PR Rejected - how to improve my chances next time

[iceinjan]

I was devastated to find out online that our PR application was rejected

We are thinking of reapplying again next year and would really appreciate some advice from everyone here on:
- Why did we get rejected? How can we improve our chances?
- Would it increase our chances if my husband becomes the principal applicant next time? Does it matter who the principal applicant is if we are applying as a couple?
- How long should we wait to re-apply to have a better chance?

[PNGMK]

Wait another 12 months and apply again.

[iceinjan]

Thanks for your reply! Do you think it's better for me or my husband to be principal applicant? I applied as principal applicant last time hoping it looks favorable that I am Chinese race, though my husband has higher salary. Does it matter who is the principal applicant?

[PNGMK]

I really don't know but somehow with both parties working I don't think it matters. I suspect the issue is the shorter quota and that you are only two years in. Wait a bit longer and apply with three tax assessments in hand.

[BBCWatcher]

I agree with PNGMK. ICA asked for three years of tax assessments. You did not satisfy at least that particular ICA demand. Thus you gave ICA at least one simple, straightforward reason to reject your applications.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I was devastated to find out online that our PR application was rejected

.......

Myself (Principal Applicant)
- Age: 31
- Chinese race holding Canadian nationality; speak Mandarin & Cantonese
- Have been in Singapore for 2 years on EP
- Salary: $12K per month / Business Strategy Manager at MNC (medium size company, manufacturing industry)
- Degree: MBA + CPA
- I have been in my current job for 1 year at the time of application. Before this, I stayed 2 years for my previous job, of which 1 year was based in Singapore because of internal company transfer. Paid 1 year of tax in Singapore (2015 assessment not yet out at the time of application). Prior to that, studied and worked in Canada for 10+ years.
- No kids yet.
- Married for 1.5 years.

Husband (applied together as spouse)
- Age: 32
- Filipino nationality; speaks English and Tagalog
- Have been in Singapore for 2 years on EP
- Salary: $13K per month / Sales Director at Fortune 500 (Energy sector)
- Degrees: MBA, Bachelor of Engineering
- He has been in his current job for 4 years, of which 2 years in Singapore from internal company transfer. Paid 2 years of taxes

Thank you in advance for all your comments and help!!

Agree with all the PNGMK put forth plus I also see it slightly differently. I see several problems, some of which are suppositions, some anecdotal and some are just gut feelings on my part.

You are the favoured race and you are highly educated and well paid but you have been married only 1.5 years (for a joint application - but the application was correct in that it should be filed jointly.

Your husband, while also highly educated and well paid, is in a demographic that is, for lack of a better word, not high on the list demographically. I feel that even if it were not the reason for you applying as the main applicant, ICA may have seen it as a ploy to get him his PR on your coattails as it were. Filipinos are, for some unknown reason, not well liked in Singapore (I have my own thoughts as to why but I'll just keep them to myself as I have absolutely no problem with them - but I'm not Singaporean). By himself or him as the main applicant it would probably have been rejected as well, even though he's more qualified than you are. He actually ticks more of the boxes affirmative at this point with the exception of nationality.

Now, the real problems I see are gut feelings. If "I" were an ICA officer I would have to ask myself, "do you think that the main applicant will be a "Permanent" resident? She was transferred to Singapore by her MNC employer and stayed with them for only one year before jumping ship for another company. If they offer her a sizeable increment in the new company to do an internal transfer to another country, will she stay or go? After all she doesn't have any children in school so nothing stopping her. She's already shown that she has no company loyalty, so why would she have any long term loyality to Singapore either.

If "I" were the ICA officer, I would look at the husband, who ticks more boxes than the wife, and wonder why? Would he also be ready to jump ship or as he's stayed with his current employer for 4 years of which 2 have been here, will his company transfer him next year to another location or back to wherever he was before? Or did he already know how hard it is for Filipinos to gain PR so thought maybe he could ride in on the coattails of the favoured race who is a highly educated as well and also working for a MNC.

To me the whole thing is messy. Wait until both have three tax assessment under your belts and your EPs have been renewed. You will stand a better chance. Having a baby will up those chances even better as it will go a long way to proving that it's not a marriage of convenience (for the husband to get his PR) but I can understand that you may not be ready for a family just yet as well.

