EP woes: letter of completion isn't sufficient

samuel.faith · Post by **samuel.faith** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:26 am

Hi folks,

I've been browsing the forums and see that a lot of others share similar issue I am facing right now.

I've already graduated from my bachelor degree course and waiting for transcripts and official parchment from Ireland. As usual, it's gonna take a freaking long time and exam board is only releasing final transcripts after 22nd July (which is one day after my STVP expires, what a bummer!).

I have official letter of completion issued from University College Dublin. But heck, when my current employer applied for EP (first time applying EP for them. All their front-line staffs are holding S Pass), they rejected it with the reason stating that I don't have sufficient documents.

What they're asking is official degree cert and transcripts, which I don't have yet. University will release final confirmed results on their student portal after 22nd July though.

So yeah, I am wondering what are my options here. I have checked the posts regarding EPEC and EP here. Found that there were quite a few with similar issues: letter of completion not being a sufficient document.

I still have a diploma and transcripts issued from a local private school here, but I don't think that'd be recognized either.

I am not panicking but I really want your advice. I am right now considering to:

1.) Attempt to extend my STVP which will expire on 21st of July

2.) Border jumping a bit around that time. Heck, I have a planned trip on 29th anyway.

3.) Apply for EPEC after my final results are released on student's portal, with screenshots or whatever that requires. But that still requires me to extend my visa or at least gain another 1 month visa after expiry.

4.) ???

It seems like my employer is a bit clueless on EP too. Heck, I am first foreigner for their head office, and first EP applicant. And I hate waiting, so instead of waiting them to take any actions, I am gonna take matters into my own hand as a mean to speed things up (I know... I know... still need the employer to handle application and whatnot).

-- sfaith

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:23 pm

You cannot do anything yourself. Everything MUST go through the employer. Unless you provide MOM with the documents that they ask for, you are wasting your time. All your pent up frustrations are due to problems of your own making. If you continue to try to do things your own way, you might as well get back on the plane to Ireland as you will never make it here. Civil Servants here are not allowed to think outside of the box and Employers are the only people who can actually interact with MOM.

samuel.faith · Post by **samuel.faith** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:27 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:You cannot do anything yourself. Everything MUST go through the employer. Unless you provide MOM with the documents that they ask for, you are wasting your time. All your pent up frustrations are due to problems of your own making. If you continue to try to do things your own way, you might as well get back on the plane to Ireland as you will never make it here. Civil Servants here are not allowed to think outside of the box and Employers are the only people who can actually interact with MOM.

Haha... SMS! I figured you might be first one to reply me

. Howdy?

No, I am not taking things in my hand and proceeding myself. Issue is, they're clueless and asking me to get the transcripts and cert ASAP like right now.

And nope, I haven't done anything yet. As in, I didn't submit any EP applications or whatsoever on my own. But what's happening is, apart from that, I still need to figure out a way myself to give as a suggestion to current employer.

Border jumping is one thing I am considering here to do for awhile.

-- sfaith

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:44 pm

If you get found out, guaranteed a one-way ticket home. What you should do is go home until you have all the necessary "proper" documentation. Then come back. Otherwise, you are potentially burning the candle at both ends and you know what generally happens there, right?

samuel.faith · Post by **samuel.faith** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:01 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:If you get found out, guaranteed a one-way ticket home. What you should do is go home until you have all the necessary "proper" documentation. Then come back. Otherwise, you are potentially burning the candle at both ends and you know what generally happens there, right?

Yup yup. Or, I will just travel around the region and come back when documents are ready. I just need the transcripts, man. Gee, what a bummer! Seems like I need to wait at least a month

I ain't even sure if I will still have my position while waiting for that. Oh well, that's entirely different woes.

-- sfaith

Asdracles · Post by **Asdracles** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:08 pm

As I said in an earlier post about this same topic, don't complain too much, as other coutries (as Spain) issues the title certificate 1/2 years after you have completed your studies. During that time you are a graduated everywhere in the world except in Singapore.

