Falling In Between the Cracks for PR?

[jpatokal]

What I meant to say was you have a citizen/PR act as company director. This is necessary to open a company in Singapore but it can be changed to a foreigner once the company is established.

So you incorporate the company with a citizen/PR as director, apply for EP for the foreigner, and then once the EP holder is "ordinarily resident", you turn him into the director? Interesting. Did you experience any problems getting the EP, as I thought companies need to demonstrate some revenue/track record before their EP apps will be accepted?

[Strong Eagle]

What I meant to say was you have a citizen/PR act as company director. This is necessary to open a company in Singapore but it can be changed to a foreigner once the company is established.

So you incorporate the company with a citizen/PR as director, apply for EP for the foreigner, and then once the EP holder is "ordinarily resident", you turn him into the director? Interesting. Did you experience any problems getting the EP, as I thought companies need to demonstrate some revenue/track record before their EP apps will be accepted?

Yeh... I have to agree, JP... being able to set up a company this way seems to blow a hole in the whole idea of an Entrepass. I mean, why go to all of the hassle of developing a business plan when you can circumvent the whole thing, engage a nominee director, form company that then applies for (and receives) and EP?

I too, think that the company needs to show something in the way of 'girth' before it will be granted an EP (like income) and as with all companies they would need to show that they could not find local talent.

[IronMac]

Good news! I just got my EPEC approval email an hour ago (would have posted earlier but was being shown the proper way to eat rambutans...forget it...I'll stick to the canned variety). I do not understand the following in the email:

2. The application for a 1-year Social Visit Pass to facilitate your job search in Singapore can be submitted:
- Online via ICA's website [Select 'Online Application for Long Term Social Visit Pass (LT-Pass)' under 'E-Services']; or
- Using hardcopy application form [Form can be downloaded from ICA's website].

I still need another pass? Or is this a tack-on to the EPEC? Thanks all! Big weight off of my shoulders.

[Saint]

Good news! I just got my EPEC approval email an hour ago (would have posted earlier but was being shown the proper way to eat rambutans...forget it...I'll stick to the canned variety). I do not understand the following in the email:

2. The application for a 1-year Social Visit Pass to facilitate your job search in Singapore can be submitted:
- Online via ICA's website [Select 'Online Application for Long Term Social Visit Pass (LT-Pass)' under 'E-Services']; or
- Using hardcopy application form [Form can be downloaded from ICA's website].

I still need another pass? Or is this a tack-on to the EPEC? Thanks all! Big weight off of my shoulders.

Yes you still LTSVP so you can legally remain in Singapore to look for a job using your EPEC. The EPEC just gives a prospective employer the assurance that an EP will be issued if they decide to take you on. I believe the Employer will still have to meet EP quotas etc.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Basically correct. But if looking for EP and not S pass, is not subject to any quota. However, the employer still needs to convince MOM that THEY need to hire a foreigner. All the EPEC does is say "MOM won't reject the application for an EP based on the potential employee's qualifications. But it's a dual qualification process.

Anyway, now you get your LTSVP and get on the job search!

[guitarnoise]

... being able to set up a company this way seems to blow a hole in the whole idea of an Entrepass.

It's not exactly blowing a whole in the Entrepass scheme. The entrepass is only for starting a new business. If someone already has a successful business it doesn't make sense to abandon it and start over from scratch.

The way I went about it has the risk of incorporating a company and being denied an EP. You still need to have the right qualifications and a resume showing the capacity to be a company director. Starting out with the minimum $1 in capital probably won't fly either.

As far as I'm concerned it's a convenient solution for the self-employed.

[starbucke]

Let me see

1st, you are doing freelancing job in Sg. This makes you work illegally without a valid work pass which falls under the perview of MOM. Likely if you are caught or found working without a work pass, you will be repatriated and ban from entering Singapore! And there goes your PR application and a chance to remain in Sg!

