How to start a business in Singapore as a foreigner (2026)

Legal framework

Companies Act 1967, administered by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) via the Bizfile online portal; work passes for relocating founders administered by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

Starting a business in Singapore as a foreigner

The usual vehicle for a foreigner starting out in Singapore is a private limited company (Pte Ltd), registered with ACRA.

Company type

a private limited company (Pte Ltd)

Registered with

ACRA

Minimum capital

minimum paid-up capital of S$1

Timeline

1–3 business days via BizFile+

Government cost

S$315 government fee (plus provider and nominee-director costs)

Foreign ownership

100% foreign ownership allowed, but at least one locally-resident director is required (often a nominee)

Rules and fees change; confirm with the official registry before incorporating.

Key points: starting a business in Singapore

1. 01100% foreign ownership allowed

   Foreigners can register a company and own 100% of its shareholding; there is no general foreign-equity cap for a standard private limited company.

   acra.gov.sg acra.gov.sg

2. 02Local resident director required

   Every company must have at least one locally resident director or authorised representative, a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident, or EntrePass/Employment Pass holder. Non-resident founders typically use a nominee resident director.

   acra.gov.sg acra.gov.sg

3. 03Company secretary requirement

   Every company must have at least one director and one company secretary; the secretary must be appointed within six months of incorporation.

   acra.gov.sg

4. 04Minimal capital and low fees

   There is no substantive minimum paid-up capital (as low as S$1). Government fees are S$15 for name reservation plus S$300 for company registration via Bizfile.

   acra.gov.sg acra.gov.sg

5. 05Fast, mostly online process

   Reserve the name (register within 120 days), then incorporate via Bizfile. ACRA usually returns an outcome within 15 minutes of payment, though it can take 14 days to 2 months if the application is referred to another authority.

   acra.gov.sg acra.gov.sg

6. 06Work pass needed to run the business locally

   A foreigner who wants to move to Singapore to operate the company needs a work pass, an Employment Pass (assessed under the points-based COMPASS framework since Sept 2023) or an EntrePass for venture-backed/innovative startups.

   acra.gov.sg mom.gov.sg

Starting a business in Singapore: FAQ

Timeline of decisions

1. 5 Nov 2025Law · official
   Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 Passed

   Parliament passed omnibus amendments covering company law and accounting standards, with most provisions scheduled to commence from April 2026, continuing the rolling modernisation of Singapore's corporate framework.

   ACRA

2. 16 Jun 2025Law · official
   Immediate Beneficial-Ownership Disclosure Required from Day of Incorporation

   Changes under the Companies and LLPs (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2024 took effect, requiring every company and LLP to maintain a Register of Registrable Controllers from the moment of incorporation, eliminating the former 30-day grace period and tightening AML/CFT controls at business formation.

   ACRA

3. 9 Jun 2025Law · official
   Corporate Service Providers Act 2024 Came into Force

   All entities offering incorporation, nominee, registered-office, or ACRA-filing services must register with ACRA as Corporate Service Providers and designate a Registered Qualified Individual trained in AML/CFT; non-registration carries up to S$50,000 fine or two years' imprisonment. The six-month transition window for existing providers closes 9 December 2025.

   Singapore Statutes Online (AGC)

4. 9 Dec 2024Decision · official
   New BizFile Portal Launched; ACRA Registry Enhancements Act 2024 Took Effect

   ACRA's upgraded Bizfile portal replaced BizFile+ as the single digital gateway for all business registration, filing, and information retrieval in Singapore, simultaneously implementing digital-mailbox statutory communications and strengthened personal-data protections under the ACRA (Registry and Regulatory Enhancements) Act 2024.

   ACRA

5. 9 May 2023Law · official
   Virtual and Hybrid Company Meetings Made Permanent

   The Companies, Business Trusts and Other Bodies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2023 permanently enshrined the option for fully virtual or hybrid general meetings, initially a COVID-era concession, covering companies, VCCs, and business trusts, reducing physical barriers to shareholder participation from incorporation onwards.

   ACRA

6. 15 Jan 2020Law · official
   Variable Capital Companies Framework Launched

   The Variable Capital Companies Act 2018 came into force, introducing a bespoke corporate vehicle for investment funds that can be structured as a standalone or umbrella fund with sub-funds; VCCs enjoy the same rapid online registration process as ordinary companies, making Singapore significantly more attractive as a fund-domiciliation hub.

   Singapore Statutes Online (AGC)

7. 31 Oct 2019Decision · official
   GoBusiness Licensing Portal Launched

   The Ministry of Trade & Industry and GovTech launched GoBusiness Licensing as a single digital platform consolidating licence applications across government agencies, initially for the food-services sector and progressively expanded; it now integrates with ACRA's BizFile for end-to-end business start-up journeys covering over 120 government e-services.

   Ministry of Digital Development and Information

8. 10 Mar 2017Law · official
   Companies (Amendment) Act 2017: Inward Re-domiciliation and Transparency Rules

   Parliament passed sweeping amendments introducing inward re-domiciliation, allowing foreign companies to transfer their registration to Singapore and preserve their corporate history for the first time, alongside mandatory public disclosure of shareholder information for foreign-company branches and relaxation of company-secretary rules for sole directors.

   ACRA

9. 1 Jul 2015Law · official
   Companies (Amendment) Act 2014 Phase 1 Took Effect, Largest Reform Since 1967

   Passed on 8 October 2014 and the most extensive overhaul of the Companies Act since its enactment, Phase 1 changes included abolishing par value and authorised-capital concepts, enabling capital reductions without court approval, allowing share buy-backs via general mandate, and removing the financial-assistance prohibition for private companies, substantially reducing incorporation and capital-raising costs.

   ACRA

10. 1 Apr 2004Law · official
    ACRA Established, Single Regulator for Business Registration

    The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority Act 2004 merged the Registry of Companies and Businesses with the Public Accountants' Board into a single statutory body, creating the one-stop regulator for business registration, financial reporting, and public accountants; ACRA simultaneously launched the BizFile e-filing platform enabling online incorporation.

    Singapore Statutes Online (AGC)

11. 29 Dec 1967Law · official
    Companies Act 1967 Enacted, Foundation of Singapore's Corporate Law

    Singapore's foundational corporate statute came into force, modelled on Malaysia's Companies Act 1965 (itself derived from Victoria's 1961 Act), establishing the legal framework for company incorporation, directors' duties, share capital, and winding up that underpins all subsequent reforms.

    ACRA

Sources

1. 1.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/foreigners-registering-a-business-in-singapore
2. 2.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/foreigners-registering-a-business-in-singapore/requirem
3. 3.acra.gov.sg/register/business/registering-different-business-structures/local-com
4. 4.acra.gov.sg/register/business/registering-different-business-structures/local-com
5. 5.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/setting-up-a-local-company/submitting-your-application-
6. 6.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/registering-a-foreign-company/processing-time
7. 7.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/entrepass
8. 8.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/setting-up-a-local-company/appointing-directors-company
9. 9.acra.gov.sg/register/business/choosing-reserving-a-business-name/reserving-bizfil
10. 10.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/foreigners-registering-a-business-in-singapore/foreigne