Singapore and Japan have launched a residence track for essential travel between the two countries by businesspeople who are work-pass holders, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a press statement last Friday.
The residence track will enable the movement of “business executives and business professionals who are work-pass holders”, with the necessary public health safeguards in place, MFA said.
Those interested in the scheme may file their applications from next Wednesday (Sept 30).
Singapore and Japan have been in talks on the residence track since July.
This residence track comes on top of an existing business track, or reciprocal green (or fast) lane, between the two countries that started on Sept 18, paving the way for short-term essential business and official travel between Singapore and Japan.
Other residence track or fast lane
Since September 1, Singapore relaxed its measures and has allowed general travel to Brunei and New Zealand, including students studying abroad.
In addition to this, Since September 4, a fast-lane started between Singapore and South Korea. This has allowed essential business and official travel between the two countries.
It also has helped restore connectivity and support economic recovery. All the necessary public health safeguards have been taken.
Besides this, Singapore is in negotiations of a possible air traffic bubble with Malaysia.
Malaysian Transport Minister said that the closely-linked business communities in both Singapore and Malaysia urgently need to be able to commute back and forth soon, with stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place.
Singapore and Malaysia’s health authorities “will be speaking soon to iron out the agreements on the SOPs and move forward”, he added in a Facebook post on Tuesday night.
All these special arrangements have been done in order of economic recovery of the country, due to the crisis it faces because of the COVID-19 pandemic.