Employment Passes: P2 and S-Pass

[thm]

Hi There,

I'm sorry if this appears to be a very elementary question but I have actually spent a large amount of time scouring the net to try and find out the differences between these two passes. So, if I have made some blindingly obvious oversight I do apologise - if someone could shed some light on this matter for me I'd be very appreciative.

I'm in the process of taking up a job offer with a company in Singapore and am now applying for an EP. From the criteria I seem to be eligible for either and S-Pass or a P2 Pass. Are there any major advantages/disadvantages between the two? Also, do they cost an employer any more or less? I am aware that a company is only allowed to have 25% of employees on S-Passes.

Furthermore, it appears you can apply for a PEP after a period of time if you are on a P2 Pass but it does not mention (on the MOM site) if you are able to go from an S-Pass to a PEP. Is it possible to do this?

Thanks again for any advice you might be able to offer. I'm sorry if this is an ill-informed question to ask, but I am really having a difficult time finding this out.

Cheers,
Tom

[jpatokal]

P2 or S-Pass?! How much is your salary? P2 requires $3500+, while S pass is usually $1800-2500 (which is the minimum for Q1).

Long and short of it is, P2 is superior in every respect and you should get it. As P2, you can apply for dependent's passes (only available for S if your salary exceeds $2500) and long-term visit passes (not available for S). P2 is eligible for PEP, while S is not. Employers have no limits for P2 passes, while quotas apply for S.

[thm]

Thanks for this, jpatokal,

I fit the criteria for the P2 EP, I thought S Pass just had a minimum of $1800 - that's why I figured I was eligible for both, also on the form you need to fill in for the MOM it looks like you can apply for both the EP and the S Pass at the same time.

That's good to know though, it's also good to know the P2 is superior.

Good to know about the PEP as well.

Thanks again,
Tom

[littlegreenman]

You shouldn't apply for both at the same time. Apply for P2 only as your odds of approval are higher. The higher your category, the more likely is the chance of approval.