Advice for Next Status

[OpenGL]

I won't beat around the bush. My wife and I came to Singapore for the long term and we are trying to decide if we should wait to apply for PR or renew my EP first. In addition we are trying to decide if applying for a PEP would affect our long term chances.

Bio
Myself
26 Years old
US Citizen (Natural Born, White)
Occupation: Information Security (Management/Research for a local company)
Salary: Entered Singapore 8,500 No bonus, raised now to 10,000 with 2 months bonus. Contract is permanent and through a local company. Includes maximum yearly 7% raise based on KPI. I have a side consulting job but I am really unsure how to report this as its an ad-hoc thing which I do online. Some investments in Singapore but I am nowhere near as loaded as that UAE guy.

Work history: Left DoD internship after uni(ethical reasons) and found Job in German Auto Industry. Finance crisis hit, found new job in Germany(1 month employment gap). Project returned to Taiwan and I followed as a local worker but in a Senior role. Decided I wanted to put roots down in Singapore and found current job through industry connections. Happily living here since.

Wife
29 Years old
Georgian Citizen (Georgian Race but considered “White”

[zzm9980]

Wow, I thought you were me for a second, only I work locally for a US MNC.

From other recent threads, it sounds like it will hurt absolutely nothing to at least apply for a PEP (and you'll probably get it).

[OpenGL]

Really? All the same places as well? If so that is very cool.

[zzm9980]

I'm a few years old, but from US, same career, etc. Wife isn't Georgian though

[OpenGL]

How long have you been here? Are you also on P1 or are you on a PEP?

How do you find the development of the security field here?

[zzm9980]

How long have you been here? Are you also on P1 or are you on a PEP?

How do you find the development of the security field here?

I've only been here seven months, on a P1. PEP application is currently "processing". (I'll let you know how it goes)

I actually find most of the security field a little.. naive I guess. Maybe not the best word? It's very small, and of the people I've met, more seem concerned with collecting certifications than actually learning. I think the problem has to do with a Singaporean mind-set of career advancement over personal/knowledge advancement. They seem to feel they can get a CISSP, memorize PCI-DSS (or some checklists based off it), and they're set. Or, for those that fancy themselves more technical, they think they can learn a tool (Say, AppScan), and thats all they'd ever have to do or know.

As an example, the position I took was open for nine months. My company tried very hard to find a local for those nine months, but no one that was remotely qualified applied, except one or two, and they wanted to be management.

[OpenGL]

I have found the same issue. One of my employees wanted to attend CISSP so he could put the logo on his name card. Another has 150 certifications but his actual knowledge is pathetic. I actually came down on him for bragging about some red hat cert but not knowing what LS means.

In my hiring I have had to focus on growing and developing talent. NTUC and e2i have been helpful as has making contacts at some of the schools. It still would be nice to find a maverick elite employee once in awhile.

[zzm9980]

They're hard to find everywhere, I just came form the Bay Area before Singapore. Same problem there, but not as bad as it is here.

The elites are out there. Problem is most of them are happy with where they're at, or you'll have to pay them a good portion than you're making to get them to jump.

[ecureilx]

.... I actually came down on him for bragging about some red hat cert but not knowing what LS means. ....

oh, what is LS ? oh, did you mean "ls"

haha .. I was having my head fully into Firewalls and Security, primarily SME products, Watchguard, Sonicwall, Sidewinder, Borderware, and Netscreen ..

My lack of CISSP and CISA dragged me away from Security .. then again, as you say, may be wise to have not gone the whole nine-yards, as I see guys like you commented ...

Like the case of a polluted reverse DNS leading to a full lock down and all systems shutdown .. until I couldn't resist and explained the cause of the false alarm ..

And the likes who are terrified of adding a new NS zone .. and insists that the Security Officer is the one who adds a new NS zone, and it can be a security breach ... etc. etc..

I gave up .. and now I am happy to fly under the radar ..

back to your question, let me send you a PM ..

cheers

[carteki]

Guess you didn't read the bit in PR application about requiring 3 years of tax returns? Your work experience and ability may count for something, but it is very difficult to get across in a bland form that you actually know what you're talking about, opposed to just having the letters behind your name.

Get your PEP. Wait until you have 3 years of tax returns and try then.

[OpenGL]

And I am guessing you didnt read my entire post before writing the first part. :D Thanks for advice though. I am in no hurry I was just worried if a PEP application affects any standing here.

[aargon]

Guess you didn't read the bit in PR application about requiring 3 years of tax returns? Your work experience and ability may count for something, but it is very difficult to get across in a bland form that you actually know what you're talking about, opposed to just having the letters behind your name.

Get your PEP. Wait until you have 3 years of tax returns and try then.

If you need 3 years of tax returns wouldn't that mean you need to be in Singapore for at least 3.5 years before you can apply for PR? Most people apply after 2 years in Singapore, some less, which means they'll only have one or two years of local tax returns to submit...

[sundaymorningstaple]

Actually it means the individual must have been working in Singapore for a minimum of 25 months. It doesn't say they have to "work" in Singapore for 3 years....... Only need to submit tax returns for 3 years. If an employee came here and started working in Nov or December then in 25 or 26 months they could actually file for PR.

This is the reason why ICA sends letters to those who file after being here 6 months and are rejected asking them to apply again in 2 years.