450 high-net-worth investors granted permanent residency under Global Investor Programme from 2015 to 2025
About S$500 million of their funds has been invested directly in Singapore-based businesses
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[SINGAPORE] Around 450 high-net-worth investors were granted permanent residency under the Global Investor Programme (GIP) between 2015 and 2025, injecting about S$500 million directly into Singapore-based entities, said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang in Parliament on Friday (Feb 27).
The GIP grants permanent resident (PR) status to eligible global investors who make significant investments to drive business growth in Singapore.
More than half of the S$500 million invested went to the professional services, info-communications and financial services sub-sectors, said Gan. Another S$430 million was placed in GIP funds investing in Singapore-based companies.
The contribution of GIP investors often goes beyond their initial investment, as the local ecosystem also benefits from their extensive market networks and know-how, said EDB in a statement after the Parliament session.
Between 2010 and 2025, GIP investors created more than 30,000 good jobs, including engineering, research and consulting roles in sectors such as professional services, info-communications, and financial services.
Qualified investors may apply for the GIP through three options: investing at least S$10 million in a Singapore-based business; placing at least S$25 million in a GIP-select fund; or establishing a single family office with at least S$200 million in assets under management, of which at least S$50 million must be deployed in Economic Development Board (EDB)-specified investments.
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About half of the investors invested directly in Singapore-based businesses, 40 per cent placed money in “GIP” funds, and the remaining 10 per cent set up single family offices.
EDB added that the GIP is regularly reviewed, for instance, to increase the investment criteria or to add new qualifying pathways such as the family office option introduced in 2020. “EDB works with the GIP recipients to ensure that they continue to fulfil the government’s specified economic and residency commitments during their stay,” replied Gan, in response to questions from Workers’ Party MP Fadli Fawzi.
Qualified investors are required to submit evidence of the Singapore-based companies that they have invested in. EDB also conducts visits to these firms to assess their business activities.
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Asked by Fadli if the profile and volume of GIP applicants have changed since the 2023 review – when investment thresholds for all three options were raised – Gan replied that there were no major changes yet. She noted, however, that the composition of GIP-select funds has shifted since the review. “In fact, I would say that prior to 2023, the GIP funds comprised mainly of local funds.”
GIP applicants who have chosen to invest through the select funds since the review are still going through the application process and have yet to confirm their investments, Gan noted.
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