10 years via a Re-Entry Permit (REP), it provides long-term residency and security.

Perk: Greater stability and peace of mind to plan for the future, raise a family, or invest in a long-term career.

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2. Employment Flexibility

Work Permit Holder:
WP holders can only work for the employer specified in their permit. Changing jobs requires prior approval, and there's limited flexibility to shift industries or upgrade skills outside of what is approved.

Permanent Resident:
PRs are free to change jobs, switch industries, start a business, or pursue entrepreneurship without needing a new work pass. They have the same employment rights as Singapore Citizens (except for certain government roles).

Perk: More career mobility and freedom to explore better job opportunities.

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3. Family Privileges

Work Permit Holder:
WP holders are not eligible to bring their spouse or children to live in Singapore unless under special exemptions. There is no Dependant Pass (DP) or Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) entitlement for family members.

Permanent Resident:
PRs can sponsor their spouse and unmarried children under 21 for PR status. This allows the family to stay together in Singapore, access public services, and benefit from the same long-term residency perks.

Perk: Stronger family support and ability to build a life together in Singapore.

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4. Access to Public Healthcare

Work Permit Holder:
While employers must provide basic medical insurance for WP holders, access to subsidized public healthcare is limited. Any serious medical treatments can be expensive if not covered by insurance.

Permanent Resident:
PRs enjoy subsidized medical services at public hospitals and polyclinics, almost on par with citizens. They are also eligible for national healthcare schemes like MediShield Life and CPF-funded MediSave accounts.

Perk: Affordable and reliable access to quality healthcare services.

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5. Education Benefits for Children

Work Permit Holder:
Children of WP holders do not have guaranteed access to public schools in Singapore. If they are allowed, they are typically considered low priority and pay higher fees compared to citizens and PRs.

Permanent Resident:
PR children can apply to enter public schools and are given higher priority over foreign students. They also enjoy subsidized school fees and access to government educational schemes.

Perk: Better access to Singapore’s top-tier public education system.

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6. Eligibility for HDB Public Housing

Work Permit Holder:
WP holders are not allowed to buy or rent HDB flats (apart from renting a room with permission in special cases). Their housing is usually employer-provided or private rental.

Permanent Resident:
After 3 years as a PR, one can apply to purchase a resale HDB flat with a PR spouse. PRs can also rent public housing and apply for certain housing grants, though not as extensive as citizens.

Perk: Pathway to affordable home ownership and stable housing.

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7. Central Provident Fund (CPF) Contributions

Work Permit Holder:
WP holders do not contribute to or receive CPF benefits. This means no access to CPF-supported healthcare, retirement savings, or housing schemes.

Permanent Resident:
PRs contribute to CPF just like Singapore Citizens. This enables them to save for retirement, use CPF for medical expenses, purchase housing, and invest under CPF Investment Schemes.

Perk: Stronger financial security and access to national saving schemes.

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8. Path to Citizenship

Work Permit Holder:
There is no direct pathway from a Work Permit to Singapore Citizenship. WP holders must first qualify for an S Pass or Employment Pass, gain PR, and then apply for citizenship.

Permanent Resident:
PR status is the gateway to applying for Singapore Citizenship after fulfilling residency and integration requirements. Citizenship unlocks full rights, including voting, full access to HDB flats, and more extensive government support.

Perk: Opportunity to become a full citizen with voting rights and national benefits.

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9. Greater Social Integration

Work Permit Holder:
Due to housing, language, and work separation, WP holders often live in dormitories and have limited integration with the local community.

Permanent Resident:
PRs live within the broader community and participate more fully in Singaporean life, through local events, community programs, and grassroots initiatives.

Perk: Enhanced sense of belonging and participation in local life.

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10. Entrepreneurial Freedom

Work Permit Holder:
WP holders are not allowed to run businesses in Singapore.

Permanent Resident:
PRs can set up and run their own businesses, apply for business grants, and participate in enterprise initiatives from government agencies such as Enterprise Singapore.

Perk: Ability to pursue entrepreneurship and create wealth in Singapore.

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Conclusion

Becoming a Permanent Resident in Singapore is a significant upgrade from holding a Work Permit. While WP holders play a vital role in supporting Singapore’s labor needs, the PR status offers individuals and their families a wide range of benefits – from career flexibility, housing opportunities, healthcare access, and education, to long-term financial planning and a stable future.

If you’re currently working in Singapore and envision building a life here, attaining PR status could be the gateway to realizing that dream. It not only improves your quality of life but also opens the door to eventual citizenship, allowing you to fully participate in and contribute to the nation’s vibrant future.

The Lew Blueprint: Achieving Financial Freedom & Retiring Early in Singapore with a Family of 6

 

By James Lew

Living in one of the world’s most expensive cities with a family of six isn't for the faint-hearted. Our 4-room HDB in the heartlands of Singapore is home—not just to memories and chaos—but to a dream: retiring early and financially free. I’ve walked this journey, stumbled many times, and picked up strategies that have transformed our family's life and outlook. Here’s my candid take on how we’re getting there—and how you can, too.