What I've said I know is rough and hard to stomach, but I'm just saying what I see between the lines. I'm sure I'm wrong and my apologies if I am. But if you have spent anytime on this forum reading you will know I'm a straight shooter.

[iceinjan]

Thank you so much for your comments. No apologies needed at all. I really appreciate your insights. Actually the reason that I switched to a new company was precisely because I wanted to stay in Singapore. Previous company wanted me to move overseas after my one year post here, but I rejected and decided to find another job in order to stay in SG. Husband also tried very hard to transfer internally to come here so we don't have to do long distance anymore. I explained this in the cover letter to the ICA, but I could see how they might have doubts.

However, the worst part is that I seemed to have gotten the death sentence in the rejection letter. Probably because of my husband's race? Is it even realistic to hope that we will get a different decision if we are married for 1-2 yrs longer and may have a baby by then?

Would it look "cleaner" next time if my Husband applies as the main applicant? That way he ticks more boxes and it eliminates the suspicion that he is coattailing me? Anyway cannot hide his nationality even if I am the main applicant.

I was devastated to find out online that our PR application was rejected

.......

Myself (Principal Applicant)
- Age: 31
- Chinese race holding Canadian nationality; speak Mandarin & Cantonese
- Have been in Singapore for 2 years on EP
- Salary: $12K per month / Business Strategy Manager at MNC (medium size company, manufacturing industry)
- Degree: MBA + CPA
- I have been in my current job for 1 year at the time of application. Before this, I stayed 2 years for my previous job, of which 1 year was based in Singapore because of internal company transfer. Paid 1 year of tax in Singapore (2015 assessment not yet out at the time of application). Prior to that, studied and worked in Canada for 10+ years.
- No kids yet.
- Married for 1.5 years.

Husband (applied together as spouse)
- Age: 32
- Filipino nationality; speaks English and Tagalog
- Have been in Singapore for 2 years on EP
- Salary: $13K per month / Sales Director at Fortune 500 (Energy sector)
- Degrees: MBA, Bachelor of Engineering
- He has been in his current job for 4 years, of which 2 years in Singapore from internal company transfer. Paid 2 years of taxes

Thank you in advance for all your comments and help!!

Agree with all the PNGMK put forth plus I also see it slightly differently. I see several problems, some of which are suppositions, some anecdotal and some are just gut feelings on my part.

You are the favoured race and you are highly educated and well paid but you have been married only 1.5 years (for a joint application - but the application was correct in that it should be filed jointly.

Your husband, while also highly educated and well paid, is in a demographic that is, for lack of a better word, not high on the list demographically. I feel that even if it were not the reason for you applying as the main applicant, ICA may have seen it as a ploy to get him his PR on your coattails as it were. Filipinos are, for some unknown reason, not well liked in Singapore (I have my own thoughts as to why but I'll just keep them to myself as I have absolutely no problem with them - but I'm not Singaporean). By himself or him as the main applicant it would probably have been rejected as well, even though he's more qualified than you are. He actually ticks more of the boxes affirmative at this point with the exception of nationality.

Now, the real problems I see are gut feelings. If "I" were an ICA officer I would have to ask myself, "do you think that the main applicant will be a "Permanent" resident? She was transferred to Singapore by her MNC employer and stayed with them for only one year before jumping ship for another company. If they offer her a sizeable increment in the new company to do an internal transfer to another country, will she stay or go? After all she doesn't have any children in school so nothing stopping her. She's already shown that she has no company loyalty, so why would she have any long term loyality to Singapore either.

If "I" were the ICA officer, I would look at the husband, who ticks more boxes than the wife, and wonder why? Would he also be ready to jump ship or as he's stayed with his current employer for 4 years of which 2 have been here, will his company transfer him next year to another location or back to wherever he was before? Or did he already know how hard it is for Filipinos to gain PR so thought maybe he could ride in on the coattails of the favoured race who is a highly educated as well and also working for a MNC.

