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Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2018 4:58 am
by sixrings
Hi guys,

I just got offered an investment banking position at an American bank in Singapore. I am American Chinese (U.S. passport), studied in the U.S., and will be making more than $8k/month in my new role.

That said, my future employer is going to file my EP application through a third party agency, Sirva. Has anyone had any experience with them or any other third party agencies? From my perspective, they seem pretty slow and has terrible customer service (just my opinion). I'm just saying this because it took them more than a week to reach out to me (post-offer) and nearly another week before they filed the application when I already gave them all the documents that they need! I know that EP can be unpredictable and the process can take a while longer than I expected, so that's why I kept on calling them to follow up on status. It always took them days to respond.....

Anyway, has anyone also had their EP recently approved (filled by HR or third-party agency) and how long did it take? Thanks!

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2018 3:15 pm
by sundaymorningstaple
That is the only way to get your EP application filed, either by the HR of your potential company or their 3rd party recruitment agency (lot's of companies do this (in fact I do this occasionally when sourcing from India - as they are more adept at weeding out the bogus/inflated CVs send by member from that country) We also let them set up the face-to-face interviews with the candidates via webcam as well, plus they provide us a replacement when the candidate doesn't show up or does a runner after he arrives or isn't suitable for the position and we have to let them go. You cannot apply for a work visa on your own. It has to be by the employer or the company hired by the employer to file for them.

It really makes no difference as everything that they put into the fields on the application you have to provide in the first place aside from the job description which HR has to provide. It is what it is. It really doesn't make any difference. Although a lot of those places like to advertise how high their approval ratings are but the catch is that they are selective who they will apply for a pass for. Otherwise known as cherry-picking. If they know you are not a likely candidate for success, they will decline to act for you or on your behalf if they know their odds of success are slim as rejection drags down their success rate. These are mostly people who have been here a couple of years and want to apply for PR or Citizenship from their EP/S pass.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2018 7:40 am
by sixrings
Hi SMS – thanks for your response. It's very insightful and I appreciate the new information that you provided. Thanks.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2018 10:56 am
by cittakaro
sixrings wrote:Hi guys,

I just got offered an investment banking position at an American bank in Singapore. I am American Chinese (U.S. passport), studied in the U.S., and will be making more than $8k/month in my new role.

That said, my future employer is going to file my EP application through a third party agency, Sirva. Has anyone had any experience with them or any other third party agencies? From my perspective, they seem pretty slow and has terrible customer service (just my opinion). I'm just saying this because it took them more than a week to reach out to me (post-offer) and nearly another week before they filed the application when I already gave them all the documents that they need! I know that EP can be unpredictable and the process can take a while longer than I expected, so that's why I kept on calling them to follow up on status. It always took them days to respond.....

Anyway, has anyone also had their EP recently approved (filled by HR or third-party agency) and how long did it take? Thanks!
My company used Sirva to apply my EP too, took 12 days from submission to approval. BTW Sirva is not recruitment agency, I think more on relocation company helping in employee visa and expat relocation.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2018 11:19 pm
by sundaymorningstaple
I think you will find that they probably have an employment agency license as well. It's the only way they can offer a potential client (business) 'full' service. If they cannot handle the full scope of the HR requirements they will not get too far. I left that industry about a dozen years ago.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Tue, 06 Feb 2018 11:03 am
by sixrings
Thanks chittakaro - that is extremely helpful. Sirva is the one responsible for my visa and another company (or sister company) will take care of my personal belongings.

What was your general timeline for your approval? Additionally, how was your experience? Thanks once again for your response?
cittakaro wrote:
sixrings wrote:Hi guys,

I just got offered an investment banking position at an American bank in Singapore. I am American Chinese (U.S. passport), studied in the U.S., and will be making more than $8k/month in my new role.

That said, my future employer is going to file my EP application through a third party agency, Sirva. Has anyone had any experience with them or any other third party agencies? From my perspective, they seem pretty slow and has terrible customer service (just my opinion). I'm just saying this because it took them more than a week to reach out to me (post-offer) and nearly another week before they filed the application when I already gave them all the documents that they need! I know that EP can be unpredictable and the process can take a while longer than I expected, so that's why I kept on calling them to follow up on status. It always took them days to respond.....

Anyway, has anyone also had their EP recently approved (filled by HR or third-party agency) and how long did it take? Thanks!
My company used Sirva to apply my EP too, took 12 days from submission to approval. BTW Sirva is not recruitment agency, I think more on relocation company helping in employee visa and expat relocation.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Thu, 15 Feb 2018 6:32 am
by sixrings
I got accepted after 10 days. Seems like I was incorrect in my statement of SIRVA being inefficient.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Thu, 15 Feb 2018 9:18 am
by sundaymorningstaple
Actually has absolutely nothing to do with the relocation company. It has everything to do with the applicant and the MOM. Nobody, and I mean absolutely NOBODY, has an inside track with either the MOM or the ICA where is concerns Visas or Work Passes. You can believe what you want.

Actually, the reason the employers use these types of organizations is it's cheaper to outsource HR functions rather than keeps a HR department full time as it's purely a cost centre and in good times when people don't change jobs as often, often HR departments are idle but still costing the company money. Outsourcing mean you only pay for what you need.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Fri, 16 Feb 2018 10:55 pm
by sixrings
I think I miscommunicated what intended thought. Either way, thanks for the additional information.

Re: Third-Party Relocation / Visa Agency

Posted: Sun, 18 Feb 2018 6:52 pm
by the lynx
sixrings wrote:I got accepted after 10 days. Seems like I was incorrect in my statement of SIRVA being inefficient.
I know where you're coming from. Good thing yours came through OK and got approved. Mine was done by such company too. Let's just say here that as far as Singapore immigration is concerned, you don't really need a third party to do this because Singapore's processes are straight, easy and foolproof. Adding a bureaucratic layer just makes things longer.

Frankly if it wasn't for employer requirements I would have done it myself.