1. Define What Financial Freedom Means for You

Early in the journey, my wife and I sat down and mapped our true north. For us, financial freedom isn’t about luxury condos or big HDBs. It’s the ability to choose—whether it’s working less to spend time with our kids, or traveling during off-peak months without stressing over leave days.

We calculated a realistic number: how much we’d need monthly to sustain our lifestyle. This included utilities, groceries (our kids love cereal and yakult!), education, insurance, and the occasional prata supper. That figure became our target passive income. Our figure in 2025 is $3million generating a passive income of $200k/per year. So far we are only 20% of that figure in our journey.

2. Budget Ruthlessly, Spend Intentionally

I used to think budgeting was restrictive. Turns out, it gave us control. We switched to the 50-40-10 rule—with tweaks. Here's how it works for us:

• 50% Needs: Mortgage, food, insurance, transport, tuition.
• 40% Savings/Investments: This includes CPF top-ups (To get tax rebates and made the money work harder) , dividend portfolio (Singapore), and a modest stock portfolio (US index funds by Endowus) .
• 10% Wants: Family outings, bubble tea runs, even those last-minute Lazada buys.

Our Family do not have a car and it helps in reducing our expenses even more. We take private transportation and occasionally we do Grab if we are going to places.

3. Maximize Government Support (It’s There!)

There’s a surprising amount of support if you know where to look:

• Baby Bonus & CDA: Every bit helps when you’ve got 2 kids! We used CDA funds wisely—mostly for healthcare, vaccinations, and enrichment classes which we have used up as our 2 daughters are in primary school.
• U-Save & GST Vouchers & CDC Vouchers: These reduced our utility bills and gave breathing space.
• CPF Enhancements: We used cash top-ups for our Special Accounts to compound our future security which we have max out. Projected to be around $700k+ for both mi and my wife when we reach 55 years old after which we will go for enhance retirement sum and we will do a top up. My estimate is to have another $140k+ to top up so that at age 65 we will have a passive income stream of $8k per month which will amounts to $96k per year for life. This will form our baseline living. 

Learning to navigate these schemes gave us the edge. Every dollar saved was a dollar invested.

4. Turn Your HDB into a Financial Ally

Some people see their HDB as a place to live. I see ours as a quiet wealth-building machine. We didn’t over-renovate—just the essentials. That meant more cash flow to invest elsewhere.

We also plan to right-size eventually. Once the kids fly the nest, we’ll consider selling and moving to a smaller flat, unlocking equity to support our passive income. Property in Singapore may not make you rich overnight, but with long-term vision, it can anchor your retirement. As both mi and my wife got 2 chances to buy new hdb flat. We have used up 1 for our 4 room HDB. We have another chance as 2nd timer. We are planning to look out for HDB flat once we clear the mortgage by this year Oct 2025. From there we will monitor for HDB flats where every quarter there will be launches to see what are the available locations. My current flat estimate to sell @$700k+. By buying 2nd HDB and selling my current flat, we should have some funds left after selling and buying the 2nd HDB.

5. Invest—Even with a Modest Salary

The turning point for me was automating investments. I chose low-cost ETFs, and dabbled in US stocks via dollar-cost averaging. It wasn't glamorous, but it was steady. Robo-advisors like Endowus become my silent partner.

And yes, there were nerves. The 2020 dip during COVID shook us, but sticking to the plan paid off. Time in the market, not timing the market, became our mantra. Compared to the investment i did in mutual funds else where through insurance, i have more control and i'm not paying high percentage of fees. 

6. Side Hustles & Skills Stacking

With kids, time is precious—but I squeezed in weekend blogwriting which you are looking at it now: even reselling pre-loved items through Carousell. I'm still some way to having adsense on my blog but hey every baby will take me to my eventual goal for adsense on my blog. Eventually to momentise.

We focused on building marketable skills—I upskilled via SkillsFuture credits and learned basic coding. Every skill gained makes me more marketable. 

7. Teach Kids About Money Early

Raising money-smart kids eases the load. We gave each child a mini piggy bank and taught them to split money into spend, save, and share. Watching them grow into little savers made our sacrifices worth it.

We avoided over-indulging. Each child had a modest allowance and knew how to stretch a dollar. That way, when we said no to a new game console or designer kicks, they understood it wasn’t about stinginess—it was about goals.

8. Plan for Health & Insurance

One medical emergency can derail everything. We ensured each family member had MediShield Life coverage and added Integrated Shield Plans. It cost more, but gave peace of mind.

I also got term life insurance to cover my family if anything happened to me. It’s morbid to think about, but necessary. Financial freedom must be built on a foundation of resilience.

9. Track Progress, Celebrate Small Wins

Every few months, we revisit our spreadsheet, CPF dashboards, and investment apps. We track net worth growth—not to brag, but to stay motivated.

And we celebrate small wins. Reaching our first $100k net worth was huge. Even paying off a credit card bill felt like a champagne moment (well, teh peng will do).

10. Stay Grounded, Stay United

Ultimately, this journey is as emotional as it is financial. There were nights we argued over money, worried about the kids’ future, and felt behind. But being aligned as a couple made all the difference.

We remind each other why we're doing this: not just to quit jobs, but to buy back time—to watch our children grow, to care for our parents, to wake up without an alarm clock.