The Immigration People, Singaporean immigration consultancy

Many individuals transfer overseas for numerous causes, however oftentimes, all of it boils all the way down to the pursuit of a greater life.

The identical could be mentioned for Kay Cheong. Initially from Kuala Lumpur, the 36-year-old is now a proud Singapore citizen. However the journey to accumulate that citizenship wasn’t simple.

The eldest youngster born to a beneath common earnings household, Kay has all the time been hungry for fulfillment, wanting to vary not simply her personal way of life, however that of her complete household. A tough employee, she began selecting up part-time jobs on the tender age of 14.

Neither of her dad and mom had been capable of end their main faculty schooling, however Kay understood the significance of schooling. Her efforts paid off when she managed to enrol in her best choice for tertiary schooling, which was Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

There, she received her bachelor’s diploma in Economics with a serious in Worldwide Economics. She went on to be a monetary advisor with Nice Japanese, receiving rookie agent awards for her work.

Though her profession was already very promising, Kay determined to make a pivot. She got here to Singapore on an Employment Go to affix the cabin crew of Singapore Airways (SIA).

That was 12 years in the past. In the present day, Kay is the co-founder and managing director of The Immigration Individuals, an immigration consultancy in Singapore.

Addressing gaps within the immigration business

Three years into her profession in Singapore, Kay utilized for everlasting residence standing on her personal. It took her a few 12 months of ready earlier than being authorised.  

Recounting her journey, Kay shared, “I bear in mind clearly that there have been lacking paperwork and I needed to journey again to KL to retrieve these paperwork and return to ICA to submit them.”

At that time of time, she didn’t know concerning the existence of immigration businesses.

However in 2017, after 5 years of flying, she felt drained and wished to spend extra time together with her child boy, who’s now 6 years outdated. So, she clipped her wings in the hunt for extra of a ground-based profession.  

She went into the immigration business, working for an additional immigration agency for just a few years. Right here, she linked with Elena Kwa.

Collectively, they seen features of the industries that would do with enhancements. There was a spot, they realised, between what the shoppers of immigration consultancies actually need, versus what the business was providing.

Discovering alignment between their visions, they left their earlier agency and began The Immigration Individuals (TIP) in 2019.

With a objective of offering extra transparency within the business, they clearly state their pricing on the TIP web site and actively run a YouTube channel the place they speak about Singapore immigration issues very overtly.

“We’re the one agency who has an energetic YouTube channel, importing movies as soon as every week sharing matters on Singapore immigration issues since 2020,” Kay claimed.

Turning a revenue

At present, TIP has a staff of 15, together with Kay and Elena as the administrators of the corporate.

Since beginning in 2019, they’ve serviced greater than 3,000 shoppers. Most of their shoppers are coming from nations akin to China, India, France, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, and Southeast Asian nations akin to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

In fact, Kay is working to make TIP the highest immigration consultancy agency in not simply Singapore, however your complete Asian area.

However past that, she additionally desires TIP to be a one-stop store for everybody who want to migrate to Singapore.

Meaning they need to assist migrants arrange companies, present accounting and tax advisory to firms and people, help households with their youngsters’s enrolment into instructional establishments, and supply homestay providers for international college students who want to examine in Singapore.

Bringing fulfilment to others

In the present day, Kay is a full-fledged citizen of Singapore, having utilized for citizenship just a few years in the past.

At first, she had thought that being a PR was adequate, however after her divorce, she realised citizenship would make extra sense, notably when it comes to home possession.

Naturally, she let her staff at The Immigration Individuals deal with her software. She trusted them a lot that she didn’t even examine by means of the types earlier than submission.

“I used to be pleased that I received my citizenship authorised with out additional questions requested, in contrast to my PR software,” she shared.

As to why she determined to formally grow to be a Singaporean, Kay defined, “Singapore feels extra like house to me.”

As such, she doesn’t envision herself going again to stay in Malaysia. An enormous a part of the reason being as a result of her son can be Singaporean, and her enterprise is fairly secure in Singapore.

“I wished the perfect for myself and my dearest household, and I actually imagine that turning into a Singapore citizen is the suitable alternative for them and myself, therefore I grew to become a Singaporean myself,” Kay expressed.

These questions requested to Kay relating to her transfer to Singapore are additionally widespread ones that they ask their shoppers. The solutions have primarily been profession and academic alternatives, as Singapore is thought for its sturdy financial system and job market.

“Many people, particularly from the SEA area, could also be drawn to the various profession alternatives and better incomes potential obtainable in Singapore,” Kay reasoned.

Different widespread causes are larger high quality of life as Singapore has comparatively good healthcare, schooling, security, and infrastructure. The multicultural society and cosmopolitan way of life are additionally enticing to these searching for a various and dynamic surroundings.

However no matter their causes, Kay believes it’s not for anybody else to evaluate. Many individuals might criticise others for being unpatriotic for leaving their motherland, however on the finish of the day, it’s as much as every particular person to make their respective selections.

Having gone by means of the immigration course of herself, Kay mentioned, “When others method me to grow to be a citizen in Singapore, I don’t object to them as I imagine they should have completed their fair proportion of considering earlier than coming to their thoughts to transform themselves.”

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Featured Picture Credit score: The Immigration Individuals