To me the whole thing is messy. Wait until both have three tax assessment under your belts and your EPs have been renewed. You will stand a better chance. Having a baby will up those chances even better as it will go a long way to proving that it's not a marriage of convenience (for the husband to get his PR) but I can understand that you may not be ready for a family just yet as well.

What I've said I know is rough and hard to stomach, but I'm just saying what I see between the lines. I'm sure I'm wrong and my apologies if I am. But if you have spent anytime on this forum reading you will know I'm a straight shooter.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Was the rejection paragraph in the vein of "your application has been rejected but you are welcome to stay here on your current Employmept Pass as long as it's renewed"? Or something similar? If so, yeah, it's pretty much final. Although we have had one on here "who claimed he knew someone who managed to get it approved after around 6 tries. But 1st hand anecdotal evidence of that is pretty thin. Are you Canadian by birth or immigrant to Canada? From where?

[iceinjan]

I was born in China. My parents migrated to Canada so we became Canadians by nationality. Studied and worked in Canada until I met my husband during a temporary school program in SG (we both studied 6 months here a few yrs ago) - eventually we both decided to move here. I just don't understand which part of our profiles is consider so bad that there is no second chance even after a few years ...

Was the rejection paragraph in the vein of "your application has been rejected but you are welcome to stay here on your current Employmept Pass as long as it's renewed"? Or something similar? If so, yeah, it's pretty much final. Although we have had one on here "who claimed he knew someone who managed to get it approved after around 6 tries. But 1st hand anecdotal evidence of that is pretty thin. Are you Canadian by birth or immigrant to Canada? From where?

[sundaymorningstaple]

You didn't respond to my first question, but in answer to your question, PR is meant to be a stepping stone to SG Citizenship. It's possible, if they are aware that you are a naturalized Canadian, they may think you are like a lot of foreigners who try to collect PRs and or Multiple citizenships (although that is not possibe in Singapore, but multiple PR's is and there have been many who have abused the priviledge. They may well think that there seems to be many more reason not to give than to give, where there are others who seemly fit the bill of potential future citizens better. We have seen a number on here who were rejected with 350~400K salaries get rejected as well.

But as long as you have the stomach for it, I'd wait and apply after 3 tax assessments each and go from there (in the meantime always keep a plan b in the back of your mind as well. Good Luck.

[iceinjan]

Yes. The letter said something like your application is unsuccessful and you can stay in SG with valid pass...

I guess we will try again next year with 3 assessments.

Thanks a lot!

You didn't respond to my first question, but in answer to your question, PR is meant to be a stepping stone to SG Citizenship. It's possible, if they are aware that you are a naturalized Canadian, they may think you are like a lot of foreigners who try to collect PRs and or Multiple citizenships (although that is not possibe in Singapore, but multiple PR's is and there have been many who have abused the priviledge. They may well think that there seems to be many more reason not to give than to give, where there are others who seemly fit the bill of potential future citizens better. We have seen a number on here who were rejected with 350~400K salaries get rejected as well.

But as long as you have the stomach for it, I'd wait and apply after 3 tax assessments each and go from there (in the meantime always keep a plan b in the back of your mind as well. Good Luck.

[Barnsley]

Although we have had one on here "who claimed he knew someone who managed to get it approved after around 6 tries.

Thats my work colleague from China , he applied every year and finally got PR 2 years ago.

I see no reason to bullshit.

I have no idea what his rejection letters said , but I know he worked very hard at his applications , improving his English , and working hard to get promotions at work.

I suspect that the couple will be OK as long as they show some actual commitment to Singapore.

However maybe the Govt doesnt want to see so many foreigners in middle management rolls and would rather give themselves an option to boot them out as and when.

[x9200]

I would not be that optimistic even after the 3rd tax assessment. It's a real mess with a lot of warning signs suggesting the OP's presence in SG may not be that permanent. 3 years may not be enough to convince the gov, so while the OP probably should try, I think she should keep her hopes well under control.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Barnsley, then we have had two. I wasn't aware of your case. The one I was referring to was posted by a off & on local regular (I think) who was somewhat of a thorn here periodically. Didn't post too often but tended to agitate but when we asked for more details is wasn't forthcoming.

[quantabit]

What did your rejection letter say? It may give some hints on how you should proceed