Can I work in Singapore in my current state?

[sand_ste]

Okay, I have this situation. I am an Indonesian, 20 years old. I was offered a job at NETS last december. then when everything was ok, I signed contract with them and they told me, "everything is set, we just need to wait for your s-pass". ok fine, after i waited for 1.5 weeks, the results came out. i was rejected! but oh well, i have plan B. I have cancelled my student pass, and i got 1 month social visit pass. I am about to apply for landed pr, and I believe they will give us 6 months to 1 year social visit pass, or until the result of landed pr application came out rite?

well, my question is, am i able to work in singapore in that time frame? if not, will there be some companies (eg. F&B, restaurants) that will allow me to work there as maybe waitress, dishwasher, or cook?

please help me cos' i dont really want to go back indonesia, my gf is still here pursuing her studies and would like to be here in singapore as well

[sundaymorningstaple]

Okay, I have this situation. I am an Indonesian, 20 years old. I was offered a job at NETS last december. then when everything was ok, I signed contract with them and they told me, "everything is set, we just need to wait for your s-pass". ok fine, after i waited for 1.5 weeks, the results came out. i was rejected! but oh well, i have plan B. I have cancelled my student pass, and i got 1 month social visit pass. I am about to apply for landed pr, and I believe they will give us 6 months to 1 year social visit pass, or until the result of landed pr application came out rite?

Not necessarily. Most don't get the 1 year LTVP until they get the LRP AIP (approved in principle). That way they have 1 year to find a job. Prior to receiving the LRP AIP they don't have any VISA or are on a student visa.

well, my question is, am i able to work in singapore in that time frame? if not, will there be some companies (eg. F&B, restaurants) that will allow me to work there as maybe waitress, dishwasher, or cook?

Any employer will have to go through the same process as NETS did. Without knowing WHY you were rejected (they won't tell you) the odds are against you getting a job in F&B although anything is possible, just not probable.

please help me cos' i dont really want to go back indonesia, my gf is still here pursuing her studies and would like to be here in singapore as well

[sand_ste]

I see. so while waiting for LRP AIP, am i allowed to stay in singapore? I mean, I know that I am allowed, but do I need to go outside the country everytime my visa ends or what kind of visa will they give me while i am waiting for LRP AIP?

[sundaymorningstaple]

You will possibly be able to get one extension. After that, you will have to leave the country for at least 5 days and then re-enter the country. Each time you will come in on a bog standard Social Visit Pass as is allow by Singapore for whatever country you come from.

[thegirlnextdoor]

Hi sand_ste,
I was on the same situation as you last year so I can understand your worries.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way, and you have to have a valid working pass to be able to work in Singapore, or a long term visit pass (otherwise, you have to keep going in and out of Singapore and you'll be questioned everytime by the immigration officer..).

If you have a sibling or family member who is already a PR, you can try applying for the longer term visit pass by having them as your sponsor, but even that is no guarantee.

Try applying for EPEC which can give you a year of stay in Singapore while you're looking for a job and sorting out your S-Pass.

So what's the status now with the company who has hired you? Are they appealing your case to MOM?

[sand_ste]

hi, currently I'm applying for EPEC. I have been asked to submit more data about myself. so my plan is: after i got my EPEC (lets say I got it), i will apply for LTSVP and try to get s-pass again? will that be a good plan?

[sundaymorningstaple]

hi, currently I'm applying for EPEC. I have been asked to submit more data about myself. so my plan is: after i got my EPEC (lets say I got it), i will apply for LTSVP and try to get s-pass again? will that be a good plan?

Even that may not be viable. Getting the EPEC is not a guarantee of getting the LTVP. The EPEC is given by MOM while the LTVP is given by ICA. Both do not answer to the other. ICA says that you can be granted an LTVP of up to one years if you obtain an EPEC from MOM.

It does not say "YOU WILL BE GIVEN A ONE YEAR LTVP" if you have an EPEC. We've seen some who had EPEC's and had applications for LTVP rejected. We also seen them given only 3 or 6 months as well as one year. So getting an EPEC is not a solution to your residency status here in Singapore. It is only a guarantee to the hiring employer that any application by them, will not result in a rejection "for the potential employees academic and/or experience". This is not to say you will not still get rejected as they could reject because of the employer not being to convince MOM that they need to hire a foreigner in the first place.

There is NO east way to stay here unless you can find a job. With facebook, skype, ferries, airplanes, etc. you might just have to resort to those to keep in touch with your gf for the time being rather than doing something dodgy and ending up on the wrong side of ICA and getting a black mark that could see you thrown out of Singapore and refused entry in the future.

sms

[sand_ste]

i see. i understand now. so EPEC is given by MOM whereas LTVP is given by ICA. so, what i would like to ask, if somebody like me, with 0 years of experience (because i have just graduated this past november 2010), got an EPEC, will that gives me more warranty for me to get a job in singapore? (i mean i know that there are other stuffs to consider, but academic records and experience are not considered anymore since i already got an EPEC?)

