A pioneer of the “smart city”, the island of Singapore has built its economy by taking advantage of its position as a hub in South-West Asia. Offsetting the absence of natural resources, it has also taken advantage of this to develop its economy around high value-added industries (21% of GDP) and financial activities (14% of GDP). Open to the world, international trade and foreign investment, Singapore offers a very attractive business environment.

Source : Country profile Business France

Good to know :

Language spoken : English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil
Local currency : Singapore dollar (SGD)
Capital : Singapore

The conditions for undertaking a Business France V.I.E in Singapore

Do you already meet the International Young Talent Program criteria ?

Do you have any doubts about your eligibility ? Feel free to contact us.

The conditions for undertaking a Business France V.I.A in Singapore

To go to Singapore as a V.I.A, you must fulfil the conditions for accessing the V.I.A.
The administration that is recruiting you is responsible for your residence permit.

The cultural work codes in Singapore 

In Singapore, the key concepts governing personal and professional relations in many Asian countries apply : the notion of face “Mianzi” and network “Guanxi”. You build a strong relationship of trust before doing business with someone and avoid losing face or causing someone to lose face at all costs.

These concepts have an enormous influence on cultural work codes. For example, you will find a much slower pace of negotiation than in the West. This is primarily because respect and trust are built slowly and are seen as essential to establishing any collaboration. Moreover, do not be surprised to be asked very personal questions, relating to family or salary. This is a way for Singaporeans to get to know you.

To make sure you make a good impression, respect the hierarchy. For example, it is important to always present the most important members of the company first. The values to be respected above all ? Respect, listening and calm. So make sure you always arrive on time and honour your counterparts, for example by carefully keeping their business card. You are advised to always allow a few seconds to elapse after your colleague has spoken. This will show your sincere interest in what they are saying. Finally, never lose your composure.

Things that may surprise you in Singapore

- A genuine global crossroads, Singapore is a “hub business” that leads all international rankings in terms of competitiveness, productivity and business acumen. More than 15,000 French people live there and nearly 800 French subsidiaries are located there.

- It is also the first “smart-nation” in the world : at the cutting edge of technology, digitised and hyper-connected.

- Did you know ? In addition to its main island, Singapore includes 63 islands, most of which are uninhabited

- Despite its high population density, Singapore has more than 350 parks and 4 nature reserves. This is why it is also known as the “Garden City”. Fun fact : With territory 15,000 times smaller than the USA, Bukit Timah nature reserve in Singapore is home to more tree species than the entire North American continent

- Are you wondering what is the rather strong smell that you sometimes notice on street corners ? It is the Durian, “King Fruit” that you will find in many local dishes. And which, as you have understood, has a rather strong smell !

- Once you are in Singapore, you will need to arm yourself with a very tough umbrella. A tropical destination means violent showers ! We can confirm it is not a light drizzle...