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EP processing time when switching jobs within Singapore

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echoeclipse123
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EP processing time when switching jobs within Singapore

Post by echoeclipse123 » Thu, 22 Feb 2024 6:26 pm

Hi, I'm after a little advice – I'm trying to get an idea of the processing timeline for recruiting a candidate, who would work remotely from Singapore via a payroll company.

Here's some info on the candidate in question:

- Indian passport holder
- Currently works for a company in Singapore under an EP
- Earnings will exceed SGP10k per month
- Will work 4 days per week under permanent contract
- Educated at university level

The payroll company, which handles the permit/visa application, has advised me of a VERY LONG processing timeline: likely 3 months to get through the waitlist and a further 1-2 to onboard the employee. So that's around 5 months in total! :shock:

Does the above sound accurate? Many thanks in advance!

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Strong Eagle
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Re: EP processing time when switching jobs within Singapore

Post by Strong Eagle » Fri, 23 Feb 2024 3:03 am

So... if I understand this correctly, you want to engage a Singapore firm, registered in Singapore, to act as a body shop, in order to employ an Indian national who is currently on EP in Singapore, to technically work for the body shop so he can get another EP, except in reality, he will be working remotely for your firm... do I have that right?

I can't tell you what's going to happen here, but...

1. The person needs to meet the minimum qualifications for an EP and it looks like he does, based upon the information you provided.

2. On the one hand, the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) may want to know why the body shop isn't farming out local talent instead of asking for an EP for a foreigner. You may have been quoted a long processing timer because the body shop expects to go through an extended appeals process. I don't know what "waitlist" the body shop is talking about... some EP's get done in a few days.

3. On the other hand, MoM may not care about hiring a local since the job is remote anyway, so technically, the Indian candidate is not taking away a local job, and indeed, may actually be creating a local job by giving up his current EP. No idea why it would take 1 to 2 months to onboard once the EP is received, though... with the man living in Singapore, all it takes is a trek down to MoM to complete formalities.

My question to you would be: Unless this Indian candidate possesses exceptional skills that you just can't find anywhere else, why would you body shop out of Singapore for a remote candidate? With a $10K salary, you've got to be paying 25 to 50 percent more in body shop fees to act as your local employer. Cheaper deals exist in many other countries, and as a guy who used to have a job moving talent out of Singapore into cheaper countries, I find this curious.

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Re: EP processing time when switching jobs within Singapore

Post by hopeislife » Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:01 pm

echoeclipse123 wrote:
Thu, 22 Feb 2024 6:26 pm

- Earnings will exceed SGP10k per month
- Will work 4 days per week under permanent contract
- Educated at university level
Wow, you provide a salary of more than SGD10k, while working for just 4 days a week with just university level? Then i please request you to share what is the field of job and job description so that it can be helpful to younger folks (who are completing studies) to choose their career in future who happen to read this post. Also good if you can say what is the age for this salary you are giving.

working just 4 days a week is like good work life balance =D>

As far as your question regarding EP, generally it wont take months like you have stated. For a candidate who is already working in sg before, it should not take more than a month to approve EP (ofcourse it depends on other factors). Many posters here including me got it in less than a week. However, i am not sure of the timeline with respect to the bodyshop employment.

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