PR Rejected - timeline and profile

[watertoen]

Hi folks - recently had my PR application rejected, thought I'd share my profile and timeline in the event its helpful.

To note, I discovered this website and forum well after I had submitted my application.

Profile (first time applicant)
Nationality: Indian
Profession: Investment Management at a well known MNC: This however, is my second job since applying. taxable comp is 400k, basic is 250k.
Pass type: EP
Spouse: DP, not working
No kids
Age 34 (self) and 33(wife)
Length of stay: Moved to SG in May 2018, applied in Dec 2019 (1 TA)
Qualifications: Masters from top 3 univ in UK + Wife has a top 3 MBA from India
Rejected in exactly 6 months

Also hired a consultant to help with the application.

While I had a change in employers during application processing, I've kept the ICA informed. I personally do not think we have much to ground an appeal on.

My question to more experienced members here: We really do want to settle in Singapore for the long term; what would you suggest as ways to improve our chances when applying again later ?

[singaporeflyer]

Hi folks - recently had my PR application rejected, thought I'd share my profile and timeline in the event its helpful.

To note, I discovered this website and forum well after I had submitted my application.

Profile (first time applicant)
Nationality: Indian
Profession: Investment Management at a well known MNC: This however, is my second job since applying. taxable comp is 400k, basic is 250k.
Pass type: EP
Spouse: DP, not working
No kids
Age 34 (self) and 33(wife)
Length of stay: Moved to SG in May 2018, applied in Dec 2019 (1 TA)
Qualifications: Masters from top 3 univ in UK + Wife has a top 3 MBA from India
Rejected in exactly 6 months

Also hired a consultant to help with the application.

While I had a change in employers during application processing, I've kept the ICA informed. I personally do not think we have much to ground an appeal on.

My question to more experienced members here: We really do want to settle in Singapore for the long term; what would you suggest as ways to improve our chances when applying again later ?

Apply after atleast 4-5 years of working in Singapore.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Just to delve into this a little bit further, my question would be are you in a "C" level position?

That aside, if you have done any research of our archives, you will note that we have noticed a penchant for people earning in excess of $300K/pa or "C" level or both tend to be bounced by their company to various and sundry posts around the world. That in of itself doesn't point to a good risk for "Permanent Residency" in the spirit in which it is meant. To add to that, There is also the lure of another company offering a sign on bonus of 25~50K and a decent increase of salary as well to lure you to jump companies which also might mean jumping ship to be parachuted into another country at the same time. While nobody can fault you for that, the penchant for this happening in the Financial district is well known and Singapore would much rather give the limited PRs to somebody who looks like them might stay for the long haul. Unfortunately, the Financial district has not shown that kind of thought pattern so ICA is hesitant to grant PR knowing full well the odds of them actually staying and taking up Citizenship is rather weak. They would rather have a middle of the roader with a potential for growth and also providing the country with the next generation.

As SF mentioned, you needed to wait for at least two years before you applied to PR the first time. I would almost bet the Consultancy is owned by one of your countrymen. They tend to cannibalize their own without compunction. For the record, they cannot put anything on the form that you don't give them. There is limited room on the form, and you cannot submit lots of garbage that used be to submitted back in the optional manual submission days. They saw too much BS so now it only the facts. As far as the submission application, it was designed to be filled out by an N level holder (which means any B.Sc or BA should be able to do it in their sleep. When you use a consultant unless you are a shoe-in they tend to wonder why a high-flyer has to resort to a greasy consultant unless the applicant is trying to hide something. I also made the mistake of using a Consultant (Lawyer) when I first applied for PR way back in 1988. It took an appeal and another subsequent application before I got my PR in the mid 1990's.

Having said all that, we've also seen some pretty strange things happen, so at the end of the day, you buys your ticket and takes your chances.

Good Luck but do wait at least 3 more years because filing close together also makes it look like your are in a hurry. In the past those in a hurry were flipping properties. That has slowed somewhat do to the longer waiting periods. But like I've said on here many times, ICA has just about seen it all.

[watertoen]

Thanks for the inputs, SF and SMS - will wait a while before taking another shot at it.

@SMS: No, not a C level position. Although, I get your point - and taken together with the relatively short gap in time between landing in SG and my application, I suppose the softer indicators of commitment to the long term are absent (at least in the eyes of the ICA).

The buying decision on the consultants' services was just on account of the advertising - in retrospect, probably something I should've thought more about to say the least.

[PNGMK]

Thanks for the inputs, SF and SMS - will wait a while before taking another shot at it.

@SMS: No, not a C level position. Although, I get your point - and taken together with the relatively short gap in time between landing in SG and my application, I suppose the softer indicators of commitment to the long term are absent (at least in the eyes of the ICA).

The buying decision on the consultants' services was just on account of the advertising - in retrospect, probably something I should've thought more about to say the least.

I think there PR approvals have come to a screeching halt (unless they were in the system and ready to go) due to the upcoming GE and the huge unemployment situation. I'm honestly wondering if Singapore will do what some countries are doing and have a long hard look at their EP holders and see who can they can bounce out of the country to give the job to a local yokel. Your job sounds like a prime candidate. While the MNC's will bitch and moan if the gahmen is genuinely concerned about electorate backlash (and the "True Blue" nationalists have made it clear that FT jobs are a concern) I expect we may find EP's drying up soon.