Singapore Expats

Dear friends

I have been living in Singapore for over 15 months now and awaiting result of my + my family's( wife + daughter) PR application.

Sine my wife is finding it difficult to get job, without being a PR, she applied for an EPEC, which we thought would help her in job search. With her qualification ( a CPA) we thought it won't be difficult to get an EPEC

But it wasn't to be. It took MOM less than 24 hrs to reject the application. We are unable to decipher the reasons for this rejection. Some expert advice will surely help.

Some other information that could be useful - i we are Indians, ii my wife never worked in any country other than India, iii she has not been working for last 1 yr, since she moved to Singapore.

Cheers

Singapore wrote:Dear friends

I have been living in Singapore for over 15 months now and awaiting result of my + my family's( wife + daughter) PR application.

Sine my wife is finding it difficult to get job, without being a PR, she applied for an EPEC, which we thought would help her in job search. With her qualification ( a CPA) we thought it won't be difficult to get an EPEC

But it wasn't to be. It took MOM less than 24 hrs to reject the application. We are unable to decipher the reasons for this rejection. Some expert advice will surely help.

Some other information that could be useful - i we are Indians, ii my wife never worked in any country other than India, iii she has not been working for last 1 yr, since she moved to Singapore.

Cheers

See the bolded above for the reasons.

Thanks SMS for a quick reply.

Regarding the period in singapore, is 15 months too long or too short a period to apply for EPEC?

My understanding was you can apply for EPEC without living in Singapore as well.

Singapore wrote:Thanks SMS for a quick reply.

Regarding the period in singapore, is 15 months too long or too short a period to apply for EPEC?

My understanding was you can apply for EPEC without living in Singapore as well.

I had thought the whole point of an EPEC was that applicants don't live in SG already. Presumably you work and your wife is on a Dependent Pass (?). What the point of her getting an EPEC and LTVP?

Thank you friends.

Our situation has slightly changed and so has my question. Incidentally, my wife has got a temp 6 months job. With her salary, her employer is applying for a P1 pass.

So my question is can my wife apply for a PEP soon after getting a P1 pass for continued employability, in case the contract is not extended after 6 months.

Thank you again for your comments

She can if she's earning over 8K/mo. However, it's doubtful that it will happen. She is not particularly the flavour of the month with the current population demographics. But Go ahead a apply. Occasionally, a few rare people win at Toto & the Big Sweep as well.

Thank you SMS.

There is no harm in trying.

I have one more question. Someone told me once my wife gets a P1 pass, I can write to ICA regarding this change, in relation our PR application. This can increase our chances of getting a PR.

Does something like this works?

If yes, then can I also resubmit my salary details as well. My salary has increased quite a bit (while working for the same company), after i had submitted our PR application.

Cheers

Salary increase within the same EP classification won't mean anything. Again, nothing ventured nothing gained. However, as I said before, as you all aren't the flavour of the month, you are still going to be subject to criteria that we can only suspect is being used to reduce the influx of people from the subcontinent. Whatever you do, expect the worst (that way you can't be disappointed) and therefore anything else will be a plus as you will feel you have beat the odds. (And you would have )

Singapore wrote:Thank you SMS.

There is no harm in trying.

I have one more question. Someone told me once my wife gets a P1 pass, I can write to ICA regarding this change, in relation our PR application. This can increase our chances of getting a PR.

Does something like this works?

If yes, then can I also resubmit my salary details as well. My salary has increased quite a bit (while working for the same company), after i had submitted our PR application.

Cheers

You mentioned this is a 6 months job.

Recommend personally do not mess aoround with ICA and update to them that you have a change of circumstances.

The reason being once you get PR approval they still will ask you to prove current status of employment / pay slips etc.
If at that time you do not have any proof of income for wife (since it was a temporary situation of 6 months) it might complicate things....

I think people are unnecessarily panicking and complicating things. If your wife is a CPA its just a matter of time, she will get a good job. Just like how she got one now. You dont really need to apply for PR. Also the "Indian" factor impacts only for PR approvals and not for EP or EPEC or anything else.

So just chill and live on EP. As long as you have what it takes you will do well here and you really dont need to get into PR and its abuse and stuff.

Let me tell you one thing. Having a PR is necessary only for low level jobs. If you are targeting for jobs that require a CPA or into IT you dont need a PR. Companies will apply for EP and it will be approved easily(Although they have started tightening now, thats only for the lowest of the lowest rung) So dont apply for PR until and unless you have really decided to stick on to Singapore come sun or rain(And I dont think 99% of the people who apply for PR are ready for that). Thats my advice to everyone there who are thinking of applying for PR

Cheers!

Rev, I don't like to be the one saying this, but ethnicity DOES impact on PEP applicants. The MOM knows that even though you might a been a high flyer earning 8K and above, you only need to earn 34K to keep it. So, it's like a five year visa before you have to get serious. So, I've been seeing alot of applicants who would have normally received one but have been rejected. Additionally, if you think your way is right, why is it that they no longer (for quite a few months now) automatically send a letter to new P! Visa holders inviting them to apply for PEP.......

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Rev, I don't like to be the one saying this, but ethnicity DOES impact on PEP applicants. The MOM knows that even though you might a been a high flyer earning 8K and above, you only need to earn 34K to keep it. So, it's like a five year visa before you have to get serious. So, I've been seeing alot of applicants who would have normally received one but have been rejected. Additionally, if you think your way is right, why is it that they no longer (for quite a few months now) automatically send a letter to new P! Visa holders inviting them to apply for PEP.......

Hmm, may be you are right about the PEP. My point was about the regular EP. Like in the OPs case, if she gets an employer willing to employ her, her having a PR or PEP, may help, but that doesn't mean that not having those will mean a big hurdle if the employer is really a reputed organization. As the salary range we are talking about here is 5k+. At that salary range getting an EP approved shouldn't be problem regardless of ethinicity. The OP is just crazy and trying to go out of the way to make sure his wife gets a job. My point is she will do fine if she is good enough and she wont, if she is not, regardless of whether she has PR or PEP.

My wife had like just 3 yrs experience in IT in India. When we came here in mid 2009 and recession was still on, it took her 5 months to find a job, but once she got a employer willing to employ her she got the LoC approved in couple of hours! and her salary was just 2.7k which was competing directly with the locals, yet she had no problems. Things might have got tougher now, but its not to an extent that it impacts people who are targeting salaries above 5k.

Thanks for these interesting comments

Revhappy, while your comments do make sense, but still seems to be away from reality. My wife moved to Singapore in Aug last year and had been "aggresively" looking for job, with no success until last week.

In last 1 year, this was the first timeshe was called for an interview. Till now all leads used to get cold as soon as her status was disclosed to the consultants. This is probably the reason for my "craziness".

If you happen to discuss this matter with a consultant, you may hear the same story. Hence, PEP, if not PR, seems to be a good insurance against such situation.

Cheers

[quote="Singapore"]Thank you SMS.

There is no harm in trying.

I have one more question. Someone told me once my wife gets a P1 pass, I can write to ICA regarding this change, in relation our PR application. This can increase our chances of getting a PR.

Does something like this?
Cheers[/quote]

Yes it works

Received approval letter in 5 days of intimating ICA

You mean her PEP has been approved?

If so congratulations, that's great news!