Messy situation

[lost]

I'm in very complicated situation. I met a sg girl 2 years ago when she was living oversea. I decided to follow her here so I did an exchange program in NTU, then an internship. Until there, no problem : i had student pass then training pass.
My company is very happy with my work and wants to hire me. I'm not graduate yet: even if I finished all my studies (master degree), I've to wait until november to get the paper.
We applied for an Employment Pass (my salary is above 2500). But 2 days after the submission, it was rejected ... the officier told us I'm not eligible to have it. I can't understand, I meet all the requirements, except that I don't hold the paper (its a matter of time).
We applied then for an S-pass, but again, it was rejected. This time, the officier told us I was approved, but the computer rejected it because of the quotas. My company has less than 5 local employees and already one EP holder.
I had been here for 1 year, have a gf I love, a lot of plans with her, hold a decent qualifications, my company needs me (they need my qualification and my language skills), but I can't get something to stay here. I just can't believe it ...
Anyone has any idea ? I'm actually in charge of some projects, and if I can't stay here, that will be very bad for this company. But I'm affraid my company get bored with all this problems (not that I won't understand it) .
If I have this this degree paper, do you think I'll get the EP (which is not supposed to be subject to the quota) ?
And if we don't have choice, will it make any difference if I marry my gf ? (what a shame to be obliged to marry someone not because we decide it but because we are stucked and it's marriage or break choice)

[Carpe Diem]

Can't you just get a social visit pass until you get your document?
I have some family members who stayed here for a few months, it was very easy to get them a social visit pass.

[Guest]

I had been here under social visit pass for the last 2 months (while waiting for the rejections).
I really need to know if the degree document will make me eligible to the EP or not ? and if I'm married, will it help me to get this EP (together with the degree paper) ?

[riversandlakes]

a degree will definitely help matters, for i remember "Education" mentioned half-a-dozen times in the EP application form...

i hope you have your priorities right. to rush into marriage for such matters...

extended social visit pass can last to 6 months and renewable, so i read on ica.gov.sg i think

[Guest]

they dont give easilly social visit pass to stay with your gf. Moreover, I need to work, can just stay in visit and enjoy life.
If we don't have choice, then why not marriage. I really love her, and I prefer marry her than loosing her . But too bad to do it this way, not because we feel it's time to be engaged.
Stupid immigration policy

[Ling2]

Hi Lost,

The employment quota is 3 local to 1 foreign employee. That's the reason why you are not approved.

I am not sure about the marriage part, but I believe no governement would be in the right mind to seperate a married couple. I am sure you can stay & find jobs. In what status would you be? Could the company use you then? That I don't know.

I could suggest, your current company to employ part timers, if you get the drift?

[dot dot dot]

Singapore immigration will have no problem whatsoever to withold a married man to stay here with his wife, frankly they do not care as such.

First thing they will tell you at ROM, when registering here for your marriage, is that being married will not give you any rights to get a residence permit here. Marrying as such will not help. Having said that, being married to a local Singaporean, with a good education and employment history and a good history of income will increase your chances for a permit.

So part of the package won't help, the whole package needs to be attractive for Singapore to let you stay here. And for the rest I think Ling just clarified the quota issue.

Good luck to you...

Eric

[Merlion]

Singapore immigration will have no problem whatsoever to withold a married man to stay here with his wife, frankly they do not care as such.
Eric

Dude you are stressing me out! I will be locating to the land of the locals in the next couple of years with my Singaporean wife and three children. My wife and I are intent on schooling them in Singapore, so I must get my PR status to stay with them. We have two strong boys (one born at KK hospital), I heard that helps, however I am an IT developer - a standard commodity these days.

Is there any thing I can do to improve my chances? My wife will be going to S’pore this month to buy an HDB flat with her sister. The move will come in two to three years. I have been searching for any type of Expat package from a U.S. company but have had no luck.

I have no worries about finding a job in S’pore once I get my PR, but without it finding a job seems nearly impossible. Should I start my own business and launch a satellite company in S’pore?

Where is the husband of a Singapore citizen?

__ I am the wife/child of a Singapore citizen
__ I am the wife/child of a Singapore permanent resident
__ I am the parent of a Singapore citizen
__ For other reasons (please specify)______________