Work Passes

[MattV]

Looking over the MOM website and it's different passes I'm a little confused.

I'm looking to travel to Singapore and find a job while I am there. I don't have a company that will sponser me in Singapore

What I'm reading there is no pass for a person to go to Singapore and look for job. It seems both the s and p version passes are for people that have jobs lined up and are requesting a permit to work in that company. I beleive both those passes need a Singapore based company to sponser the pass.

Am I missing something? Is there a pass that allows me to travel to Singapore to search for a job.

I've taken the permit assesment and it said I qualify for an S pass twice, and one time said I qualify for a P2 pass and an S pass, no idea why it would have given me different results.

[Hithnar]

Apply for EPEC. It will give you a permission to stay in Singapore for 1 year, for you to look for a job and find a company that will sponsor a real work pass.

EPEC does not allow you to work in Singapore, but you don't have to cross the borders all the time to prolong your stay permit.

[sierra2469alpha]

G'day Matt - I'm sure SMS or one of the more experienced peeps will pop into this one. Basically, it's going to be pretty hard work coming over and looking for work, unless you go with EntrePASS, which is pretty damned strict (think business plans etc.).

Suggestion: If you are looking for work over here, use the search function and look for similar postings - spending some time doing this as their is a mountain of info to get through. I'm fairly sure that will confirm that it's better to try and find an employer here to sponsor you, rather than come out and look for work on the ground. Again, the more experienced peeps here will have more qualified suggestions than my own.

HTH, and good luck! Cheers, P

[Saint]

G'day Matt - I'm sure SMS or one of the more experienced peeps will pop into this one. Basically, it's going to be pretty hard work coming over and looking for work, unless you go with EntrePASS, which is pretty damned strict (think business plans etc.).

You mean Kimtaymour I guess

[sierra2469alpha]

PMSL!

[sundaymorningstaple]

I almost did as well!

As Hithnar has indicated, the EPEC would be the alternative way to come here. The entrepass is for those looking to set up a business.

Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate - EPEC

You would have to have an education from selected universities in order to qualify for the EPEC.

Selected Institutions List

Be advised, however, that getting an EPEC does not guarantee that you will be given an Employment Pass even when you get it. It just means you will not be rejected due to lack of qualifications. The employer, who has to file for the Pass, must still justify hiring a foreigner instead of a local if there are sufficient locals with said qualifications around.

This is going to get even harder in weeks and months to come as all countries start battening down the hatches due to the impending recession and the need to take care of their own first. So, while the EPEC will give you a year to find a job, you need to make sure you have the wherewithall to survive without a job for an extended period of time.

It's not easy as Hithnar will attest to.......

sms

[MattV]

I almost did as well!

As Hithnar has indicated, the EPEC would be the alternative way to come here. The entrepass is for those looking to set up a business.

Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate - EPEC

You would have to have an education from selected universities in order to qualify for the EPEC.

Selected Institutions List

Be advised, however, that getting an EPEC does not guarantee that you will be given an Employment Pass even when you get it. It just means you will not be rejected due to lack of qualifications. The employer, who has to file for the Pass, must still justify hiring a foreigner instead of a local if there are sufficient locals with said qualifications around.

This is going to get even harder in weeks and months to come as all countries start battening down the hatches due to the impending recession and the need to take care of their own first. So, while the EPEC will give you a year to find a job, you need to make sure you have the wherewithall to survive without a job for an extended period of time.

It's not easy as Hithnar will attest to.......

sms

thanks for the info.

The website mentions it is only available to people holding select university qualifications and holders of selected skilled migrant visas.

Unfortunatly, I do not have a University degree. I have completed a few courses in the USA, but that is all.
I'm wondering what "holders of selected skilled migrant visas" apply to. I now have a visa as a engineer to work in Japan, I am a USA citizen. My guess is this doesn't apply, but thought I would ask.

Also, has anyone heard of someone getting this pass on work experience alone? I have 10 years experience in my industry, I would hope that it counts for something in this situation.

[sundaymorningstaple]

You cannot get an EPEC unless you hold the requisite Degree from an approved Institution. You can, however, get an employment pass without any degree at all Provided which, the potential employer is willing to pay you at least $7K/month. A pile of clams that high and the MOM here figures you must already have something on the ball or the employer would not be willing to pay that much dosh to start with. This is know as the P1 pass. The same site that I put links to earlier will give you the exact requirements for each of the Pass levels:

Pass types and requirements

In order to get any of these passes you would need to have an employer willing to hire you as they have to file for the visa, not you. Even if you were to secure an EPEC, the employer still has to apply for the working permit.

sms

[Hithnar]

G'day Matt - I'm sure SMS or one of the more experienced peeps will pop into this one.

When it comes to being in SG and unsuccessfully looking for a job, I am the expert! ..... Damn!

[MattV]

G'day Matt - I'm sure SMS or one of the more experienced peeps will pop into this one.

When it comes to being in SG and unsuccessfully looking for a job, I am the expert! ..... Damn!

At least your an expert at something.

Would you like to share you expertise sometime over the phone? I may be able to pay in beer when I'm in Singapore in mid Nov.

[Hithnar]

Well, there is not much to talk about. I did read this forums before me and husband came here, and I had some idea how hard it might be to find a job being a fresh grad with only 6 moths of real job experience.

The best info I got here: HR ppl have no idea about DP xD I just spend 5 minutes over the phone with a very surprised HR lady, who had no idea such a thing existed.

[sierra2469alpha]

Yeh the fact that Dependant Pass holders can work is scattered throughout the forums here. From what I've read and heard, some of the local HR people are, as you say, quite surprised.

Not much more I can add, apart from using professional communities within your profession, your local Embassy/Consulate/High Commission/Trade body to network as much as you can. I'm not really a believer in the social networking sites like LinkedIn, but hey, maybe some of those might help to build a network?

Good luck and post back - cheers, P

[MattV]

All good info.... thanks.......

Week one has consisted in hitting two job boards and applying to many jobs. Also calling recruiters and contacts in Singapore, mixed results there. It's hard to get in touch with many recruiters, and I've gotten what I think is mixed info. After talking to a few recruiters, some just wanted my resume, and others if I kept them on the phone said there was a fairly good market for me, but it's all about finding the right place. No one mentioned moving there first and finding a job is a good or bad idea, most didn't want to answer that question or said it could or could not be benificial.

I think my skill set is just at the boundry of the kind of people that can get hired from abroad in Singapore. My lack of a college degree hurts, and a Windows Administrator/Desktop support person can be found not looking overseas. So I sit, and wait as I think I'm going to need some luck and hard work to nail down that one position that is a perfect fit for me in Singapore.

I'm getting the question of how much I should be paid in Singapore dollars. anyone have info on that? I make about 95,000 Singapore dollars a year in Japan, I'm expecting a pay cut. Again, I'm a Windows Adminstrator/Desktop support person, with 10 years exp.

thanks

[sundaymorningstaple]

Put it this way. Employers can find Asians from India or the Philippines to do the same job with probably the same experience for 3000-5000 SGD/mo. And most of them will have degrees as well. This is going to be quite a cut especially considering where the US dollar is going at the moment as well.

[MattV]

Put it this way. Employers can find Asians from India or the Philippines to do the same job with probably the same experience for 3000-5000 SGD/mo. And most of them will have degrees as well. This is going to be quite a cut especially considering where the US dollar is going at the moment as well.

Sunday,

Thanks for your input on this.

Just wondering, are you in the tech field or associated with it in any way? How do you get those figures?

I'm on a need to know facts fast basis as I may discover that it might be best to just cut and run back to the States and deliver pizza for a while or something.

thx