You're talking about 1 month.... peanuts!

samuel.faith · Post by **samuel.faith** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:15 pm

Asdracles wrote:As I said in an earlier post about this same topic, don't complain too much, as other coutries (as Spain) issues the title certificate 1/2 years after you have completed your studies. During that time you are a graduated everywhere in the world except in Singapore.

You're talking about 1 month.... peanuts!

Yo Asdracles! Yeah, ain't really complaining cos I already know it's usual around the world.

Usually "letter of completion" states that a particular person with this IC/passport number has passed this degree and awarded this and that, just without cert and grades. And it's issued officially by university, with direct contact information to the official who issued that. MOM won't accept it. Oh well, this is Singapore... might be same elsewhere too.

-- sfaith

JayCee · Post by **JayCee** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:43 pm

If you're a new grad with no experience then I wouldn't hold your breath on getting an EP approved even after you get all the correct documents, there've been a few cases of people being rejected on this forum and generally things are much tighter, the question to ask is what do you bring to the table that a local grad doesn't? In most cases the answer is - nothing

samuel.faith · Post by **samuel.faith** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 2:41 pm

JayCee wrote:If you're a new grad with no experience then I wouldn't hold your breath on getting an EP approved even after you get all the correct documents, there've been a few cases of people being rejected on this forum and generally things are much tighter, the question to ask is what do you bring to the table that a local grad doesn't? In most cases the answer is - nothing

On the contrary, JayCee. Yup, I am a fresh graduate, but I studied a tad late. And no, I am not exactly green and fresh in the field I am now working in. Of course my skills aren't that uber unique that no one else can have. Speaking of which, how do they even make a comparison and say "oh this guy has something our own local chaps can't offer"?

By the way, for a moment there, I read "Jay-Z"

-- sfaith

Post by **nakatago** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 2:52 pm

samuel.faith wrote:Speaking of which, how do they even make a comparison and say "oh this guy has something our own local chaps can't offer"?

they look at your edumacation (and experience) versus the job [description] you're being offered.

@SMS or MS: on a slightly tangential note, I'm curious if ICA can extend a pass for a day or so (similar to sf's case). I have a friend who booked for a final flight home for aug 4 (she got tired of life here and decided to go home for good) but her pass got terminated a wee bit early and would expire on aug 3. she already booked an earlier flight just to avoid complications but now I'm curious if they can accommodate something like this.

samuel.faith · Post by **samuel.faith** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 3:13 pm

nakatago wrote:
samuel.faith wrote:Speaking of which, how do they even make a comparison and say "oh this guy has something our own local chaps can't offer"?
they look at your edumacation (and experience) versus the job [description] you're being offered.

Ah that's how it goes. Oh well then I would say it matches my job scope, prior experience, and my education.

Detailed job description, hmm I might have to go ask my employer to rewrite it for me LOL. Put in a bit more details that would reflect my prior experience.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 4:28 pm

Nak, if she's on the SVP given and the termination of an Work Pass, then, unfortunately she's not going to be able to extend it as far as I know. She might try appealing directly for a few more days (maybe 3 max) but I'm not sure if it will fly or not.

Mad Scientist · Post by **Mad Scientist** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 5:15 pm

No way out for this naks. She might need to change her flight earlier and pay the diff if needs be

Post by **nakatago** » Wed, 06 Jul 2011 5:54 pm

@SMS, MS: it's no biggie really as she just booked an earlier flight even before considering asking for an appeal (even if it would be only a day). Anyway, thanks; at least I now know.

samuel.faith · Post by **samuel.faith** » Thu, 07 Jul 2011 4:08 pm

Ahh that's a very useful fact to know. Thanks for the question @nak, and for your answers @MS & @SMS.

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EP woes: letter of completion isn't sufficient

EP woes: letter of completion isn't sufficient

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