Compensation Privacy

[yogaloungeforever]

That's precisely what i said .. you just highlighted specific forms but the core of what i said is still applicable to every foreign worker resigning from their workplace. and obviously you are making a big fuss out of these by emphasizing on the forms. the OP never asked what forms would apply for taxation.

anyway just to inflate your ego thanks heaps for the info on tax forms (though i don't think i would need to know about them forms since HR in all my employment have always taken care of taxation matters on my behalf).

Sure you would. The IR-21 (Tax Clearance) is ONLY used when the foreign employee leaves the company (one time usage). The IR8A/e is used every years to report your earning to the IRAS so they can compute your annual tax bill. I'm am not sure why you are being so obtuse. It's not that hard to understand. Even my PRC's on WPs understand the concept.

The ONLY time an employer could theoretically figure out you previous salary is if you resign from the current employer in the same tax year as the previous/first employer.

[sundaymorningstaple]

In all my employment my salaries have always been with-held for taxation. which form is used I was not in the know at that point in time

The above statement is what is causing me the problem. If I were to take you literally, and maybe I should, you statement indicates to me that every year your employer is withholding your salary even though Singapore does not have a PAYE system. Therefore it would appear the the average reader that either you employer is messing with you or you change jobs annually, requiring a tax clearance and the last months salary being held. You will have to pardon me for the confusion you have inadvertently laid out. Additionally you should be getting a copy of the IR8A or e annually as well. Has nothing to do with my ego, but just responding to your information as presented in your posts. But if it makes you feel better, so be it.

[Wd40]

In Singapore I have noticed, however small or big the company is, they will ask you for your previous company payslip. So OP, if you considering to lie about your previous salary and get an offer, fogged it. Unless you produce the payslip, you are not getting the offer.

All the talk about IRAS revealing your salary is irrelevant.

[johnjin]

In Singapore I have noticed, however small or big the company is, they will ask you for your previous company payslip. So OP, if you considering to lie about your previous salary and get an offer, fogged it. Unless you produce the payslip, you are not getting the offer.

All the talk about IRAS revealing your salary is irrelevant.

I have never talked on lying - especially because I am too of the opinion that, no matter what big or small the company is, they could ask to know the current salary info and have payslips and also used socks but the answer would be just: sorry, it is not your business. No offer because of that? They will find someone else, more inclined to their bad way of thinking.

I do not consider the talk above irrelevant, it is exactly what I have been trying to understand - and what unfortunately isn't very clear to me yet.
On one hand seems those information are indeed fully personal and there is no way for a possible 2nd employer to get or reverse engineer the numbers, on the other seems there could be...

[sundaymorningstaple]

No way before the fact unless one of two ways. You give them the information or there is collusion between the two company's HR departments. The latter doesn't seem too likely unless they are two small SME in Singapore who are in competition in the same niche industry. Then it "theoretically" could happen. Otherwise, forgeddit.

[x9200]

I have never talked on lying - especially because I am too of the opinion that, no matter what big or small the company is, they could ask to know the current salary info and have payslips and also used socks but the answer would be just: sorry, it is not your business. No offer because of that? They will find someone else, more inclined to their bad way of thinking.

Bad or good this is the local way. Salary matters more than your hypothetical quality. To some extent it is understandable as the average quality around is rather on the low side so it is more difficult to get the right high-quality high-salary match than just assume you are an average and you should be paid not more than the average (as determined by your pay slip). In other words, they are looking for someone to do the job at minimal costs rather than a new saver or a business engine.

[Wd40]

In Singapore I have noticed, however small or big the company is, they will ask you for your previous company payslip. So OP, if you considering to lie about your previous salary and get an offer, fogged it. Unless you produce the payslip, you are not getting the offer.

All the talk about IRAS revealing your salary is irrelevant.

I have never talked on lying - especially because I am too of the opinion that, no matter what big or small the company is, they could ask to know the current salary info and have payslips and also used socks but the answer would be just: sorry, it is not your business. No offer because of that? They will find someone else, more inclined to their bad way of thinking.

