Get EP Approval Letter, can start work immediately?

kuyaz · Post by **kuyaz** » Tue, 07 Jul 2009 4:09 pm

Hi,

If I got my EP Approval Letter, Can I start to work immediately?
Or I must wait until I get my EP card first?

Please advise...

Thanks

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Tue, 07 Jul 2009 4:35 pm

You can start to work immediately with the letter.

kuyaz · Post by **kuyaz** » Tue, 07 Jul 2009 4:39 pm

Thanks for your fast reply

yeah I got same answer from MOM as well

Thanks!

markgor · Post by **markgor** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 4:39 pm

I am in a similar position that I also have the In-principal Approval Letter
for a EP.

I plan to arrive in Singapore on 16th August to look for an apartment to rent and start work on 1st September.

My question is that when do I start getting taxed? as I want to receive
my pay for the working month of September and start getting taxed for only that period.

Also would an In-principal Letter be sufficent to start renting?

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 4:50 pm

markgor wrote:I am in a similar position that I also have the In-principal Approval Letter
for a EP.

I plan to arrive in Singapore on 16th August to look for an apartment to rent and start work on 1st September.

My question is that when do I start getting taxed? as I want to receive
my pay for the working month of September and start getting taxed for only that period.

The Singapore personal income tax year is Jan 1 to Dec 31. You will be taxed on all the money you earn in 2009 and assessed by April 15, 2010, with payment due June 1, 2010.

You will not qualify for resident status (less than 183 days in 2009) and so will have to file as a non-resident (tax rate of 15 percent, or resident rate if it is higher, which is true only if you are making very large coin).

However, if you are staying in 2010 as well, you will be able to claim resident status in 2010 and file for refund of non-resident tax. See http://www.iras.gov.sg/irasHome/page04.aspx?id=6140.

Also would an In-principal Letter be sufficent to start renting?

In theory, yes... in reality, no. No landlord wants to run afoul of the law and they will want to see your passport and green EP card. You will go blue in the fact trying to explain that the letter has your FIN number and all that, to no avail. But it is a quick and painless process to get that green card. Go to MOM early with all required documents. Drop them off, and you usually can pick up your stamped passport and green card about 2 hours later or after lunch.

merichan · Post by **merichan** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 5:14 pm

About the card... It's been taking us 4 working days to get it... it seems that the system changed on the 1st of July

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 5:24 pm

merichan wrote:About the card... It's been taking us 4 working days to get it... it seems that the system changed on the 1st of July

Are you saying you have to leave your passport at MOM for 4 days?

markgor · Post by **markgor** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 5:32 pm

So if I receive my EP card in August before 1st September (day I start work) for me to rent, will I be taxed from the day I start work (1st September) or day I receive my EP card?

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 5:56 pm

markgor wrote:So if I receive my EP card in August before 1st September (day I start work) for me to rent, will I be taxed from the day I start work (1st September) or day I receive my EP card?

I don't get what you are saying. Taxes are not based on dates. The tax year in Singapore is a calendar year. Any money you make at anytime in 2009 will be taxed in 2009. You are taxed on the income you earn regardless of the date you earned it in 2009.

What does it matter when you get your EP card? What matters is the amount of income that will be reported by the company on your IR8A form to IRAS at the end of the year.

merichan · Post by **merichan** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 6:22 pm

Strong Eagle wrote:
merichan wrote:About the card... It's been taking us 4 working days to get it... it seems that the system changed on the 1st of July
Are you saying you have to leave your passport at MOM for 4 days?

No they checked the documents gave us back our passport without stamps and a date ( 4 working days later) to come back with the passport to collect the card

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 6:33 pm

merichan wrote:
Strong Eagle wrote:
merichan wrote:About the card... It's been taking us 4 working days to get it... it seems that the system changed on the 1st of July
Are you saying you have to leave your passport at MOM for 4 days?

No they checked the documents gave us back our passport without stamps and a date ( 4 working days later) to come back with the passport to collect the card

Quite bizarre. I've not been down there in a while. Hope others will post MOM experiences on collecting EP's and other passes as well.

merichan · Post by **merichan** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 6:42 pm

@Strong Eagle

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal ... -EPSC.html

Here is the details from MOM about the new procedure

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 6:45 pm

merichan wrote:@Strong Eagle

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal ... -EPSC.html

Here is the details from MOM about the new procedure

Many thanks. Doing away with the plastic laminated card and going to something closer to an NRIC card.

Also fits with comments made by SMS about Singapore gahmen working to merge databases.

So... I modify my advice... go down early with all documents... come back 4 days later... just like PR NRIC card.

markgor · Post by **markgor** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 6:56 pm

Well I was told by HR that if I receive my EP card end of August that I would be taxed from that period. Therefore prompting me to reply to this thread, looks like I will be taxed on what the company reports on the IR8A. So they can put from 1st September.

Thanks for the info

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 08 Jul 2009 9:43 pm

markgor,

Your income for 2009, if earned in Singapore anytime between 1 January up through 31 December 2009 will be taxed. If you are in Singapore less than 183 days but more than 60 days you will be taxed on the gross income at 15%. yadda, yadda, yadda.

You time in Singapore for tax purposes STARTS THE DAY YOU ENTER SINGAPORE, regardless when you actually start working.

Now, go back again and read the last sentence again. Slowly.

I'm not sure why you are getting hung up on the date you start work. It is totally irrelevant to your tax liability for the year. ONLY the DATE YOU ARRIVE matters. Your IR8A will show all your income with that company for the entire year. Whether you start in January, August, September or December 25th.

sms

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Get EP Approval Letter, can start work immediately?

Get EP Approval Letter, can start work immediately?

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