[ecureilx]

i see. i understand now. so EPEC is given by MOM whereas LTVP is given by ICA. so, what i would like to ask, if somebody like me, with 0 years of experience (because i have just graduated this past november 2010), got an EPEC, will that gives me more warranty for me to get a job in singapore? (i mean i know that there are other stuffs to consider, but academic records and experience are not considered anymore since i already got an EPEC?)

Err .. where exactly did you graduate ????

As for EPEC - EPEC only certifies that you are eligible for a pass, and some employer prefer it as it means you are sort of 'distilled' by MOM, but most don't care a hoot- as after all, how much you ask and other stuff is all that matters

Meantime, for MOM- yah, EPEC means, pre-assesed, but again, doesn't mean nothing - your EP is processed based on your merits AND the employers - so if you are apply for a company that is a fly-by-night, with all your EPEc, you will still possibly be rejected.

Makes sense ??

[sand_ste]

understood... i am actually a fresh graduate from university of newcastle, australia.. i am actually not looking for E-pass, i am more towards S-pass as i dont think a fresh graduate foreigner will get 2500 and above, even if so, the work should be very demanding..

anyway, i would like to ask one more thing, if i may. i knew there are some job agencies which have this service:

"let us apply for your work pass, if it is approved, you need to pay us, if it is rejected, then you dont need to pay us"

i kinda forgotten what they wrote exactly, but this is more "harsh" way to say.

what i would like to ask is, how can these job agencies be so sure more than the applicant themselves that the work pass will be approved? is there any dirty trick or anything that they do? because i consulted one of them before and they told me i need to pay a premium of $2000 and if it is rejected, then i would not need to pay anything at all.

i am very intrigued as i really want to work in singapore. im not choosy about salary as long as it is reasonable. so why is it that MOM always rejected each and every application that i have made?

i have fulfilled almost all of their requirement. i have an agreed salary of $2300 at NETS, and i applied for s-pass, and yet it was still rejected. what is wrong with this? my university is also one of the top universities in australia, top 20 unviersities, its not like my university is one of those whose existence is unknown.

the agency thing is my last resort to get work pass. so please, wish me luck!

[ecureilx]

the agency thing is my last resort to get work pass. so please, wish me luck!

Did it occur to you that the problem is with your prospective employer ?? atleast half the rejections are due to employer issues, or employers who knowingly submit fresh applications when their quota is full ...

And if you still think agency is the way to go - no comments ...

[sand_ste]

the agency thing is my last resort to get work pass. so please, wish me luck!

Did it occur to you that the problem is with your prospective employer ?? atleast half the rejections are due to employer issues, or employers who knowingly submit fresh applications when their quota is full ...

And if you still think agency is the way to go - no comments ...

i think it is not employer's issue as i have already asked the HR at NETS whether they still have quota, and after she checked, she said yes still have.

and about the agency, im sorry, im not trying to be dumb but i cant help it, why did you say that it is a bad move? im really new into this agency thingy, am i falling to their trap or anything? could you explain to me? thank you..

[ecureilx]

and about the agency, im sorry, im not trying to be dumb but i cant help it, why did you say that it is a bad move? im really new into this agency thingy, am i falling to their trap or anything? could you explain to me? thank you..

No - nothing .. if you are sure enough - go for it.

One mans' meat is another's poison

[sand_ste]

and about the agency, im sorry, im not trying to be dumb but i cant help it, why did you say that it is a bad move? im really new into this agency thingy, am i falling to their trap or anything? could you explain to me? thank you..

No - nothing .. if you are sure enough - go for it.

One mans' meat is another's poison

i have called MOM and enquired about these few things:

- Training E-Pass (for internships)
- Work Holiday Program

I asked MOM whether i can apply for training e-pass since i have already graduated from my university. he said no, but i am welcome to apply, it still subjects to approval. and then MOM gave me few options. WHP (Work Holiday Programme), spass and epass. i knew spass and epass is a no no.

so when i enquired about WHP, he told me that if you are studying from australian university, u are eligible to apply for it, but it still subjects to approval.

but when i looked at MOM's website, it stated there:

"applicants must be resident and fulltime students of the university"

so does that mean i must be resident of australia? he did not tell me that initially.

[ecureilx]

So when i enquired about WHP, he told me that if you are studying from australian university, u are eligible to apply for it, but it still subjects to approval.

but when i looked at MOM's website, it stated there:

"applicants must be resident and fulltime students of the university"

so does that mean i must be resident of australia? he did not tell me that initially.

As the name implies, it is targetted for those who are in their studies, and looking for some training opporturnity as part of their studies - not "POST STUDY" and you still need to find an employer, who can offer you are decent salary, decent enough for MOM to consider ... and for that matter, don't quote me - if you are with O Level, and you have an employer offering you 10,000 $ per month, in my experience, MOM will consider it than rejecting it - so you know where the show stopper is right ??

Well, my 2 cents, and upto you to listen: Instead of beating around the bush, look up for bigger / other employers

If you are fixated on getting into NETS, then NETS has to do the appeal, or increase your pay to 2,500 or above - the higher the better chance ..

Good luck