Since you hv married a Sg national, that makes you having a roots here. Application of PR will then be weight also that you hv a Sg national as your spouse(roots)

Your additional strength is your great education backgroud that ICA will evaluate accordingly, and probably favorably, though you may not be able to show income in Sg(plssss..... do not fill in the PR application you working as a freelancer...lolzzz...

Your Sg wife educational background will also make the application looks great with ICA

Good Luck

Hi all,

Ok, been having a really tough time trying to figure out a solution to our problem here. I'm a Canadian citizen who has just married a Singaporean woman and would like to move here.

My highest level of education is an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, York University in Toronto. I have had a few years of retail management experience and a few years of experience as an industry analyst. I currently work as a freelance editor/publisher for an American company from a home office. I am in SG on a visitors' pass that has been extended for 30 days.

My wife is a Singaporean citizen who does not work at the moment because she has been taking care of her parents (her Dad just recently passed away) for the past three years. She does do jewelry design and some sales on the side which is reflected in her income tax return but her main income is through investments. That income is not reflected in those returns.

Right now, in addition to extending my visitor's pass, I've applied for the EPEC pass in order to give us some time to deal with the PR process. But, the PR application seems to put a lot of weight on the sponsor's reported income, which is negligible in my wife's case.

My wife says that it's best to apply for PR on my own merits. Everyone that we've talked to says that it should not be difficult for me since I do have an MBA, years of work experience, of Chinese descent although born in Canada, currently am employed so am not necessarily actively seeking employment in SG. (I have been offered a week-long English-teaching gig from a friend of mine who is an English teacher, though.)

My wife and I have a great work-life balance right now. We both have our respective incomes and I can really help her take care of invalid mother. After she passes, my wife is considering going back to work (she has two degrees and a decade of work experience in SG) or, if we're lucky, raise a family here.

Sorry for the ramble but any assist would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[IronMac]

Let me see

1st, you are doing freelancing job in Sg. This makes you work illegally without a valid work pass which falls under the perview of MOM. Likely if you are caught or found working without a work pass, you will be repatriated and ban from entering Singapore! And there goes your PR application and a chance to remain in Sg!

Hrmm..Maybe I was not clear..my primary source of income is from an American company who has no presence in SG. They're based in NYC.

Update: Going to ICA on Monday for LTSVP. It took almost two weeks to receive the EPEC in the mail.

[sundaymorningstaple]

See Saint's case. He got his PR while living in the UK with no job here and his wife also didn't have a job here either (She's a Singaporean). So it can be done. (He PR is recent as well - within the past year).

[IronMac]

Well, it's been quite a while but wanted to update everyone at least.

Got the news on Saturday night, turned down for PR.

So, here is what happened. Applied on Oct. 19 and in late January they sent a letter asking my wife for her financial particulars. She didn't give them the whole picture but enough to show that she owned her own flat (no mortgage, she paid cash) and had enough assets to live on (one account only and I think it was one of the smaller ones). Before anyone blasts her for not revealing all, she has her own reasons for not doing so and I am going to leave it at that. If they want to waterboard her they'll need the army.

In other news, my MIL's health has failed some, can't leave her alone anymore for more than a couple of hours without something weird possibly happening. She's forgetting all sorts of stuff too which makes it dangerous when she tries cooking. We're doing a lot of take-out now.

Wife has been able to do some outside contract work in the past year which gets her out of the house. Her work is going to really pile up in the next three months so I am not too crazy about that. Why?

Well, my expectations last year that my earnings would be up has been fulfilled! Yay! I've been really busy and my right hand has developed a death grip on the mouse.

We're now planning on going to the local MP to see what they can do. If nothing, then, it looks like visa runs are in my future.

[IronMac]

Yet another update. After a couple of visa runs and a trip back to Canada, wife went to MP and bam! Got PR approval in less than 3 weeks. Picking up IC this coming week.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Congratulations!

Like I've said in the past, and I had to do it (took me around 3 years of trying), perseverance is the way to go. Often that's what the government want's to see. All's well that ends well. Oh, and thanks for updating us as you went along this road! We appreciate it.

Again, congrats!

[IronMac]

Thanks! It was a bit tough but now a real load off of our minds!