switching jobs after 6 months on EP?

[amarettoSour]

hi guys,

i started working for my current company mid-november last year, and another opportunity came up recently.

do you think it will be easy to get the EP transferred over? the position and industry is pretty much the same, the pay is only slightly more than my current position. i think the only advantage i have is that i graduated from a well-known/prestigious school from the states with relevant degree and that my skill sets are apparently not easily found in locals from Singapore.

also, i was planning on applying for a PR after 6 months (which is coming up soon). can i still do this with the new company if they're willing to sponsor? should i start the process with my current company and submit an employment update later when i've started working with the new company?

thank you

[sundaymorningstaple]

One word to the wise......

Getting your EP, if you remember, is comprised of a two part process. One of those you will have no problem with. That is the vetting of your qualifications. But the second part is the employers qualifications. e.g., can they justify to the MOM that it is necessary to hire a foreigner. While you might not have any problems at all, do you know for certain the new company will not have a problem? Therein lay the gamble. And, remember, even if you don't tell your current company you are applying for another position, if they are like me, if they have a number of "foreign" employees, they may weekly or bimonthly check their foreign employees by putting the FIN numbers into the system at MOM. It will spit out any pending or approved applications for EP. It wont tell them who has applied for the EP but it will let the know you have applied elsewhere. That's when the fit hits the shan! You could find yourself between a rock and a hard place as your current employer may let you go and you might be rejected for company reasons with the new prospective employer. All of this in a period of gross uncertainty with regards to foreign employees in general.

But, you buys your ticket and takes your chances I guess.

Applying for PR after 6 months? A waste of time but don't let us stop you from trying. This is especially so if you are a Caucasian as the government has learned the hard way that 99% of Caucasians are NOT here for the long term so it doesn't make sense to give the PR. Again, you buys your ticket........

edited to add: you cannot transfer your EP. Each time you change jobs, you have to cancel the old application before the new one is issued with a new sponsor so there are no guarantees.

[x9200]

And the old employer still has to cancel the old EP pass before you will be handed over the new one. Not sure if there is any effective way to force them to do it in reasonable time.

[amarettoSour]

thanks sms, i'm not really planning to hide from my current employer that i'm leaving (need to put in one month notice anyway), so that part isn't a problem.

from what you're saying the new company CAN start the EP application process now even though I'm still holding my current EP?

also, will it look bad / affect anything if i switch jobs so soon?

[sundaymorningstaple]

MOM doesn't care if you switch. Provided your new employer is vetted as okay by MOM. You new employer obviously wont care, but they might remember, if the economy slows down, those employees who jumped ship without finishing their contracts in order to join them....

Yes, a new company can apply for the AIP now even while you are still employed by the old company. Once they get the AIP (approval in principle) it's time to either give notice to your current employer or give the current employer "Salary in lieu of Leave" or, if agreeable, the currently company can agree to forgo the notice or accept mutually agreeable short notice.

[carteki]

If you're on a P1 visa you can change to a PEP - that will allow you to change employers without having to apply for a new visa - subject to some exceptions. There are time periods (all greater than 6 months) that apply if you're on another visa type.

[amarettoSour]

Once they get the AIP (approval in principle) it's time to either give notice to your current employer or give the current employer "Salary in lieu of Leave" or, if agreeable, the currently company can agree to forgo the notice or accept mutually agreeable short notice.

wait, so i should apply for new EP first before i notify my current employer of my leave?

i'm not violating any contract by leaving (was hired a a normal full-time employee), so that part i'm also not worried about. i'm just required to give one month notice.

[Asdracles]

I think is the wise order....

What if you leave your company and your new EP application is rejected?

I would inform my prospective new company about the situation, and ask them for some time before joining them after my AIP is approved. So only by then, you inform your actual company that you are leaving, and one month later (or any other agreed period) you leave.

Better safe than sorry.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yup! What he said.

[amarettoSour]

hi guys, so the HR at my new company says i can't apply for new EP until my current one is canceled (on my last day of employment). is this true or are they confused?

[ksl]

hi guys, so the HR at my new company says i can't apply for new EP until my current one is canceled (on my last day of employment). is this true or are they confused?

I think it is obvious that Companies do not want to lose their employees, so will give you a load of crap. Just apply and if it goes through it goes through, remember what Asdracles said, allow yourself time. They may try to delay the cancellation of your EP, if that happens you will have to notify MOM

[sundaymorningstaple]

hi guys, so the HR at my new company says i can't apply for new EP until my current one is canceled (on my last day of employment). is this true or are they confused?

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal ... l#Employer

Change of Employer

Employment Pass holders must apply for a new pass whenever they change employers. There is no need to cancel the existing pass before doing so. Each application made will be considered based on the merits of the case.

They will only need to cancel the previous pass upon termination of employment with the previous employer.

[karanrao1837]

A Query for the wise quote="sundaymorningstaple"]One word to the wise......

We are here on my wife's EP for just over a year now. Child is studying in an International School/ I am on a DP but have registered a LLP Co for Energy Management and Efficiency technology. I am 52.
Query - Should we apply for PR in wife's name ( she is under 50 years) and what are the chances for success.
Many thanks as your astute wisdom will be welcome.

Getting your EP, if you remember, is comprised of a two part process. One of those you will have no problem with. That is the vetting of your qualifications. But the second part is the employers qualifications. e.g., can they justify to the MOM that it is necessary to hire a foreigner. While you might not have any problems at all, do you know for certain the new company will not have a problem? Therein lay the gamble. And, remember, even if you don't tell your current company you are applying for another position, if they are like me, if they have a number of "foreign" employees, they may weekly or bimonthly check their foreign employees by putting the FIN numbers into the system at MOM. It will spit out any pending or approved applications for EP. It wont tell them who has applied for the EP but it will let the know you have applied elsewhere. That's when the fit hits the shan! You could find yourself between a rock and a hard place as your current employer may let you go and you might be rejected for company reasons with the new prospective employer. All of this in a period of gross uncertainty with regards to foreign employees in general.

But, you buys your ticket and takes your chances I guess.

Applying for PR after 6 months? A waste of time but don't let us stop you from trying. This is especially so if you are a Caucasian as the government has learned the hard way that 99% of Caucasians are NOT here for the long term so it doesn't make sense to give the PR. Again, you buys your ticket........

edited to add: you cannot transfer your EP. Each time you change jobs, you have to cancel the old application before the new one is issued with a new sponsor so there are no guarantees.[/quote]