Employment Pass Issue

[tquader28]

Hi guys,

Badly need advice on employment pass issues!

So my company applied for my EP and got it approved and I started work on 17th Feb. The HR printed out the IPA letter upon which I completed the medical tests but I am yet to set up an appointment with MOM for finger-printing and registration. Now my question is, I received a better job offer from my university to work as a researcher and they are currently working to get all the approvals. Which is better for me now:
1. wait for the offer from my university and then tender my resignation at my current company? OR
2. ask current company HR to cancel/withdraw my application, moving me to my student pass and then waiting for the other organization to apply for my EP.

Thing is where I am working now is a private firm and the job scope is sales-opriented, something I am having trouble adjusting to.

If anyone has any suggestions then please help me!

Thanks!!!

[taxico]

...Now ...I received a better job offer from my university to work as a researcher and they are currently working to get all the approvals. Which is better for me now:
1. wait for the offer from my university and then tender my resignation at my current company? OR
2. ask current company HR to cancel/withdraw my application, moving me to my student pass and then waiting for the other organization to apply for my EP.

Thing is where I am working now is a private firm and the job scope is sales-opriented, something I am having trouble adjusting to...

is this "sales-oriented" issue some unforeseen job responsibility or something you knew you'd have to do but you've only recently found you're unable (or unwilling) to try because you suck at it (at the moment)?

is your university located in singapore? if you're new at looking at jobs, and new to academia, i suggest you not take too optimistic a view at the school's job offer UNLESS you're extremely academically-inclined with wonderful credentials (or confident you can get funding to attain said credentials).

[tquader28]

Thanks!

the sales-oriented thing is something I knew but I was told that it was not going to be my main responsibility. Now I see my entire work is based on that.

The university is here in Singapore and they have already made a verbal offer to me. I am just unsure as to what to do now because if I proceed and collect my EP, then later I have to cancel this current one and then a get new one (with approval). Or if I withdraw my EP now then I'll be on student's pass

[rdueej]

Has your company already requested and paid for the issuance of pass at MOM ? If this is the case, then you would now have a 'notification letter', asking you to make an appointment for fingerprinting.

If I were you, I would proceed to collect the EP and continue working until the university offer is concrete.

Just keep the following points in mind when making your decision.

1. Your student pass is only valid as long as you are a student. Once you finish all requirements at the university, you must surrender it at ICA within 1 week. The date printed on your card does not matter, it only shows your maximum candidature period. If you cancel your current EP IPA, you cannot maintain/revert to your student pass (as you are no longer a student).

2. Which university are you talking about ? Some local universities can take up to 1 month to progress from verbal offer to EP application submission.

3. In any case, do not have two simultaneous pending applications at MOM. This can throw a spanner in the works and seriously delay your work pass applications.

[Sweetlay]

Hi,

My S pass renewal is rejected 0n 11/02/2014.
But I did not know any reason of rejection.
At the same day,HR sent an appeal letter to MOM.
Now,.it is already 3 weeks and 2 days.
HR told me that it is still pending.
HR told me that she will extend my currently work pass during appeal is pending on 03/03/2014.But MOM haven't reply yet my work pass extension too.
My currently work pass is going to expire 07/03/2014.

My questions are...

If extention didnot get,what should I do?
After my work pass had expired, can I still work my current job?
How can I check my appeal status?
How can I know the reason of rejection?( I called MOM, but customer service officer did not tell me anything.I asked HR. she also don't know exactly).

Thanks.

[the lynx]

Hi,

My S pass renewal is rejected 0n 11/02/2014.
But I did not know any reason of rejection.
At the same day,HR sent an appeal letter to MOM.
Now,.it is already 3 weeks and 2 days.
HR told me that it is still pending.
HR told me that she will extend my currently work pass during appeal is pending on 03/02/2014.But MOM haven't reply yet my work pass extension too.
My currently work pass is going to expire 07/02/2014.

My questions are...

If extention didnot get,what should I do?
After my work pass had expired, can I still work my current job?

No, you have to leave Singapore within the 30-day SVP that they will issue to you after your S Pass expiration.

How can I check my appeal status?

I am not sure. HR normally have access to the online portal but I think other regulars like SMS and others will be able to advise. Perhaps try this link? https://wponline.mom.gov.sg/WPOLOMController

How can I know the reason of rejection?( I called MOM, but customer service officer did not tell me anything.I asked HR. she also don't know exactly).

Normally they won't tell you why but common reasons:
1. Company already exceeded quota of foreign workers.
2. MOM decided that your employment in Singapore is not necessary any more.

Thanks.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Some more rejection letters we've seen (but aren't visible to the employee) are ones like....

"Your employee's S pass will not be renewed nor will he be able to work anywhere else in Singapore as he has obtained his position with fraudulent documentation."

"Your employee no longer qualifies for an S pass under the new criteria"

in addition to those mentioned. Our employee with the first reason, didn't get prosecuted because when they found out he only had a couple of months to go on a 24 month S pass. But he's banned from returning.

[Sweetlay]

Thanks!

HR told me that MOM did not disclose the reason of rejection.
She sent the appeal letter to MOM on the same day.
Why did MOM never mention the reason of rejection?
I am so stressful now...

I am working in singapore almost 5 years.
This job is my third job for 1 year only.
My S pass salary is $2250 only. This is the reason for rejection?

Thanks!

[taxico]

(did you hijack someone's thread?)

[sundaymorningstaple]

Thanks!

HR told me that MOM did not disclose the reason of rejection.
She sent the appeal letter to MOM on the same day.
Why did MOM never mention the reason of rejection?
I am so stressful now...

I am working in singapore almost 5 years.
This job is my third job for 1 year only.
My S pass salary is $2250 only. This is the reason for rejection?

Thanks!

Sounds like you were rejected for too low of a salary. The minimum salary is 2200 for an S pass but if you are older (more experienced - 5 years) you pay should be commensurate with your experience. Sounds like you need to be making around 2400~2500 minimum. Maybe even more. HR isn't going to tell you the real reason for rejection even if they know. They will just tell you that you have been rejected (they'll usually tell you if you are bounced because of no quota though.)

[meaningless]

hello tquader28,

I have received an academic position offer from a SG Uni as well, I can confirm that it can take as long as a month or two for the school to progress from verbal offer to EP submission. they need to get approval from your direct boss, then they need to go up to the principle, and then back to SG govern't for whatever clearance, and then send you the official paper offer, and who knows when they submit the EP application. So I think if I were you I will continue the finger printing thing first, since most probably you haven't yet signed back the official acceptance form and the school will never submit the EP application before you do. although i am not sure if you will go through the same process as I.

and my opinion about academia, i have been working in scientific research for more than five years and i would like to pursue a phd in singapore, this is the straight reason for my relocation (from hong kong, fyi). i think i can second your inclination as far as you don't value money and material for too much, which is the core concept of every scholar.

finally, good luck to you and if it is not too absurd I would like to drop a question in your thread. May I ask if I have to be involved in the EP submission? I mean it is not polite to keep chasing the secretary about the EP application, and the fact that she didn't reply to my inquiry in last week, which i sent after a week of her last email mentioning about the visa application. may I ask if I will have to press whatever button or sign whatever before the employer can submit the application online? she mentioned there will be some email regarding to the process ("which >>I <<have to submit the application") but i never receive it, and i send the email to ask when and who should i expect to rule out false-junk mail case. or, to ask them directly is the only way that I can confirm if they have already submitted the application to SG government? Since I don't want any delay on this matter anymore.

thanks,
mls

[rdueej]

hello tquader28,
...
May I ask if I have to be involved in the EP submission? I mean it is not polite to keep chasing the secretary about the EP application, and the fact that she didn't reply to my inquiry in last week, which i sent after a week of her last email mentioning about the visa application. may I ask if I will have to press whatever button or sign whatever before the employer can submit the application online? she mentioned there will be some email regarding to the process ("which >>I <<have to submit the application") but i never receive it, and i send the email to ask when and who should i expect to rule out false-junk mail case. or, to ask them directly is the only way that I can confirm if they have already submitted the application to SG government? Since I don't want any delay on this matter anymore.

thanks,
mls

Can I know which university in specific ?

For NUS/NTU, the university will be submitting an online application for the work pass, and this is most probably not done by the (department/faculty) secretary you are in contact with, but by the university HR team.

Do you remember completing this form : [ http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/service ... _Form8.pdf ] ?

Once you have submitted this information and the required documents, there is nothing else you need to do. If they (university/MOM/??) need additional information, they will ask for it.

In my case, this was the timeline
01-Jan: form 8 was submitted to department
02-Jan: online EP application was submitted
05-Jan: Approved at ICA (I could check my status online at EPOL as I knew my FIN)
20-Jan: I received notification of approval from the department

This was because the approval letter was stuck in transit somewhere between the university HR and the contact secretary. And apparently, this is quite standard, so just enjoy the break while you wait for your IPA.

[meaningless]

hello tquader28,
...
May I ask if I have to be involved in the EP submission? I mean it is not polite to keep chasing the secretary about the EP application, and the fact that she didn't reply to my inquiry in last week, which i sent after a week of her last email mentioning about the visa application. may I ask if I will have to press whatever button or sign whatever before the employer can submit the application online? she mentioned there will be some email regarding to the process ("which >>I <<have to submit the application") but i never receive it, and i send the email to ask when and who should i expect to rule out false-junk mail case. or, to ask them directly is the only way that I can confirm if they have already submitted the application to SG government? Since I don't want any delay on this matter anymore.

thanks,
mls

Can I know which university in specific ?

For NUS/NTU, the university will be submitting an online application for the work pass, and this is most probably not done by the (department/faculty) secretary you are in contact with, but by the university HR team.

Do you remember completing this form : [ http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/service ... _Form8.pdf ] ?

Once you have submitted this information and the required documents, there is nothing else you need to do. If they (university/MOM/??) need additional information, they will ask for it.

In my case, this was the timeline
01-Jan: form 8 was submitted to department
02-Jan: online EP application was submitted
05-Jan: Approved at ICA (I could check my status online at EPOL as I knew my FIN)
20-Jan: I received notification of approval from the department

This was because the approval letter was stuck in transit somewhere between the university HR and the contact secretary. And apparently, this is quite standard, so just enjoy the break while you wait for your IPA.

hello rdueej,

Thanks for your information, they are extremely useful. I receive the offer from NUS. the last email were sent from an executive of the faculty dean office. I didn't receive any instruction of completing the form 8 that you attached, but I did fill in the acceptance form and dependent form for NUS. in this case should I contact that Miss executive of the dean office by phone? The last email from her was 11 Mar. anyway thank you very much for your reply, I was quite frustrated with the silence on this visa thing.

thanks,
mls

[rdueej]

Strange, I remember that the form 8 was attached to the acceptance form that I had to return.

- Go to [ https://eponline.mom.gov.sg/epol/PEPOLU ... yAction.do ]
- Choose Enquite -> Application/Pass status.
- Use a valid NRIC/FIN number and requestor name in the first step, and then your Travel document number in the second step (Option 2).

If your EP application has already been submitted and is under processing (or approved) with ICA, you should be able to see it here.

[meaningless]

I don't know my FIN, I think I will try to reach them by phone today. Thanks again for your help! (and hope to meet you in NUS soon )