Employment pass temporary business visit SG + conviction?

[hellogoodbye]

Thanks!

Colleagues of me have been to Singapore before and they were going there for the same reasons as me. They all applied for an EP and as far as I know, most of them got the EP on time. But of course they did not have the conviction so we'll see what happens.

The HR department of the company I work for is arranging everything, they are located in Singapore so I guess they are experienced with the whole procedure.

It sure takes a lot of effort and paperwork to go to Singapore for 4 weeks. Also because there is a possibility I would not need the EP at all. My colleague who went there last year needed to pass for blood and lung tests before entering Singapore. Quite scary if you ask me..

[hellogoodbye]

Unfortunately my apply for an EP has been rejected, as I already expected.. Thanks for all the advice and help anyway.

[hellogoodbye]

I know my question is a bit off-topic but I was wondering.. I am thinking about going on a holiday to Vietnam in 2014. I've been in Thailand before, just for vacation and the Tourist Visa was never a problem.

Of course this is a complete different country than Singapore or Thailand. But because my apply for Employment pass got rejected is there a possibility I will not be able to enter Vietnam on a regular Tourist Visa? This time I will just go there for holiday

I don't know how these things work and after seeing scary boarder television shows I am a bit scared that the rejection for an EP in Singapore will have influence on future traveling to Asia.

Thanks!

[JR8]

Unfortunately my apply for an EP has been rejected, as I already expected.. Thanks for all the advice and help anyway.

I imagine you're thinking it's due to your record. But I have a feeling it's because you weren't eligible for an EP in the first place, i.e. one was simply not required. Just in case this kind of question arises again I found the following links useful:
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Visitor Services

Visit Pass
1. Why is there a need for foreigners to obtain a Visit Pass?
The purpose of a Visit Pass is to regulate the stay of foreigners in Singapore. It may be granted at the checkpoint to a foreigner who wishes to enter Singapore for social, business or professional purposes or as a tourist.
http://www.ifaq.gov.sg/ica/apps/fcd_faqmain.aspx
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and

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Work Pass Exempt Activities - Inform MOM
Making a Notification

Foreigners performing any Work Pass Exempt Activity are required to notify MOM online after they have arrived in Singapore and obtained a Short Term Visit Pass issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore. MOM must be notified before the foreigner starts performing the Work Pass Exempt Activity.
http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/ ... tification
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and

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'Work Pass Exempt Activities.

Foreigners can perform certain activities in Singapore for short durations without a work pass. They can perform these activities for the duration of their short term visit passes subject to a maximum of 60 days. Beyond that, they will need to obtain a Work Pass. The waiver of Work Pass requirements does not exempt foreigners from having to comply with other specific legal requirements in Singapore.

Carrying out Work Pass Exempt Activities without notifying MOM is an offence under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
Please check the list of work pass-exempt activities below.
...[edit non-relevant categories]...

- Provision of Specialised Skills
Providing expertise or specialised skills:
The commissioning or audits of new plant and equipment (including any audit to ensure regulatory compliance or compliance with one or more standards).
In the installation, dismantling, transfer, repair, or maintenance of any equipment, processes or machine, whether in relation to a scale up of operations or otherwise.
http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/ ... fault.aspx
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and, the e-notification/info required to MOM...

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Personal Particulars:
Name
Date of Birth
Gender
Nationality
Passport/travel document number
Passport/travel document expiry date
Disembarkation/Embarkation card number
Short Term Visit Pass expiry date
Type of activity that will be performed
Period of activity (start-date and end-date)
http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/ ... tification
--------------------------------------------------

So it would seem to me, that for the purposes of the OPs kind of trip, a visitor would arrive on an SVP, and then make an e-notification to MOM. I think that it being termed a 'notification' rather than an 'application' is significant. This is also quite interesting to me, as I have never heard of this channel before. It is quite confusing having to look at both ICA and MOM, and it would be clearer if there was some kind of ‘official visa requirement decision tree’.

[hellogoodbye]

Thanks JR8!

I am guessing we will never know why my apply got rejected since they did not give up a reason, which I find very strange.

But on the other hand, my employer has done this many times and everybody applied for the EP as far as I know and they all went to SG with the EP. So that makes me think it was my conviction that influenced the outcome.

But it doesn't change the fact that it is allowed to go to SG for certain work activities with a Visit Pass and the embassy also told me I would not need the EP.

[9876]

I'm with JR8 on this one - there are many variables.
As well as the 'grey area' as to whether you really need an ep to be seconded here for a few weeks to work for the same company, the MoM have recently tightened up the criteria with regards to minimum salary for Q1 and P2 EP applicants, for example. Qualifications and work experience, etc are also coming under increasing scrutiny.

Hellogoodbye - out of interest, do you know what type of ep your company applied for?
Also, do you have a degree?
What is your currently salary (if you dont mind me asking)?
How long have you worked for your current company/How much relevant experience do you have?

That said, it may have raised a red flag that you were previously convicted of theft from a store and that you were planning on coming here to train staff in-store...

[chris_pilgrim]

@hellogoodbye

sorry to hear you failed to get your EP.

just out of curiosity, are you still coming to sg on social visit pass?