Singapore Expats

Applying for an Employment Pass

Discuss about getting a well paid job or career advancement. Ask about salaries, expat packages, CPF & taxes for expatriate.
Post Reply
wichita
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu, 27 May 2010 12:11 am
Location: Singapore

Applying for an Employment Pass

Post by wichita » Thu, 22 Jul 2010 5:26 pm

Hi
I have just recieved a job offer and i wanted to know if there is a way that i can apply for the employment pass with the company offer without going through an employment agency (who charges are 1200 sing dollers)

The company is ready to do all the paperwork but i was hoping of a way to bypass the employment agencies

please let me know

Thanks and regards
Clyde Barreto

User avatar
Mad Scientist
Director
Director
Posts: 3546
Joined: Thu, 03 Dec 2009 6:31 am
Answers: 4
Location: TIMBUKTU

Post by Mad Scientist » Thu, 22 Jul 2010 6:13 pm

The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!

User avatar
Strong Eagle
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11769
Joined: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:13 am
Answers: 11
Location: Off The Red Dot
Contact:

Re: Applying for an Employment Pass

Post by Strong Eagle » Thu, 22 Jul 2010 7:42 pm

wichita wrote:Hi
I have just recieved a job offer and i wanted to know if there is a way that i can apply for the employment pass with the company offer without going through an employment agency (who charges are 1200 sing dollers)

The company is ready to do all the paperwork but i was hoping of a way to bypass the employment agencies

please let me know

Thanks and regards
Clyde Barreto
There is something fishy here. First, you don't apply for the employment pass, the company does. And if they do much hiring at all, they are registered at MOM and do it all online... easy, peazy, and certainly not $1200.

Second, employment agencies cannot charge the job seeker for finding a job, so, what is this employment agency trying to do? Double dip? Charge the company for finding you, and then charge you for something the company itself must do?

Something stinks.

User avatar
BillyB
Manager
Manager
Posts: 1807
Joined: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:01 pm
Location: My laptop

Post by BillyB » Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:07 pm

I think you are right there, no agency should be asking for a fee..........unless of course the original post means bypassing an agency to make the EP application?

$1200 is a ball park figure, if not a little on the high side, for processing EP applications including success fee.

User avatar
Strong Eagle
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11769
Joined: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:13 am
Answers: 11
Location: Off The Red Dot
Contact:

Post by Strong Eagle » Sat, 24 Jul 2010 8:03 am

BillyB wrote:I think you are right there, no agency should be asking for a fee..........unless of course the original post means bypassing an agency to make the EP application?

$1200 is a ball park figure, if not a little on the high side, for processing EP applications including success fee.
What are you talking about?? An EP must be filed by the EMPLOYER. Even small companies such as mine routinely use the EP Online system to file. The filing fee is minimal.

The employee should never pay anything because, in fact, they do nothing, other than provide the employer required information, which would be collected in the normal course of an interview and offer, anyway.

There is no way I would pay, as an employer, $1200 to fill in 3 sheets of paper with information I already know and would have to pass on to whomever filled in the sheets.

And what the hell is a success fee? This post is pure nonsense.

User avatar
BillyB
Manager
Manager
Posts: 1807
Joined: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:01 pm
Location: My laptop

Post by BillyB » Sat, 24 Jul 2010 8:57 am

I think you need to do your research before you get so critical of other posts.

An Agency for your information is a third party who can complete the application form on behalf of a company, lets say for example for a representative office. Its not an employment agency per se but someone who specialises in offshore company formation and other similar services etc.

For a representative office, because the employer has no staff based in Singapore, as they would be exploring the local market to assess the viability of opening a full branch office, they do not have or cannot get a Singpass to make the EPOL application to use the online system.

For a representative office the usual costs of a local agency to make the EP applications is anything from $400 up to $2000 per applicant. People these days do not want to understand a simple process and would rather have everything done for them.

Of course once the office is set-up with the first member of staff - they will obtain a Singpass and should apply for an EPOL account to make any future EP applications.

Hope this clarifies things for you. For your reference I rarely talk nonsense!!

User avatar
Strong Eagle
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11769
Joined: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:13 am
Answers: 11
Location: Off The Red Dot
Contact:

Post by Strong Eagle » Sat, 24 Jul 2010 9:30 am

So... you think the OP falls into this category, as he "just received a job offer"?

