EP -> SPASS

[Wd40]

Hi All,

My EP will be downgraded to SPass as I am 43 years old and for my age my salary is about $300 short. The company is a large MNC with bureaucratic process, they told me they dont increase salaries for immigration purposes and are ready to pay the levy of $450 per month.

But whatever, it is their loss. I understand SPass doesnt come under the purview of COMPASS, so the MNC has lot of quota and so SPASS is not a problem now. So I was wondering what is the impact to me and my family with the pass downgrade. I guess there is impact on credit limit/credit card applications.

I have been on EP for last 14 years in SG and always the fingerprinting was at Atas Riverwalk building. I heard SPass fingerprinting will be somewhere in little india along with maids and construction workers. Whenever I look for rental house, the agent ask for my profile and pass type. I would type Employment Pass with a lot of pride. Now I will have to tell them S Pass, not sure if they look down upon it. So thats the downgrade in social status from EP holder to S Pass, any other impact?

I wonder if anyone has been through this and their experience.

Cheers!

[malcontent]

Does the ‘S’ stand for special?

If I remember right, it seems like I was initially on a Q2 EP at first, then Q1 and eventually skipped P2 and got P1. I believe ‘Q’ stands for qualified and ‘P’ for professional, if I’m not wrong. I’ve never felt like I deserved a P1 pass, since I’m not on an expat package only getting a local salary. I think they stopped Q/P classifications over 10 years ago, or at least stopped showing them on the EP card. My most recent EP was approved last August and is good till 2025… that would put me just over 28 years on an EP. Not sure how I should feel about that.

[Wd40]

Does the ‘S’ stand for special?

If I remember right, it seems like I was initially on a Q2 EP at first, then Q1 and eventually skipped P2 and got P1. I believe ‘Q’ stands for qualified and ‘P’ for professional, if I’m not wrong. I’ve never felt like I deserved a P1 pass, since I’m not on an expat package only getting a local salary. I think they stopped Q/P classifications over 10 years ago, or at least stopped showing them on the EP card. My most recent EP was approved last August and is good till 2025… that would put me just over 28 years on an EP. Not sure how I should feel about that.

As per MoM, Employment pass is for PMETs and S Pass is for skilled workers.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/

For above 45 to be eligible for EP, you need a salary of 11500 but for S Pass about 6000 also can. So getting S Pass should be pretty straight forward if the company has the quota.

What I find interesting is that they have excluded S Pass from COMPASS. COMPASS criteria looks quite tough:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... rk-compass

So I am guessing many people will get downgraded to S Pass. The quota for S Pass for services industry is 10% of workforce. RIght now there is almost 50:50 ratio of S Pass holder vs EP holders:

https://www.mom.gov.sg/documents-and-pu ... ce-numbers

[smoulder]

Higher points under COMPASS for being from a nationality which is "less common" or conversely, less points for being from a more common nationality is going to be make it harder for IT workers from India.

[truthhurts1]

Does the ‘S’ stand for special?

If I remember right, it seems like I was initially on a Q2 EP at first, then Q1 and eventually skipped P2 and got P1. I believe ‘Q’ stands for qualified and ‘P’ for professional, if I’m not wrong. I’ve never felt like I deserved a P1 pass, since I’m not on an expat package only getting a local salary. I think they stopped Q/P classifications over 10 years ago, or at least stopped showing them on the EP card. My most recent EP was approved last August and is good till 2025… that would put me just over 28 years on an EP. Not sure how I should feel about that.

Respect to you sir , 25 years on an EP.. Why didnt you apply for PR if you dont mind me asking?
I guess it was much earlier to get a PR 20 years ago..
I am myself on an EP for last 10 years with 4 PR rejections
Have a good one..

[truthhurts1]

Does the ‘S’ stand for special?

