PEP Visa Question

abcd1990 · Post by **abcd1990** » Wed, 22 Aug 2018 11:46 pm

Hey guys,

I am thinking about relocating to Singapore in the next year or so. My current salary (with exchange rate) barely meets the requirements of PEP. In addition, I noticed that a question asks about my country of birth. I was born in China but spent almost my whole life in the US and I am a US citizen. Will those two factors lower the changes of my application?

Also, in terms of the 6 months of employment, does that 6 months start from the date I pick up the PEP card? or does it start when I get the letter? It states online that the letter is valid for a period of 6 months. My intention is to obtain the PEP card while I am employed and then use my vacation time (6 weeks) to interview and hunt for a job in Singapore.

Lastly will obtaining a PEP make myself stand out more when interviewing?

Thanks

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 9:40 am

It start on the day that the PEP is actually issued. If you have already received the IPA (In principle approval) you have 6 months to actually have the PEP issued. After than the offer will expire. Once you have the pass issued, your time starts then so you better hope you have a job in hand pretty quick. Yeah, having a PEP in hand will tell any employer the minimum that they are going to have to offer you in order to have any success in hiring you or not as you cannot afford to go to low or you will lose the PEP before you can even enjoy it. So it might cause a salary bump if they want you and already know what it going to cost them to even make an offer. Or you might not even get to the interview which might be better as it doesn't waste your time.

bcheng74 · Post by **bcheng74** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 11:03 am

I do not see having a PEP any advantage at all to attract a job offer. It may uplift the ego of the PEP holder but that’s only once in a life since PEP can’t be renewed.

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Post by **Strong Eagle** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 11:52 am

Unless you know for sure that the jobs you plan on applying for regularly pay more than the PEP minimum, your PEP could actually be a hindrance, for you are setting a minimum salary that you must be paid which is far larger than the entry salary for a standard EP.

I don't see that a PEP gives you any advantage in job hunting, except for time... six months before you get tossed plus whatever time you use on your IPA before you pick up your PEP.

You will face all the same hurdles that new arrivals to Singapore will face when job hunting. If you're qualified for a position that the MoM will allow a company to hire for, a company applying for an EP for you won't face that much difficulty.

When the PEP first came out, it seemed like a cool idea. Now, I'm not sure why it even exists any more.

abcd1990 · Post by **abcd1990** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 2:02 pm

Thanks for the response.

Im currently making around ~225-230k SGD (depending on exchange rate) + bonus of about 25k SGD.

While I love Singapore and I'm willing to take a pay cut to come, I probably cant accept anything less than 144k (which is the minimum the PEP can pay) which at that number would be a substantial pay cut even after some tax benefits. Anything less than that and it would probably be too substantial.

My plan was to obtain the PEP visa, keep working at my current company and take some vacation time to travel to SG and see if I can land a job.

bcheng74 · Post by **bcheng74** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 2:53 pm

abcd1990 wrote:Thanks for the response.

Im currently making around ~225-230k SGD (depending on exchange rate) + bonus of about 25k SGD.

While I love Singapore and I'm willing to take a pay cut to come, I probably cant accept anything less than 144k (which is the minimum the PEP can pay) which at that number would be a substantial pay cut even after some tax benefits. Anything less than that and it would probably be too substantial.

My plan was to obtain the PEP visa, keep working at my current company and take some vacation time to travel to SG and see if I can land a job.

Yes you can do so legally. However I do not see this as a “selling point” for you to attract a job offer.

Back to your previous point, why would you think where you were born will be disadvantageous to you?

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abcd1990 · Post by **abcd1990** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 3:31 pm

bcheng74 wrote:
abcd1990 wrote:Thanks for the response.

Im currently making around ~225-230k SGD (depending on exchange rate) + bonus of about 25k SGD.

While I love Singapore and I'm willing to take a pay cut to come, I probably cant accept anything less than 144k (which is the minimum the PEP can pay) which at that number would be a substantial pay cut even after some tax benefits. Anything less than that and it would probably be too substantial.

My plan was to obtain the PEP visa, keep working at my current company and take some vacation time to travel to SG and see if I can land a job.
Yes you can do so legally. However I do not see this as a “selling point” for you to attract a job offer.

