Media

Keywords:Construction Industry, Singapore GB1 License, Cross-Border Compliance

A well-known construction company from Qingdao has long been deeply involved in large-scale infrastructure and green building projects in China, boasting substantial registered capital, extensive construction experience, and multiple international certifications. As the company advances its internationalization strategy, the board decided to establish an overseas branch in Singapore to serve as its R&D, construction, and regional headquarters platform, targeting the Southeast Asian market.

However, upon entering Singapore, the company faced numerous challenges. To undertake large-scale projects locally, it must obtain the GB1 Class 1 construction license issued by the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA). This license represents the highest qualification level in Singapore’s construction industry and requires applicants to not only have sufficient capital but also a robust construction management system, proven experience in large-scale projects, and professional certifications in safety, environmental protection, and green building. In addition, the BCA imposes strict requirements on the professional qualifications of directors and key personnel, making the entire application process complex and time-consuming.

At this critical stage, the company chose to collaborate with SIG, whose team provided comprehensive professional support throughout the process. SIG first assisted the company in thoroughly reviewing its domestic qualifications, translating and ensuring compliance of documents such as registered capital, past project experience, ISO system certifications, safety and environmental certifications, and green building certifications, so that they met Singapore’s official review standards and could be presented as BCA-recognized qualifications. Subsequently, SIG helped the client establish a legal entity in Singapore and assisted in restructuring the board of directors in accordance with the license requirements, ensuring that the backgrounds and qualifications of key personnel fully met the necessary criteria.

In terms of human resources, the SIG team assisted the company in recruiting local registered engineers and safety and environmental management personnel who met the requirements, completing the full process from hiring, contract signing, and qualification verification to BCA registration. This not only fulfilled the mandatory conditions for the license application but also laid a solid foundation for the company’s long-term operations. Once all documentation was complete, SIG submitted the GB1 license application to the BCA on behalf of the client and managed the process throughout, maintaining real-time communication with the authorities to ensure a smooth approval process.

At the same time, the SIG team also assisted the client in planning the qualification application for the Contractor Registration System (CRS). The CRS qualification ranges from L1 to L6, directly determining the scale of projects a company can undertake. Through a comprehensive assessment of the company’s financial strength, project experience, and team capabilities, SIG successfully secured an L5 qualification for the client, enabling them to bid directly on projects worth hundreds of millions of RMB and further expanding their future business opportunities.

After the license and qualifications were approved, SIG continued to provide the company with localized compliance support, including annual audits, tax filings, employment compliance, and planning for future upgrades to the L6 qualification, ensuring the company’s stable operations and long-term development in the Singapore market.

Ultimately, with SIG’s full support, the Qingdao-based construction company successfully completed the entire process—from establishing an overseas branch, obtaining qualification certifications, restructuring the board of directors, to securing the GB1 Class 1 construction license and L5 Contractor Registration System qualification. This enabled the company to participate in bidding for large-scale public infrastructure and real estate projects in Singapore, becoming one of the few Chinese construction firms with top-tier construction qualifications in the Singapore market. This case not only demonstrates a solid step in the company’s international expansion but also highlights SIG’s professional expertise in cross-border qualification applications and compliance implementation.