EP succ. rate, salary jumped from 8k to 12k

[AhooAhoo]

Hi,

I just signed a new job offer from a US-based startup company and the size of their company here in Singapore is below 25. The company also just opened their office in Singapore last year. They gave my asking salary which is SGD 12k and I'm currently getting 8k in my current employer. My current employer is also a US-based software company.

I'm currently an e-pass holder. Also, the position was not advertised in jobsbank the last time I checked but I think the position is exempted from that since the company size in Singapore is less than 25 and the salary is above 12k(just a few bucks above 12k).

As for the position and experience, I'm currently working as a Senior DevOps Engineer and the new position is similar as well. I have 9-year experience in the software industry, graduate of BS Computer Science, RHCE and AWS SysOps certified. I also worked as a freelancer for 2-3 years during my 9-year job experience.

I just want to know if anyone has an idea on what will be my success rate in getting a new e-pass.

[Wd40]

I think you should get it. Does your company already have people on EP? If yes, then you should get it 100%. If you are the 1st person, then well, you are the guinea pig. Good luck anyways!

[AhooAhoo]

I think you should get it. Does your company already have people on EP? If yes, then you should get it 100%. If you are the 1st person, then well, you are the guinea pig. Good luck anyways!

I actually already signed the contract. What's left is their background check and the application of EP. They also have EPs on their Singapore office. I'm just worried that I might get rejected for the EP application since based from what I read, people who are getting 12k and above are either from a managerial level or above. MOM might be stricter as well like they require someone to have a masters degree or something.

[JR8]

You signed the contract but it will be dependent on the employer getting the visa for you. And I really doubt they are fully sure that will happen yet, as they can't be. So don't take any false assurances from them and start packing your home up (for example) until you know the visa is approved. [Note: this is not a comment on you at all, just a caution re: the uncertainties of getting visas approved etc].

How many managers can you have or need in a start-up? Specialists with niche skills have a reason to get hired too, esp in smaller cos/start-ups. Broader management of the established business comes later, once things are well up and running IMPO.

Don't get too hung up on the graduate thing. It's an easy pigeon-hole for people scanning a resume but with little or no knowledge of the business. That can morph into say a visa requirement... 'since every fool is a grad these days, aren't they?'. Well no they're not, I'm not, but the presumption is still there and seems to grow year on year. Plenty of product or process specialists aren't graduates, not least since much of it isn't taught as such. I mean think about it, most traders aren't 'managers' they tend to be very much individual specialists, and so on. So I'd not worry that x salary requires y job name, or y requires z qualification. The fact the company are intending to hire you as is should hopefully speak loudly enough.

If you wrote the visa petition how would you sell yourself, outside of the managerial/masters tick-boxes?... You should have no problem answering this in your own head, and if so then IMVHO you can perhaps stress a bit less.

[AhooAhoo]

You signed the contract but it will be dependent on the employer getting the visa for you. And I really doubt they are fully sure that will happen yet, as they can't be. So don't take any false assurances from them and start packing your home up (for example) until you know the visa is approved. [Note: this is not a comment on you at all, just a caution re: the uncertainties of getting visas approved etc].

Actually I am already working in Singapore for 1.5 years. They have my current salary on their record and I'm worried that the jump in salary will make my EP app. rejected.

How many managers can you have or need in a start-up? Specialists with niche skills have a reason to get hired too, esp in smaller cos/start-ups. Broader management of the established business comes later, once things are well up and running IMPO.

Actually, this is what I'm thinking as well. What worries me is that if the person evaluating the EP application will have a good understanding.

Don't get too hung up on the graduate thing. It's an easy pigeon-hole for people scanning a resume but with little or no knowledge of the business. That can morph into say a visa requirement... 'since every fool is a grad these days, aren't they?'. Well no they're not, I'm not, but the presumption is still there and seems to grow year on year. Plenty of product or process specialists aren't graduates, not least since much of it isn't taught as such. I mean think about it, most traders aren't 'managers' they tend to be very much individual specialists, and so on. So I'd not worry that x salary requires y job name, or y requires z qualification. The fact the company are intending to hire you as is should hopefully speak loudly enough.

If you wrote the visa petition how would you sell yourself, outside of the managerial/masters tick-boxes?... You should have no problem answering this in your own head, and if so then IMVHO you can perhaps stress a bit less.

Sorry to sound negative. This was because of what my wife experienced a couple of months ago.

My wife is currently working as a Financial Analyst under LOC and her company gave her almost a 50% salary increase but she has to move from one resource firm to another since this new firm charges less compared to the current. The new firm applied an EP for her twice and were rejected twice as well. Because of this, the employer has no choice but to let my wife stay on her current firm and reduce the increase in salary to 30% since the current firm charges more.

Anyway, thanks for the insights. I hope everything will be smooth sailing. Else, I have to prepair a good justification in my petition

[sundaymorningstaple]

Anyway, thanks for the insights. I hope everything will be smooth sailing. Else, I have to prepair a good justification in my petition

Sadly, petitions don't work in Singapore. Only appeals. And unless you have substantially different information to add in the appeal that was not in the application that was rejected, it's not likely to go anywhere.
Wish you Good luck.

[JR8]

Actually I am already working in Singapore for 1.5 years. They have my current salary on their record and I'm worried that the jump in salary will make my EP app. rejected.

OIC, and no I don't see the issue how you do.
For example it used to be one avenue in long-term career planning to get hired into a blue-chip company, build your career there as far as you could, and then when you started to become vulnerable (re: age, and lack of hunger for 80hr weeks etc) look to take your blue-chip skills to lower profile or 'boutique' operations, start-ups, or difficult/hardship locations etc. Not only was your knowledge/experience in demand from such, they also paid well too since they didn't have that blue-chip status. So I don't think moving from a blue-chip to a start-up for a significant hike in $ is unexpected at all, quite the opposite in fact.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Good example is the Big Four accounting firms. Pay peanuts and work you till you crack or drag up.

[JR8]

Yep QED. Take em in young, sponsor them through the ACCA/CIMA, provide their 'PQE', work them to the bone, then watch most of the mass leaving for the banking/O+G/blue-chip etc sectors, *often* the very same Cos the individuals spent time in doing their 'PQE' audit experience.
That's one reason why you get er, a Big-5 audit sent in led by a relative junior, and there's always this little dance of 'Well, you know, we could offer you a really nice banking audit job if things work out '''ok'''.... capice... '. Then the hard-ball counter-dance of ... 'How senior might this offer be, as ... I really will be your ***worst*** 'kin bitch next week ooooooh yeah, right now your accounts really aren't looking pretty at all.... but I'm sure that can be resolved'

-- I'd never realized a world of statutory regulations could be so bent, or er... so bendable... lol