Just engaged!! what's next???

[punggol_dreams]

Hi all..

I wondered if you could offer some advice to a Brit just recently engaged to a Singaporean...its a very exciting time, but due to our situation, requires a lot of carefully considered planning.

Basically, I was working in Singapore under EP in 2008 and half of 2009. The relationship blossomed and, having made many friends and integrated into local life (as much as one can in less than two years!) I felt that Singapore was the place for me.

Unfortunately, in the middle of last year, my mother fell sick and I decided to leave Singapore and live in the UK for a while. My mum's condition is now more stable and during a recent trip to Singapore, my girlfriend and I got engaged. While this is wonderful news, we are wondering what to do next given that we know we want to live in Singapore.

We're aiming for a resale HDB, but the biggest stumbling blocks appear to be employment and PR status. It appears that the employment market is still very difficult for outsiders and of course, without a job, my chances of PR are lower. So I suppose the question I'm asking is, what is the correct (or best) order to do things and what are the implications / risks?

Shoud we go for:

1. RoM, PR, Employment, HDB (seems obvious, but there's a risk of a period of unemployment).

or

2. Employment, PR, RoM, HDB

or another way?

If anyone has first hand experience of this kind of situation, it would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance,

Excited and confused!

[Saint]

Shoud we go for:

1. RoM, PR, Employment, HDB (seems obvious, but there's a risk of a period of unemployment).

The way I did it was

ROM 2004 as a tourist
Mrs S moved to UK 2004
PR Apr 2008 (wasn't living/working in Singapore)
Employment June 2008
Moved back to Singapore Sept 2008

If you plan to go this route be aware that applying for PR immediately after ROM will set off alarm bells with the ICA especially in the current climate

[cavalier]

I don't know what your time frame is but from what's been posted by other members of the forum the government hasn't been granting PR status to those who have been in the country for less than 2 years.

[Pepijn]

Congrates!

At this point in time, with the government making it harder and harder to become a PR, I should be very carefull with the ROM -> PR thing, at least quickly after the ROM, as ICA might see this as a marriage for convience and deny you your PR for a while.

The approach I am taking is:
Employment and get a Personalised Employment pass as soon as possible (might be a sugegstion for you, if you have been on an employment pass before, and qualified as P1, you can apply for that even without employment in Singapore at this time, as long as you can proof 6 months of consecutive employment now and a minimum salary of 30K sing per year).
The PEP will give you the right to stay and work in Singapore for 5 years, with a maximum unemployment period of 6 months (better then the EP which allows you only 2 weeks).
It is not linked to an employer, and saves a lot of paper work for the employer, making it as easy to hire you as a PR would. Given this doesn't give you a PR straight away, and therefore HDB might still be hard, but at least you're in and can get things moving.
After 6 months of employment you could try your PR application, and after that get married

That's at least the route I am taking.

[irvine]

If you want to ROM first, make sure you have a Plan B on where to live in case your EP/employment and PR don't go smooth.

[ksl]

what age are you?
What education level and work experience?
Have you considered divorce before any real damage is done! All the breast bro you've just qualified you have balls.
sarcasm aside, take your time there's no rush at all, as you will eventually find out, unless you want to marry before the love potion wears off

[punggol_dreams]

Wow! what an incredible response...this forum is amazing! Thank you all!

To answer your questions KSL, I'm 30 with a masters and have 8 years work experience.

From your replies, it seems employment is the main thing..the PEP sounds like a possibility, I'll have to look into it further. PR is not the ultimate aim, I just thought I would need it to apply for a mortgage - can anyone clarify??

If, however, PR is required to become an HDB (resale) property owner, then does anyone know how my previous time in Singapore would be considered?

So, lots to organise still...the whole family are very excited by the news and looking forward to a multi-cultural wedding in Singapore. Apparently, we're not supposed to marry in the year of the tiger, so it looks like the banquet wont be until Feb 2011 at the earliest, but hopefully I will have secured a good job back in Singapore by then...although, judging from a few chats with recruitment companies, this isn't going to be easy!

As for the rush...well, its more excitement and wondering what the options are - anxiety about choosing the right route and order of events. Besides this forum, there isn't much in the way of advice.

Anyway, thanks again and I look forward to some more insightful replies.

[irvine]

Exciting times! All the best, and Congratulations

[cavalier]

PR is not the ultimate aim, I just thought I would need it to apply for a mortgage - can anyone clarify??

No, it isn't necessary to be a PR to get a mortgage here, at least if your spouse is Singaporean. (Don't know if that's also true if the spouse isn't Singaporean.)

[ksl]

I was just thinking of the NS issue, though you may miss it.

There maybe a couple of ways, one like you say, the other would be for your Mrs to set up a company and apply for EP.

You can tell your superstitious in laws, the year of the Tiger is a good year, The year I was born and I am also married to a dragon, not literally though, she is very sweet, and to round it off, in western astrology we are both Lions a day difference. Been together 10 years all my in-laws are superstitious too

To answer your questions KSL, I'm 30 with a masters and have 8 years work experience.

[punggol_dreams]

Thanks again for the replies. It’s great to know that I don’t need PR to get a mortgage from the bank.

KSL, my young lady is also a tiger, but she's adamant we're not getting married this year...to be honest it'd be better financially to wait.

Anyway, the biggest issue for me seems to be the job and residency. I think the best options at the moment are the PEP or LPR or EP.

EP seems impossible from overseas - recruiters, agencies, head hunters etc just aren’t interested.

PEP is a possible route, but the falling value of the GB pound worries me - if it keeps going this way, I'll not satisfy the SGD 7k criteria.

The LPR has been mentioned in a lot of other threads. Sounds like an idea, but (because of info in other posts and on the net) I'm worried that this route might lead to compromises on my career / salary and, longer term, I wouldn't be able to provide for my gal!

So lots to consider...any thoughts/advice/personal experiences most welcome...thanks and have a great weekend everyone!

[Pepijn]

PEP needs 30K per annum, noy 7k per month. That is P1, which is the way in if you don't have uni degrees if you were on a p1 in the past (meaning over 7K) then no problem and apply.

[punggol_dreams]

Oh I thought the PEP would be granted if overseas income is greater than $7k SGD...I was on a P2 before, so can't get it though a previous P1.

[Pepijn]

In this case I would say, just try. Application is $10 paper application (online gonna be hard with out singpass) takes 5 weeks after receiving documents. These things tend to be easier then pr, since the goverment is not giving you much anyway all I know I had p1 for 3 months, next ep application basically told me, stoopid, should have applied pep anyway.

Just google and apply, see what happens.