One of the more technical introductions in the first tranche of the Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025, which commenced on 6 May 2026, is a new statutory mechanism for selective off-market acquisition of shares. In plain terms: a Singapore company can now buy back shares from one or more identified shareholders, off-market, with [...]
The Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) has quietly become the most heavily enforced ACRA register in 2026. Two reinforcing developments have driven this: the higher penalty regime introduced by the first tranche of the CALA Act 2025 on 6 May 2026, which raised the maximum fine for register failures to S$25,000, and the parallel rollout [...]
The first tranche of the Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 (CALA Act) commenced on 6 May 2026, marking the most significant overhaul of Singapore's company law in over a decade. ACRA published its commencement notice on 16 April 2026, giving directors and company secretaries roughly three weeks to prepare. If you are a [...]
The government has these three schemes to support the employment of senior workers, ex-offenders and persons with disabilities respectively. a) The Senior Employment Credit (SEC) b) The Uplifting Employment Credit (UEC) c) The Enabling Employment Credit (EEC) These schemes were slated to expire after 31 December 2025. However, the government, in Budget 2025, has made [...]
Corporate Income Tax Rebate (CIT) and CIT Rebate Cash Grant Companies will receive a CIT Rebate of 50% of payable tax in Year of Assessment (YA) 2025. All active companies that employed at least one local employee in Calendar Year (CY) 2024 will receive a minimum benefit of $2,000 in the form of a CIT [...]
The Enhanced Cap for the Market Readiness Assistance Grant (MRA) will be extended till 31 March 2026. The MRA helps companies expand into new markets overseas. The MRA covers, up to a limit, the costs of overseas market promotion, business development and new market set-up. The Enhanced Cap of SGD$100,000 was slated to expire on [...]
The Annual Return Filing (AR Filing) is done when the company has completed its Annual General Meeting (AGM). Here at Raffles Corporate Services, we will remind our corporate clients that the AGM needs to be held. There are generally three ways to hold the AGM. Physically, virtually or in writing. A physically held AGM would [...]
An In-depth Look at Key Legislative Changes and Their Implications Introduction The Corporate Service Providers Act 2024 and the Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2024 represent significant legislative milestones in corporate regulation. These new laws introduce several key changes aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency within the corporate sector. This blog [...]
Standard Chartered is enticing Chinese customers with short-term deposit rates reaching up to 10 per cent to attract deposits from mainland China and bolster Hong Kong's status as a wealth hub. As part of the Wealth Management Connect program, eligible customers can exchange renminbi for US dollars with funds equivalent to HK$100,000 (S$17,390) or more [...]
Hong Kong's Top Talent Pass Scheme aims to attract the world's finest professionals, boasting an impressive uptake since its launch in late 2022. Despite significant enrollment figures, these numbers don't capture the complete efficacy of the program. Amidst the Asian competition for global talent, Hong Kong is rolling out the red carpet to mitigate the [...]