Manual EP application

[xiaomi7]

Anyone who has an idea about its CURRENT processing time?

processing time as in the time you are issued a FIN and able to start working. I dont mind how long it would take for the approval letter to come afterward.

My HR (an agent actually, my company outsouce its HR to) lodged my manual EP application on 6th Aug. They lodged it manullay because MOM EP online system was down at the time they lodged my application. Its been 2 weeks and over since the submission, but still no news back.

I am not in the position to check the status, but I do not want to push my agent too hard by calling her everyday to check my status. Any idea anyone? I ve been in Singapore already. Both my employer and myself want to start working asap.

[xiaomi7]

I checked just then using my fren NRIC number.

HR told me that my application was lodged on 6th Aug, but the online status says the application date is 19th Aug, which means there is 13 days diff....

How is the '5 weeks processing time' calculated in this case?

I found I have assigned a FIN number. My employer told me that I could start working once I have assigned a FIN. However, the status there is still Pending..... I read someone in this forum says FIN doesnt really mean anything in this sense..... can anyone help?

[littlegreenman]

Yes that is correct, just because they assigned you a FIN number doesn't mean your EP has been approved. The 13 days difference boils down to the fact that it took two weeks for someone to input that manual application into the system which is certainly not great.

EP processing types can vary and these days it seems they have gone up as MOM is looking closer into whether an EP is really needed. I believe if you earn 7k or more you should still pretty much sail through, although we had one poster this week who has been struggling this month as well even on the highest category of EP. Further MOM has outsourced the vetting of educational certificates and there seems to be some holdup as well recently, which might not be down to MOM or the agency but the educational institutions themselves.

Bottom line is that EPs can take a while these days and we have quite a few of rejections these days due rising unemployment in Singapore. In your case you were unlucky that it took them 13 days to actually get your application up and running. Thus I would suggest you give them a week now, they should get going on your application now and then you check back with your HR.

[xiaomi7]

Thanks for your reply.... I will wait and see

However, I doubt that the application status i can see online (lodged on 19Aug as i just mentioned) was a new application HR lodged via ONLINE after MOM online sys is back up. My direct boss and HR are telling me different stories in terms of the lodging method.

I was just so p***** with MOM online system down for so long since 2,3 weeks ago. I should have got an idea by now if we were able to lodge it in online at the first place.

[xiaomi7]

Yes that is correct, just because they assigned you a FIN number doesn't mean your EP has been approved. The 13 days difference boils down to the fact that it took two weeks for someone to input that manual application into the system which is certainly not great.....

However, do u know what the time diff normally is? i mean from ppl lodging the app to the date someone entering details into sys?

Thanks

[jpatokal]

I found I have assigned a FIN number. My employer told me that I could start working once I have assigned a FIN. However, the status there is still Pending..... I read someone in this forum says FIN doesnt really mean anything in this sense..... can anyone help?

FINs are meaningless. If you submit online, you're assigned the FIN immediately -- just reload the "submission completed" page, and it shows up!

My last EP app took all of 24 hours from submission to approval, but that was done online. It was kind of stupid of your employer to submit manually, since overall it would still have been much faster to wait a day for EPOL to come back online and then submit electronically...

[littlegreenman]

Exactely, that is what I mean. The MOM system was down for several weeks and once it was back up somebody at MOM had to transfer your manual application to their system, not your HR. SE might be able to tell you more.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yes that is correct, just because they assigned you a FIN number doesn't mean your EP has been approved. The 13 days difference boils down to the fact that it took two weeks for someone to input that manual application into the system which is certainly not great.....

However, do u know what the time diff normally is? i mean from ppl lodging the app to the date someone entering details into sys?

Thanks

It's a government agency. It will get done, when the get it done. Patience is a virtue I've been told. (But like one buzzard told the other........

[JMS_SWE]

The initial application took me about three weeks with a manual application. This got rejected and I appealed which took another two weeks although MOM said it would take a minimum of three. It got approved and a week later I'm a proud EP holder. I'd say give it another week or so before investigating.. there's really not much to do either I guess. Just wait, sometimes these things take time and patience is a virtue.

[xiaomi7]

From the second tot, i reckon the application whose application date was shown as 19082009 was a new application which was submitted by the agent after the system is back one....

actually, the system was down from around 2nd of Aug till this monday....

I just got my LTVP approved this afternoon, which took more than 5 weeks (3-4 weeks alledgely). I am not sure if it is because my EP application submitted cocurrently by my employer, my LTVP was hold off for a while. I just found a statement from MOM web: "Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) applications and the supporting documents can be submitted together with the Employment Pass application or separately. "

Cant check my EP system any more since EPOL is not available on Sundays. Hopefully, EP is acutally approved together with my LTVP

[xiaomi7]

my above assumption is absolutely correct, as I just checked my EP is approved on the same day of the approval of my LTVP,which was yesterday

tot EPOL is not available on sunday so that i cant check it until monday, but i just realized EP status can also be checked via MOM hotline.........yahoo!!!

however, on the phn, the computer generated tone told me that 'you cant start work until you get your EP card'? i doubt its true. If you ask anyone in MOM, even whats stated on MOM web, the rule is not to work before in-principal approval.... not sure if the law changes

anyone have any updated info on this?

[sundaymorningstaple]

To be on the safe side of the law, yes you need to get the physical card. You will not have the chop in your passport (EP chop) until the card is issued. Should you be caught on a job site without one or the other you are in violation of the law regardless of what the online computer says. You probably won't get thrown out of the country but you could be admonished and fined. It's only a matter of days, give it a break. You know you have it so let things run it's course.

[xiaomi7]

hello fisher man. i got a chance to read the in-principal letter from HR, it says 'with this in principal letter, the applicatn can start working with the employer provided his/her social visit pass is valid'....

took the med checkup this arvo.....will start working tomr...thanks guys for ur ideas

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yeah, but HR has to give you a copy of it to carry around until you get the chop or card. When you wrote the message you didn't have it and not always is the permission given with the AIP letter.

[xiaomi7]

Yeah, but HR has to give you a copy of it to carry around until you get the chop or card. When you wrote the message you didn't have it and not always is the permission given with the AIP letter.

really? permission is not always given in the AIP letter? just curious, if it is the case, those ppl who are not given this permission have to wait for the issurance of the card? nvr heard of this case, interesting though........