Overseas Business Development Staff Deployment

bill Up to 70% support for SMEs and up to 50% support for non-SMEs

Briefcase Application outcome in 6 weeks

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About this activity

Support for overseas deployment of a permanent Business Development (BD) employee to drive in-market business development and marketing in the target market for up to 12 months.

  • Support received for this activity counts towards your company's overall annual grant cap of S$100,000
  • Project must run for at least 6 months and be completed within 12 months from date of approval
  • Costs incurred from date of application are covered upon approval

Supported costs

  • Basic salary support
  • Office rental

Both costs are capped at 12 months.

For SMEs, support is up to 70% if a Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Resident is deployed, and up to 50% if a foreigner is deployed.

For non-SMEs, support is up to 50% if a Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Resident is deployed, and up to 30% if a foreigner is deployed.

Non-supported costs

Include (but are not limited to):

  • Activities aimed at generating domestic business opportunities
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
  • Investment activities (investor sourcing, capital raising activities)
  • Travel, accommodation, and staff-related costs beyond basic salary

Eligibility

Check your company's eligibility on BizSG.

Business entity must:

  • Be registered and operating in Singapore
  • Have at least 30% ownership (direct or indirect) by Singaporean(s) and/or Singapore PR(s), determined by the ultimate individual ownership
  • Not have started work or made any payment or deposit to a supplier, vendor, or third party prior to application submission

Project conditions:

  • Business development staff must be a full-time employee and should not hold any shareholding or directorship positions in the applicant company or its related companies/ subsidiaries

Project deliverables

At the end of the project, submit these supporting documents:

  1. Business development documentation
    • Market research report demonstrating market entry potential and opportunities
    • Progress reports detailing BD staff’s activities including business meetings conducted, leads generated, partnerships established, and measurable milestones achieved
  2. Documentation of BD staff’s continuous in-market physical presence throughout project (excluding leave entitlement), with no business travel to other markets
    • Required documentation includes work authorisation (valid work visa/permit) and proof of local residence such as tenancy agreements, utility bills, official residency documentation, or other equivalent proof of physical presence in the market, which should cover at least 50% of the project duration. If documentation covers less than 50% of the duration and subject to fulfilment of deliverable, claims may be pro-rated or rejected.
  3. If business development staff is employed under an overseas subsidiary, provide both:
    • Inter-company billing documentation showing reimbursements from applicant company to subsidiary
    • Legal documentation of subsidiary ownership structure
  4. Office rental (where applicable)
    • Signed office lease agreement for business premises to be utilised by BD staff. Office rental support is limited to the period of the staff's physical presence in the market and may be pro-rated accordingly

Application documents and information required

  1. Proposal including KPIs of BD staff, job description and CV
  2. Employment/redeployment letter or Employer of Record (EOR) agreement and track records of EOR, where applicable
  3. Office rental quotation for commercial premises excluding residential, warehouse, storage
  4. Projection of expected overseas sales as a result of the project, for 1 year after project completion
  5. Projection of new jobs created, overall and Singaporeans only, with gross monthly salary above S$5,000, for 1 year after project completion

How to apply

Step 1: Prepare your documents

Ensure all documents and information listed under the "Application documents and information required" section are ready before starting your application.

Step 2: Identify target overseas market and engage a suitable vendor, where applicable

Determine the overseas market you wish to expand into, and identify a suitable vendor (if applicable) for your intended activity.

Step 3: Apply on the Business Grants Portal (BGP)

Sign in to your company's Corppass account to apply on BGP. If you do not have a Corppass account, refer to this guide to sign up.

Step 4: Receive Letter of Offer

If your application is approved, a Letter of Offer (LOF) will be issued and it must be accepted. The LOF will include the following:

  • Conditions of support
  • Grant amount awarded
  • Project qualifying period
  • Project deliverables
Step 5: Complete your project

As proof of project completion, ensure all project deliverables outlined in the ‘Project deliverables’ section on this page or in the LOF are met.

After project commencement, if you need to make changes to your project, you may submit a change request during the project qualifying period. Note that only two types of changes are permitted: 

  • Change to project end date
  • Change to claim due date

All change requests are subject to approval.

Step 6: Prepare for claim submission
  • 6a. Set up your payment method

    Submit the necessary information for your preferred mode of disbursement. The grant will be credited to your stipulated bank account through PayNow (preferred) or GIRO.

    PayNow (preferred)

    Register for PayNow Corporate with your company’s UEN +3 alphanumeric suffix (if applicable):

    1. Contact the bank or log in to your bank’s internet banking or mobile banking app
    2. Link the UEN to the bank account. A 3-digit alpha-numeric suffix can be added to the UEN to create multiple PayNow proxies
    3. Enter the company name to complete the setup

    Once setup is completed, submit the PayNow Corporate details via the BGP claim form. Disbursement will be made within 14 working days after approval of claims.

    GIRO

    Submit GIRO details via the BGP form. Disbursement via GIRO may take up to eight weeks after approval of claims.

    If neither PayNow Corporate nor GIRO has been set up, disbursement of the claim will not be possible.

  • 6b. Prepare your claim submission

    Before submitting your claim, take note of the following and ensure your documents are ready:

    • Only expenses approved in the LOF are eligible for support
    • All project expenses must be paid in full before submitting
    • Claims must be submitted before the claim due date

    (i) Deliverables documentation

    Ensure all project deliverables have been completed as stated in your Letter of Offer (LOF). Refer to the 'Deliverables' section on this page or your LOF for the full list of required documents.

    (ii) Expense verification documents

    Ensure you have the relevant proof of payment documents for all project expenses. If expenses were not paid directly by your company, include proof of reimbursement to the relevant party. Refer to the claim document requirements here for the full list of supporting documents required.

    Supporting documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by an English translation.

  • 6c. Engage an auditor

    Select an audit firm from Enterprise Singapore's Panel of Auditors and sign the audit engagement letter before submitting your claim. Claims submitted without a signed audit engagement letter will not be processed, and your claim must be submitted within 14 working days of signing. The Panel of Auditors may be updated periodically, refer to the current list here.

Step 7: Submit your claim on the Business Grants Portal

Once your documents and signed audit engagement letter are ready, log into the Business Grants Portal to submit your claim. Ensure all documents are clear and complete, as incomplete submissions may result in delays or rejection.

Important notes:

  • Additional documents or clarification may be requested during the claim process. Prompt responses will help ensure smooth processing of the claim.
  • Ensure that payment to the audit firm is made promptly, as the claim will only be submitted to Enterprise Singapore for assessment upon completion of the audit.
  • Grant eligibility criteria apply until claim submission. If your company no longer meets the eligibility criteria at any point during the project, your claim will not be supported.
Step 8: Receive your disbursement

Once your claim is approved, you will receive an email notification.

You may expect to receive the grant disbursement in the stipulated bank account via your selected mode in the claim form within the timeline below.

  • PayNow Corporate: 14 working days after claim approval
  • GIRO: Up to eight weeks after claim approval

Check your bank account to confirm receipt of the grant.

For enquiry on grant disbursement, contact Enterprise Singapore.

Ready to apply?
Submit your application on the Business Grants Portal (BGP) now.
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Overseas Business Development Staff Deployment

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