User avatar
BillyB
Manager
Manager
Posts: 1807
Joined: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:01 pm
Location: My laptop

Post by BillyB » Sat, 24 Jul 2010 9:42 am

I don't want to get into hostilities over this, I was just trying to understand and give a possible reason for the original post despite the lack of clarity of how it was written.

People can get a job offer in a company who don't have any staff but merely an office location in Singapore. The employment terms will include a point in the contract stating subject to successful application of EP etc.

Anyhow SE, look forward to hearing your thoughts on future posts........

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40556
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:01 am

BillyB wrote:I think you need to do your research before you get so critical of other posts.

An Agency for your information is a third party who can complete the application form on behalf of a company, lets say for example for a representative office. Its not an employment agency per se but someone who specialises in offshore company formation and other similar services etc.

For a representative office, because the employer has no staff based in Singapore, as they would be exploring the local market to assess the viability of opening a full branch office, they do not have or cannot get a Singpass to make the EPOL application to use the online system.

For a representative office the usual costs of a local agency to make the EP applications is anything from $400 up to $2000 per applicant. People these days do not want to understand a simple process and would rather have everything done for them.

Of course once the office is set-up with the first member of staff - they will obtain a Singpass and should apply for an EPOL account to make any future EP applications.

Hope this clarifies things for you. For your reference I rarely talk nonsense!!
BillyB,

Actually, for the OP, who apparently has problems just getting his problem/question into print, you have done nothing but complete confuse him with loads of non-relevant information. All he wanted to know was how to avoid the $1200 cost. So admittedly you weren't talking nonsense, for the OP it was. He stated that he "found a job" so none of what you said applied to him or this thread.

For the OP,

It sounds like a small company has offered you a job and, yes, SE, often they do use Employment Agencies to make the application for them on their behalf. In fact, I believe there is a notation on there to note if you are a 3rd party applying on behalf of an employer. Quite often Recruitment agencies provide this service (My old company did). But it sounds like the employer is trying to make the new employee pay for this service. I'd be willing to bet the agency also recruited the OP and it's probably a combination of recruitment fees and work pass application fees combined. If I were the employee, I'd say forget it as the employer is a s*it trying to flog off the costs of recruitment and workpass issuance on the OP. If they are that low on the start up, (and it's illegal) they will screw the OP eventually again and again.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

User avatar
BillyB
Manager
Manager
Posts: 1807
Joined: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:01 pm
Location: My laptop

Post by BillyB » Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:23 am

SMS why are you and your fellow moderators so hypercritical and sarcastic in your responses??!!

I think the conclusion here is that there is a clear mis-understanding of the original question being asked and without clarity (this wasn't meant as a derogatory comment to the OP FYI) we are all clutching at straws trying to second guess what the actual problem is. We don't know the complete picture so have to make an assumption to some degree.

I am new to this forum and have experienced countless problems with Rep Offices, using 3rd party agencies, EPOL apps, EP applications, and simply wanted to try and assist others so they wouldn't have to go through similar drama.

I like the answers and responses on a lot of the posts and intend to use this forum now as I am member so don't want to get off on the wrong foot. Just try to understand that the point of a forum is surely to feedback and assist others, of course we all love a bit of banter but do it in a constructive way.

Ranting over, I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine!!!

User avatar
longstebe
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 257
Joined: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 1:50 pm
Location: Netherlands

Post by longstebe » Sun, 01 Aug 2010 6:38 am

BillyB
Just a little advice having had time on other forums.
Take things with a pinch of salt and the mods are always right :D
Keep on trucking my friend

morenangpinay
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 890
Joined: Mon, 02 Mar 2009 6:19 pm

Re: Applying for an Employment Pass

Post by morenangpinay » Sun, 01 Aug 2010 11:55 pm

wichita wrote:Hi
I have just recieved a job offer and i wanted to know if there is a way that i can apply for the employment pass with the company offer without going through an employment agency (who charges are 1200 sing dollers)

The company is ready to do all the paperwork but i was hoping of a way to bypass the employment agencies

please let me know

Thanks and regards
Clyde Barreto
well there are some information missing before we can give you an informed advice. Did you apply through an agency overseas ? Did you seek the employment agency to get you a job?



as for the third party agency which employers contract to file the EP applications.. I can tell you that all they do is fill up the forms and take care of the application processing.THis is opted by some companies because they don't know how to fill up the forms, its their first time to apply for a foreigner, they dont want to use their time to do it...

i know coz i work in this kind of company as well. We only charge the employer for all the work not the applicant.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Careers & Jobs in Singapore”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests