SPass Application status check

[ms.shah]

Hi!
Just wanted to know if employers are the only authorized people to check a candidate's S Pass application status? My spouse has been offered a transfer in his company to Singapore, his employer's submitted the EPass application, but it just got rejected yesterday.

Employer has assured that they have started a fresh SPass application yesterday itself. Since the first EPass application got rejected, we're anxious, to say the least.

Is there any way of knowing the status? Usually how long does the SPass applications takes?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Unless the new application has substantially more information, it's likely to be rejected again. It could have been the local employer doesn't have sufficient quota (they have been reducing the quota progressively for the past 4 years) or your spouse may not be qualified under the new, more stringent criteria. Applications can take a couple of days to a couple of months, depending on where you are coming from and how notorious your country is for fraudulent documents/degrees. However, if the first application was filed for an EP and the "will the potential employee accept an S pass if not qualified for the EP" tick box, then there is no way it will be approved as it is spelled out quite clearly on the Application form if you only click for an EP, then all the new applications in the world will not change that.

[ms.shah]

Hi sundaymorningstaple ,

Thank you for your reply. The employer is a MNC in Singapore and the first EP application was rejected because it was a transfer.

We are not sure whether "will the potential employee accept an S pass if not qualified for the EP" was ticked or not in the first attempt.

Considering this, just curious to know what other factors can get a rejection for SPass.

Thanks in advance.

[sundaymorningstaple]

If it was a transfer, it should have been easy to get an S pass and/or an EP unless the academic criteria/experience was not suitable OR (and this is relatively new).....MOM believes that there are sufficient people in Singapore with the relevant qualifications to do the job, therefore, there should be no reason, MNC or not, to hire a foreigner.

The inability to get an EP and the employer's HR department forgetting to tick the "consider S pass" box (he is dead in the water if that has happened as MOM plainly states that if it's not notated then future applications for an S pass will not be entertained.

No quota (this is happening to MNCs as well as SMEs as they cut back on the quota percentage dependency ratios). There are others but we are not privy to their point allocation system and they jealously keep them close to their chest.

[ms.shah]

Hi sundaymorningstaple ,

Thanks a lot for your replies. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Thanks again