Back to your previous point, why would you think where you were born will be disadvantageous to you?

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Understand. Do you think it would still be worth applying for? or I shouldn't even bother?

I've heard that while SG wants to increase the Chinese population, it would rather do so not from China but from Malaysia and surrounding countries. I wasn't sure if me being born in China would be relevant at all.

bgd · Post by **bgd** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 4:30 pm

abcd1990 wrote: I probably cant accept anything less than 144k (which is the minimum the PEP can pay)

It's 216K if you apply from abroad. 144K if you are on an EP in Sg.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 5:05 pm

bgd wrote:
abcd1990 wrote: I probably cant accept anything less than 144k (which is the minimum the PEP can pay)
It's 216K if you apply from abroad. 144K if you are on an EP in Sg.

He's got that covered with his current salary. The 18k/12K for offshore applicants /local EP holders is only for application purposes. The salary they need here is 144K/pa. Even the offshore applicant only needs to find a job here offering him a position that will pay him an annual salary of 144K/pa. This includes a partial year as well so if you only have 4 months left in the year your employer will have to give you 36K/mo in order to keep the PEP

Requirements of the pass
To keep holding a PEP, you must:

Not be unemployed in Singapore for more than 6 months at any time. Otherwise, you will need to cancel the pass.
Earn a fixed salary of at least $144,000 per calendar year, regardless of the number of months you are in employment.

bcheng74 · Post by **bcheng74** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 5:39 pm

Actually PEP is only valid for 3 years, and cannot be renewed. The only benefit of this scheme is for the holder where he/she can live in Singapore for six months without a job.

I do not see any added value for this point to an employer.

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Post by **singaporeflyer** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 6:46 pm

bcheng74 wrote:Actually PEP is only valid for 3 years, and cannot be renewed. The only benefit of this scheme is for the holder where he/she can live in Singapore for six months without a job.

I do not see any added value for this point to an employer.

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Easy to convert from PEP to PR if the person is continuosly employed

bcheng74 · Post by **bcheng74** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 7:24 pm

singaporeflyer wrote:
bcheng74 wrote:Actually PEP is only valid for 3 years, and cannot be renewed. The only benefit of this scheme is for the holder where he/she can live in Singapore for six months without a job.

I do not see any added value for this point to an employer.

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Easy to convert from PEP to PR if the person is continuosly employed

Again this is the benefit to the holder, not to the employer. This will not help OP to land a job in SG more easily.

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Post by **singaporeflyer** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 7:25 pm

bcheng74 wrote:
singaporeflyer wrote:
bcheng74 wrote:Actually PEP is only valid for 3 years, and cannot be renewed. The only benefit of this scheme is for the holder where he/she can live in Singapore for six months without a job.

I do not see any added value for this point to an employer.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Easy to convert from PEP to PR if the person is continuosly employed
Again this is the benefit to the holder, not to the employer. This will not help OP to land a job in SG more easily.

ent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Recently there have been cases where the job is offered but unable to get EP. Considering from that perspective, it is an benefit to the employer too

bcheng74 · Post by **bcheng74** » Thu, 23 Aug 2018 7:27 pm

singaporeflyer wrote:
bcheng74 wrote:
singaporeflyer wrote:

Easy to convert from PEP to PR if the person is continuosly employed
Again this is the benefit to the holder, not to the employer. This will not help OP to land a job in SG more easily.

ent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Recently there have been cases where the job is offered but unable to get EP. Considering from that perspective, it is an benefit to the employer too

Okay that’s true. Maybe another point is... PEP is done by the employee, but EP is done by the employer. That may save a bit of administrative effort.

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abcd1990 · Post by **abcd1990** » Fri, 24 Aug 2018 7:17 am

bcheng74 wrote:
singaporeflyer wrote:
bcheng74 wrote:
Again this is the benefit to the holder, not to the employer. This will not help OP to land a job in SG more easily.

ent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Recently there have been cases where the job is offered but unable to get EP. Considering from that perspective, it is an benefit to the employer too
Okay that’s true. Maybe another point is... PEP is done by the employee, but EP is done by the employer. That may save a bit of administrative effort.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I wasn't sure if putting in the effort to get the PEP makes me look like a more serious candidate.

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