I do not consider the talk above irrelevant, it is exactly what I have been trying to understand - and what unfortunately isn't very clear to me yet.
On one hand seems those information are indeed fully personal and there is no way for a possible 2nd employer to get or reverse engineer the numbers, on the other seems there could be...

If you are not going lie, then why do you care if the company finds out what your previous salary is? Why are you so concerned about the possibility of the company finding out your salary?

[yogaloungeforever]

i left the IR8A form out on purpose. anyways, as explained in my earlier post, i was merely replying to OP's Q which i do not see anywhere asking for specific tax forms. the additional info from your end nevertheless has been helpful.

In all my employment my salaries have always been with-held for taxation. which form is used I was not in the know at that point in time

... you should be getting a copy of the IR8A or e annually as well. Has nothing to do with my ego, but just responding to your information as presented in your posts. But if it makes you feel better, so be it.

[ecureilx]

In Singapore I have noticed, however small or big the company is, they will ask you for your previous company payslip. So OP, if you considering to lie about your previous salary and get an offer, fogged it. Unless you produce the payslip, you are not getting the offer.

All the talk about IRAS revealing your salary is irrelevant.

Actually, some MNCs do remind they may contact the former employer

As for no-payslip = no-offer, not always. It depends if the pay you re asking is more than their offer .. if it is less or within their comfortable margin, many don't ask .. or so I think from my experience

[Wd40]

In Singapore I have noticed, however small or big the company is, they will ask you for your previous company payslip. So OP, if you considering to lie about your previous salary and get an offer, fogged it. Unless you produce the payslip, you are not getting the offer.

All the talk about IRAS revealing your salary is irrelevant.

Actually, some MNCs do remind they may contact the former employer

As for no-payslip = no-offer, not always. It depends if the pay you re asking is more than their offer .. if it is less or within their comfortable margin, many don't ask .. or so I think from my experience

Well, the bank I am interviewing with has a budget of S$140K for an AVP level, but then they also have policy of not more than 15% hike from my current salary(or thats what the recruitment consultant told me)

They need my last 3 months payslip and my salary information. If I provide that information I may get S$115K, if I dont provide that information, I may not get even S$100k, leave alone S$140K.

And I am happy with the 15% hike, I dont see any reason to create so much hoo haa about providing my previous salary info

[ecureilx]

... I dont see any reason to create so much hoo haa about providing my previous salary info

neither do I see the need to hoo-ha .. except the time when i left an employer with a pretty bad pay, as all of a sudden, 50% was declared basic and 50% as variable, and in the pay slip clearly only showed the basic ..

Some cranky boss it was ..

If I had shown my pay slip if the next employer was one of those who want to get cheap, I may have been forced to go cheap, based on BASIC.

Lucky the next one wasn't ..

[martincymru]

One of the posts stated "have noticed, however small or big the company is, they will ask you for your previous company payslip..."

But many Sg Companies do not issue payslips since they are not legally obliged to do so. If I am correct then after the word "payslip " the words " if available " should be added

[sundaymorningstaple]

This is true, but that is going to change before long, based on the latest info I've received from MOM Survey department. They are asking if you provide pay vouchers/slips and what is contained on them. In fact, as a result of the recent survey submitted (last week) I receive a phone call querying me as I have heaps of info on our payslips and they were curious what software I was using, etc.

[ecureilx]

This is true, but that is going to change before long, based on the latest info I've received from MOM Survey department. They are asking if you provide pay vouchers/slips and what is contained on them. In fact, as a result of the recent survey submitted (last week) I receive a phone call querying me as I have heaps of info on our payslips and they were curious what software I was using, etc.

And as a Plan B, One employer asked a candidate to submit his 'bank statement showing the pay .. ' when the candidate said his company doesn't give a pay slip ..

And likewise, when I was in ICA, similiar advice was dished out by the officer for a guy collecting his PR, when he said his employer refused to sign the form and he gets no pay slips ..

Plan B !!!

[Wd40]

Nice article regarding salary negotiations with banking jobs in Singapore

http://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en ... otiations/