If I remember right, it seems like I was initially on a Q2 EP at first, then Q1 and eventually skipped P2 and got P1. I believe ‘Q’ stands for qualified and ‘P’ for professional, if I’m not wrong. I’ve never felt like I deserved a P1 pass, since I’m not on an expat package only getting a local salary. I think they stopped Q/P classifications over 10 years ago, or at least stopped showing them on the EP card. My most recent EP was approved last August and is good till 2025… that would put me just over 28 years on an EP. Not sure how I should feel about that.

As per MoM, Employment pass is for PMETs and S Pass is for skilled workers.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/

For above 45 to be eligible for EP, you need a salary of 11500 but for S Pass about 6000 also can. So getting S Pass should be pretty straight forward if the company has the quota.

What I find interesting is that they have excluded S Pass from COMPASS. COMPASS criteria looks quite tough:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... rk-compass

So I am guessing many people will get downgraded to S Pass. The quota for S Pass for services industry is 10% of workforce. RIght now there is almost 50:50 ratio of S Pass holder vs EP holders:

https://www.mom.gov.sg/documents-and-pu ... ce-numbers

So does this mean that PR applications coming in now will be much lesser than before as a lot of EP holders will be downgraded to S Pass.

I don’t think it makes any difference what pass you are as long as you are making good money, and as I know from your profile you have saved a bank here for the last decade or so and respect to you for that.I wish I would have started my FIRE journey long ago when I was till in my 20’s
Good luck sir.

[nomadinsg]

Hi All,

My EP will be downgraded to SPass as I am 43 years old and for my age my salary is about $300 short. The company is a large MNC with bureaucratic process, they told me they dont increase salaries for immigration purposes and are ready to pay the levy of $450 per month.

But whatever, it is their loss. I understand SPass doesnt come under the purview of COMPASS, so the MNC has lot of quota and so SPASS is not a problem now. So I was wondering what is the impact to me and my family with the pass downgrade. I guess there is impact on credit limit/credit card applications.

I have been on EP for last 14 years in SG and always the fingerprinting was at Atas Riverwalk building. I heard SPass fingerprinting will be somewhere in little india along with maids and construction workers. Whenever I look for rental house, the agent ask for my profile and pass type. I would type Employment Pass with a lot of pride. Now I will have to tell them S Pass, not sure if they look down upon it. So thats the downgrade in social status from EP holder to S Pass, any other impact?

I wonder if anyone has been through this and their experience.

Cheers!

Hey - this happened to me a few years ago for the same reasons. No change at all to my daily life (though we moved our kid's DP to my spouse's EP at the time, so I can't comment on whether it's harder to get DPs on an S-Pass). Also had to do medical check-up for S-Pass. Yes the place where you do the finalization is noticeably less 'posh' i.e. waiting area not air-conditioned.

[Wd40]

Does the ‘S’ stand for special?

If I remember right, it seems like I was initially on a Q2 EP at first, then Q1 and eventually skipped P2 and got P1. I believe ‘Q’ stands for qualified and ‘P’ for professional, if I’m not wrong. I’ve never felt like I deserved a P1 pass, since I’m not on an expat package only getting a local salary. I think they stopped Q/P classifications over 10 years ago, or at least stopped showing them on the EP card. My most recent EP was approved last August and is good till 2025… that would put me just over 28 years on an EP. Not sure how I should feel about that.

Respect to you sir , 25 years on an EP.. Why didnt you apply for PR if you dont mind me asking?
I guess it was much earlier to get a PR 20 years ago..
I am myself on an EP for last 10 years with 4 PR rejections
Have a good one..

He has a first world country passport(US).

[Wd40]

Hi All,

My EP will be downgraded to SPass as I am 43 years old and for my age my salary is about $300 short. The company is a large MNC with bureaucratic process, they told me they dont increase salaries for immigration purposes and are ready to pay the levy of $450 per month.

But whatever, it is their loss. I understand SPass doesnt come under the purview of COMPASS, so the MNC has lot of quota and so SPASS is not a problem now. So I was wondering what is the impact to me and my family with the pass downgrade. I guess there is impact on credit limit/credit card applications.

