aftershocks wrote:Hello all,
I'm an EPEC approved applicant.. I went for a job interview today and when they asked me for my expected salary, I put down $2700. This is because I have done research online and have found that for University grads that enter the work force in this line of work (Network Engineer) on average makes this much. When the employer saw the expected salary, they immediately told me that that amount is a lot... I told the HR lady who interview me that an Employment Pass requires at least $2500. I feel that I'm worth $2700 with my work experience.
She told me that I should fall under a S-Pass instead. I replied, "But I'm a University grad, I thought the S-Pass was more so geared towards College graduates whereas the Employment Pass is for University Graduates. It even states on my EPEC certificate that I'm eligible for my Employment Pass.." She responded, "Because you don't have enough experience yet.... I myself is a S-Pass holder" She's a foreigner also.
Am I overlooking something here? Should I fall under a S-Pass holder and not an Employment Pass? Or am I being cheated by this employer? Please let me know... I'm new to Singapore so I'm not quite sure.. I'm just going according to MOM's website...
Thanks!
First of all, a college degree and a university degree are exactly the same thing. Now, with that out of the way.....
You need to learn something about the EPEC. All that certificate does is tell you that should a suitable position be offered at a suitable salary, you are elgible to get an employment pass. It does NOT offer you a guarantee of a job nor of a certain salary level.
Yes. To get an Employment Pass you must make a certain amount but an employer is not required to offer you that much. An "S" Pass is for those who salary offers are not sufficient to warrant the granting of an Employment Pass. University or College, it's the same thing. (not sure where you are from but you certainly have some wrong information).
What YOU feel you are worth and what the market will bear here don't always go hand in hand. The average Network Engineer in Singapore will be lucky to make 2300/mo. As a matter of fact, in Singapore a polytechnic Diploma holder with an mcse will qualify and will start at 1800/mo and there are plenty of them around as well.
You are not overlooking anything. You can fall under any classification here depending on how bad you want to work. You are not being cheated by the employer at all. If you are going according to MOM's website, then you have a problem with understanding English although your post here does not indicate you have any problems with the language at all.
Additionally, in order to get an EP the employer must qualify why they need to hire a foreigner to MOM instead of hiring a local. The fact that you are qualified according to the online assessment tool or even the EPEC, does not mean you will get one if there are sufficient quantities of locals with the necessary experience.
Being qualified does not mean you are guaranteed anything at all, it just means that you have sufficient qualifications not to be rejected due to your qualifications. The rest depends on the Job, Industry and quantities of local who are also suitably qualified. And IT people are a dime a dozen here especially green ones who are not in niche areas.
If you are smart, and don't have anything and you are getting near the expiration of your visa, it might pay you to take up the "S" pass offer and sit on the job until you can find something better. You can always get an EP if you find a position which 1) offers a high enough salary and, 2) doesn't have sufficient local stock to fill the positions required by the employer some other creative explanation .
Sorry to have to burst your bubble but you need to know the truth.
sms
NB: I'm the HR & Finance Mgr of a 200+ man sme here and also have 14 years as a headhunter here as well.
