BIG 4 Expats (Any recommendations?)

[DoggaK]

Hi guys, I am from Hong Kong and I just got an offer to work at one of the Big 4 as an auditor in Singapore. Now the company is planning to apply an employment pass for me, I wonder if the pass is easy to get approved?

I got approached by this opportunity on Linkedin and it all happened very fast with the interview and offer. I am quite interested in this opportunity but still, I have a lot of worries since the different culture and lifestyle.

I wonder any fellow expat auditors here could share their working experience?

Thanks!

[Addadude]

I am not an auditor but I have worked in one of the big 4 here in a diferent capacity.

The EP thing is not a big issue, you either get it or you don't. Just don't resign from your current role until you see at least an Approval In Principle.

Work and culture-wise, I doubt that you will find life in a Singapore big 4 more arduous than HK. During peak audit season the hours are crazy. But that is the same for auditors in every firm/market. What is more important is the Partner or Director you will be reporting to. Your direct working experience in any of the big 4 firms will be driven by these individuals and how they treat you rather than the firm's culture.

Just my observations from my recent time in such a company.

[DoggaK]

I am not an auditor but I have worked in one of the big 4 here in a diferent capacity.

The EP thing is not a big issue, you either get it or you don't. Just don't resign from your current role until you see at least an Approval In Principle.

Work and culture-wise, I doubt that you will find life in a Singapore big 4 more arduous than HK. During peak audit season the hours are crazy. But that is the same for auditors in every firm/market. What is more important is the Partner or Director you will be reporting to. Your direct working experience in any of the big 4 firms will be driven by these individuals and how they treat you rather than the firm's culture.

Just my observations from my recent time in such a company.

Thanks for sharing, Addadude!
Very accurate comment of auditing life haha
I have my concerns as well but I think I will give it a try, challenge myself
For the EP, does anyone knows how long it normally takes to get approved?

[nelyanne]

Getting EP approval can take any time between 1 week up to 2 months (or more). It very much depends on the university you graduated from. If it is not listed in the drop-down list on MOM webpage (https://www.mom.gov.sg/eservices/servic ... sment-tool), most probably it will require validation through an internal agency, and it makes the process longer.