I have been on EP for last 14 years in SG and always the fingerprinting was at Atas Riverwalk building. I heard SPass fingerprinting will be somewhere in little india along with maids and construction workers. Whenever I look for rental house, the agent ask for my profile and pass type. I would type Employment Pass with a lot of pride. Now I will have to tell them S Pass, not sure if they look down upon it. So thats the downgrade in social status from EP holder to S Pass, any other impact?

I wonder if anyone has been through this and their experience.

Cheers!

Hey - this happened to me a few years ago for the same reasons. No change at all to my daily life (though we moved our kid's DP to my spouse's EP at the time, so I can't comment on whether it's harder to get DPs on an S-Pass). Also had to do medical check-up for S-Pass. Yes the place where you do the finalization is noticeably less 'posh' i.e. waiting area not air-conditioned.

Thanks!

[malcontent]

Does the ‘S’ stand for special?

If I remember right, it seems like I was initially on a Q2 EP at first, then Q1 and eventually skipped P2 and got P1. I believe ‘Q’ stands for qualified and ‘P’ for professional, if I’m not wrong. I’ve never felt like I deserved a P1 pass, since I’m not on an expat package only getting a local salary. I think they stopped Q/P classifications over 10 years ago, or at least stopped showing them on the EP card. My most recent EP was approved last August and is good till 2025… that would put me just over 28 years on an EP. Not sure how I should feel about that.

Respect to you sir , 25 years on an EP.. Why didnt you apply for PR if you dont mind me asking?
I guess it was much earlier to get a PR 20 years ago..
I am myself on an EP for last 10 years with 4 PR rejections
Have a good one..

I applied for PR in 1999 but it was rejected and I never reapplied. At the time it would have made sense, but after more years went by, I reached the point of no return — I would have incurred a financial loss due to the CPF substitute program my employer provides in lieu of CPF.

The other consideration, as a US citizen, my employer requires me to pay 7.65% FICA tax, and at the time I couldn’t afford to pay that plus 20% to CPF. Even now, more than half of my take home pay goes toward housing - that has always been my #1 expense here. It is fortunate that we bought a place instead of continuing to rent, but I’m still house poor.

[nelyanne]

I had a friend who worked in a bank on S Pass, she did not face any discrimination because of it, and she was able to rent a condo unit on her own. You will also need a medical examination (it's a requirement for S Pass holders). But don't overthink it...

[Dracc]

My cousin in PRC recently approached me to find a job in Singapore. He only qualifies for work permit even if he manages to get a job.

Cheers!

[truthhurts1]

I had a friend who worked in a bank on S Pass, she did not face any discrimination because of it, and she was able to rent a condo unit on her own. You will also need a medical examination (it's a requirement for S Pass holders). But don't overthink it...

“SHE”.
There is substantial discrimination not only in race but also in gender where lot of landlords want to rent their apartment/ room to single working ladies …
I have been seeing this more and more..JBW Is real

[Wd40]

I had a friend who worked in a bank on S Pass, she did not face any discrimination because of it, and she was able to rent a condo unit on her own. You will also need a medical examination (it's a requirement for S Pass holders). But don't overthink it...

“SHE”.
There is substantial discrimination not only in race but also in gender where lot of landlords want to rent their apartment/ room to single working ladies …
I have been seeing this more and more..JBW Is real

Indeed, already the race is a downer and then when we tell them S Pass, immediately the image which conjures up in their mind is of some construction worker.

[smoulder]

I had a friend who worked in a bank on S Pass, she did not face any discrimination because of it, and she was able to rent a condo unit on her own. You will also need a medical examination (it's a requirement for S Pass holders). But don't overthink it...

“SHE”.
There is substantial discrimination not only in race but also in gender where lot of landlords want to rent their apartment/ room to single working ladies …
I have been seeing this more and more..JBW Is real

Indeed, already the race is a downer and then when we tell them S Pass, immediately the image which conjures up in their mind is of some construction worker.

It will take a while for word to get around that bank tech executives can now be on SPass. And even then, I wonder what will be the reaction - indifference or perverse pleasure at other people's "plight".