can current employer see employment pass application from new employer?

[SammieM]

Hi there,

I've been searching the forum for this answer but it's quite a specific question, so my current contract was ending and I found a new job with Company B. However due to the Covid situation, it fell through and after initially applying for a new EP, it was withdrawn.
Luckily I extended my current contract but now Company A needs to renew my EP and I'm worried that they will see my EP status as: Withdrawn (which is what it stated after I looked online).
Company A were not aware I would be potentially be going to Company B so now I am worried that when Company A go online to renew my EP, they will see the status. Is this true? Or when renewing, does this information not show unless employer is searching for it? (Example, does a withdrawn application show on my employee profile)?
Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated as I would like a smooth renewal process.
Cheers all.

[sundaymorningstaple]

It may well show. This is why people like myself, before I retired March a year ago, always instructed my HR clerk to do a check at least once a month of all our work pass holders (WP, S & EP) as this would tell us if an employee has/had a pending application for a work pass (it will not indicate with whom, however). Only that there is one filed, but that is enough to tell HR the said employee is either leaving or attempting to leave. This way, if we find ourselves overstaffed due to a downturn and we need to reduce head count, we usually start with those who are obviously not happy were they are and are let go first. I've retired now so I'm no longer dangerous as an HR & Fin Mgr of a mid-sized SME here. But I know lots of my HR Mgmt friends who follow the same scenario. How long that info stays up I do not really know as I was always systematic so didn't get often burned after investing in a foreigner.

[SammieM]

Thank you for your reply, really appreciate it. My next question would be, when my HR goes to renew, will they see this withdrawn EP application (on Corppass) or is it private? A friend (currently in HR) suggested that when renewing, that Company A would not see the withdrawn application unless they searched specifically for the EP status - if that makes sense.

[sundaymorningstaple]

That is a possibility. They may or may not see it. I never really bothered to check as I was only interested in a search as opposed to a renewal so honestly cannot answer that, however, if there is an application pending, a renewal will stop until said application is withdrawn or the employee hands you their notice. Yes your friend is possibly correct.

[SammieM]

Thanks again for taking the time to answer. Unfortunately, I'm dealing with a temperamental management hence why I've been concerned if they would see the EP withdrawn application that could jeopardize my renewal.

[skeeting]

It may well show. This is why people like myself, before I retired March a year ago, always instructed my HR clerk to do a check at least once a month of all our work pass holders (WP, S & EP) as this would tell us if an employee has/had a pending application for a work pass (it will not indicate with whom, however). Only that there is one filed, but that is enough to tell HR the said employee is either leaving or attempting to leave. This way, if we find ourselves overstaffed due to a downturn and we need to reduce head count, we usually start with those who are obviously not happy were they are and are let go first. I've retired now so I'm no longer dangerous as an HR & Fin Mgr of a mid-sized SME here. But I know lots of my HR Mgmt friends who follow the same scenario. How long that info stays up I do not really know as I was always systematic so didn't get often burned after investing in a foreigner.

No need to scare people with this rubbish. No way this happens in MNCs or businesses at scale. You must have been in a pretty small business to be so petty asking your HR clerk to waste time looking it up. Absolute rubbish that "lots of my HR Mgmt friends who follow the same scenario".

[sundaymorningstaple]

Well, skeeting, you are free to believe what you wish, but with 25 years of HR Mgmt here up till my retirement, I must have been doing something right because when I retired I was well past retirement age. (Oh, I was also with the company that saw growth from 3 to 7 individual companies and then started absorbing the smaller bought over companies into the main company in order to downsize for cost purposes as we really didn't need a fleet of 55 vehicles. So, while we were weren't an MNC, (although we were a regional MNC as we also had a company in Yangon), we were the 3rd largest company in our Industry here with 65% of our business being with Government Agencies. Petty saves time and money. As HR is a cost centre, we ensure we are a value add where possible. Oh, I didn't retire until I was 71.5 years old as well. You do realize that 70% of Singapore's GDP is created by SMEs & regional MNC, don't you? Without them, the MNCs couldn't survive as they would have no raw materials to work with.

[PNGMK]

I'll back up SMS on this. I work in A HUGE MNC and one of my colleagues registered a company to buy a G plate vehicle with (so he as an EP holder for MNC went and opened a company - this generates an EP MOM issue). HR literally marched into his office and said "You've got 24 hours to sort this out or your fired as you cannot have have an EP with us and be a director of anbother company and we will need to cancel your EP tomorrow". HR definitely know what's going on with EPs where I work.

PS: Colleague then rushed into my office... "Are you a PR mate?" PNGMK: "Yes". Colleague "Can I transfer ownership of my PTE LTD to you temporarily - like RIGHT NOW?"".