Will Applying for PR/Citizenship via Agent Raise My Chances?
Singapore has become one of the most desirable countries in the world to live and work in. As such, many who have spent time working and living in the country look forward to setting down roots and securing their future in the country. This makes getting the coveted Singapore Permanent Residency or Citizenship as the natural next step. However, it is no secret that as time goes on, whilst the quota for Singapore Permanent Residents and new Citizens has not changed, the climate for getting approval outcomes has intensified in competitiveness.
With this intensification of competition in recent years, applying with a qualified agency will give an individual the best chance they could have at an approval outcome – and there are 5 key reasons for this:
1. Increase in Barriers to Entry;
2. Strong Profile Creation;
3. Awareness of Industry Trends;
4. Evidence-Based Approach vs. Hearsay Approach; and,
5. Navigation Through Limited/Controlled Information
1. Increase in Barriers to Entry
Going through a qualified agency has become more necessary lately for applicants, as we have seen an increase in the barriers to entry for securing longevity in Singapore. With work pass criteria getting more stringent, the Singapore government currently managing tensions between its local and foreigner populations as well as navigating through its Covid-19 economic recovery, it has become much harder for applicants to secure their PR/Citizenship status. Applicants are starting to need all the competitive edge they can get, now more than ever. A qualified agency does just that – it removes the guesswork and the ambiguity from the application process and builds a strong profile for the individual, thereby allowing them to have the best chance possible in a competitive climate to receive their approval outcome.
2. Strong Profile Creation
We know now that a strong profile will give applicants a competitive edge. However, what does it mean to have a strong profile? The honest answer is – it depends. There is no one size fit all approach when it comes to building a strong case. It is dependent on factors like the individual’s profile itself, the political, economic and/or social climate of Singapore at the point of application, the government narrative, as well as the country’s economic/industry trajectory and goals. Positioning an applicant within these factors (and more) is something a qualified agency will be able to do, thereby giving the applicant the best chance at getting their approval outcome.
3. Awareness of Industry Trends
The ability to create strong profiles is hinged upon having an acute awareness of political and migration trends. Most people do not have the know-how to go about studying trends and positioning profiles accordingly. Qualified agencies on the other hand, do – utilising this knowledge and consulting applicants on how they could strengthen their profiles by doing various things to better fit the ongoing trends would be part of the services these agencies provide. Doing this allows applicants to be best represented in their case profiles, thereby giving them the best chance for an approval outcome.
4. Evidence-Based Approach versus Hearsay Approach
Qualified agencies will create profiles based on an evidence-based approach. This evidence will be collected through internal research by policy analysts, as well as approval trends amongst their clientele. Applicants applying on their own or utilizing agencies that simply provide form-filling work or have falsified qualifications and claims would be in the same pitfall – applying via a Hearsay Approach. Applying using a hearsay approach is dangerous. Getting information based off what others have said would not serve to boost the strength of a profile, as every single individual case varies. As aforementioned, there is no one-size-fits-all all approach. There is a plethora of considerations within a singular profile that need to be analyzed and fine-tuned through evidence-based research, to build a strong profile, thereby giving an applicant their best shot at getting an approval outcome.
5. Navigation Through Limited/Controlled Information
Information surrounding industry trends, government outlook, as well as the process from start to end can be very limited. There are many nuances that are not addressed or made clear to applicants. This is due to the need to control information flow owing to the increase in competition amongst applicants and barriers to entry. By limiting information flow to agencies and applicants, only qualified agencies and individuals will be able to access information through their immigration networks, connections, and policy analysts.
Qualified agencies will then be able to provide consults and advisories to clients based on their intimate knowledge of an often secretive and unpredictable industry. Holding on to valuable information allows these agencies to prepare applicants for what they need to do for a strong profile to be built. This gives an applicant the best representation and therefore, a chance at getting an approval outcome.
Ultimately, applicants need to understand that in Singapore immigration, applying with a qualified agency does not guarantee approval, but gives the applicant their best chance at getting that coveted outcome. In the present times as competition for PR and Citizenship statuses are intensifying, applying with a qualified agency becomes more necessary than ever before for applicants who are serious about settling down in the country on a more permanent basis. Read here on how to pick the most legitimate immigration agency for all your PR and Citizenship needs.
