EP Pending for more than 10 working days

Don't worry .
It takes time .sometimes .
All the best.

Regards .

Thanks RajRana1981. Hoping for the best. I am also MOE bond which gave me subsidised fees for my Masters degree at NUS and in return have to work in Singapore for 3 years upon graduation. I have just served 1.4 years.

In total how many years of work exp do you have ?

Including your work experience in Singapore and back in India if any ?

Regards

In Total, I have 2.3 years work experience as Analyst Programmer in India at Wipro Technologies from 2010 to 2013. Came for my masters in 2013 and graduated in 2014. Working in Singapore since June 2014 till date (1.4 years) as an Account Manger in an Ad tech company. So total 3.7 years of work Exp.

The time MoM takes for processing has nothing to do with your chances for approval or rejection.
I personally think you will have no problem getting the EP, just be patient!

Thanks Beppi! Hoping for the best.

Ep Approved today! Thanks!

Six weeks processing time?
Seems to become the norm nowadays.
Congratulations anyway!

If employer apply for EP then can i check the status of that on my own or i will have to rely on employer for getting the update.

You can check yourself online as well. at https://eponline.mom.gov.sg/epol/PEPOLE … yAction.do

I am currently working in india. Company is due to apply for EP in last week of Oct. So how to get "NRIC No / FIN / Malaysian New IC No". That would really be helpful.

Once the company applies EP for you - you can enter your passport number in place of "NRIC No / FIN / Malaysian New IC No"

A FIN number will be issued within a few days of your company submitting the EP application.
Ask them for it!

Hi Karthik100,

My situation also is the same. I was very panic and my ep status was pending from past 21 calendar days. In between employer was contacted by MOM for supporting document. I was browsing and ended up reading your post yesterday. After reading you got EP approved, I felt I will end up with the same good news.
Luckily today my EP got approved. Anyhow I just now registered this website to say thanks to you

For anyone who is looking for situation where EP approval is pending from many days, as matter fact the only thing we can do is just wait. HR can contact MOM, but EP approval process time will be the same for whatever the reasons.

Rejection might be quick, but if it is pending for some time that means MOM is reviewing the case. So, assume you will be hearing good news soon if your case is clean.

Best of luck for whoever landed here waiting for their EP approval. Cheers

Good to know your case, Adi.

Certainly, it will give self confidence to those, who are bit worried for delaying their EP or S pass approval.

Wish you all the rest from Expat forum.

Adi999 wrote:

Rejection might be quick, but if it is pending for some time that means MOM is reviewing the case. So, assume you will be hearing good news soon if your case is clean.

Hi Adi999,

Can the above be assumed ? I read this thread and i am also in the same situation & panicking. Luckily i haven't communicated to my current employer that i will be resigning soon. My EP application was filed on 6th June 2016 by new employer, but the case is still showing as "pending" under EP Online. As of today it has been 8 working days, so the usual SLA for processing times(7 working days) which MoM gives has passed already.

Thing is since i have agreed to join the new employer and it is an manpower agency, I am very worried whether the client (where i ll be posted) will wait till the time my EP gets approved. Since there is no way i can find out how much long it will take & whether or not it will be approved.

So because of the delay, the client[for whom i will work] might get frustrated & withdraw the offer altogether because of the processing time. Also it is very difficult to switch to a new job nowadays, as the industry & stream i am working is highly competitive. i tried giving interviews from the past 3 months to about 7-8 different companies before finally securing this one.

I am worried because of the fact that i am highly underpaid in my current role & the new role & offer that i am getting just matches me as per the market rate for the role. I really want to do what i am being offered by the new client. So hoping MoM responds swiftly.

It is just that i cannot do anything for this has left me frustrated & panicky.

EP processing times of a month or more are common - and the duration tells nothing about your chances for approval.
Do not resign from your old job before the new EP is approved!

Apr 9, 2016

Stricter rules for Employment Pass approval

The Manpower Ministry is adopting a stick-and-carrot approach in dealing with the issue of hiring foreign professionals.

Employers who persist in hiring them for no good reason and fail to have concrete plans to nurture their Singaporean staff will find it harder to operate and expand in Singapore.

The ministry is going to be more demanding before giving the nod for an Employment Pass (EP).

The criteria for approval will be changed to include such factors as the proportion of foreigners in a company and whether it tried to recruit Singaporeans for the job.

Also, it will examine the extent of the company's contribution to the economy and society.

Those deemed weak in all three areas will face difficulties in renewing the EPs of existing foreigners and getting new ones for fresh hires.

"The curtailment of work pass privilege will have serious consequences on (the companies') continued operation and growth in Singapore," Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say said in his strongest words yet on recurring complaints that foreigners are snatching professional jobs from Singaporeans.

He said: "(It is) not because we are anti-foreigner, but because (such companies') behaviour has added to the deepening of 'local-foreign' divide in our Singapore workforce."

On the other hand, companies that develop their Singaporean workforce will find it easier to bring in foreign experts who will transfer their expertise to local professionals, managers and executives, said Mr Lim. He was speaking during the debate on his ministry's budget in Parliament yesterday.

His ministry considers only the foreigners' background, such as qualifications, experience and salaries, when assessing EP applications.

The importance of preserving a Singaporean core in the workforce was highlighted during the debate by MPs like Mr Patrick Tay (West Coast GRC), Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten) and Mr Chong Kee Hiong (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC).

The minister assured them building a strong Singaporean core is one of his ministry's three key priorities.

He also said employment watchdog Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep) will be given a bigger role to investigate and recommend to the ministry employers who should be put on a black-sheep watch list.

About 100 firms are now on it. Over half of their jobs that pay above $3,300 a month are filled by foreigners, the minister disclosed, without naming the firms or their sectors.

Mr Lim also produced numbers to correct the perception that foreigners outnumber Singaporeans in professional, managerial, executive and technical jobs. About 79 per cent of jobs with a monthly pay of more than $3,300 are held by Singaporeans, he said, revealing the proportion for the first time.

Even in the infocomm and food and beverage sectors, where the proportion of foreigners is higher, it is 37 per cent to 38 per cent, he added.

But he acknowledged there are "pockets" of businesses where foreign professionals outnumber Singaporeans. "This is highly undesirable," he said.

He warned that these employers might already have broken the law by not making "reasonable efforts to provide fair employment opportunities" to Singapore citizens.

The tough move worries Nominated MP Randolph Tan, who asked: "Are we going too far in the opposite direction?"

Mr Lim replied: "I'm very mindful of this and I'll always make sure that the interest of pro-business, pro- worker will always be harmonised and, hopefully, always strike the right balance."


https://www.gov.sg/news/content/the-straits-times-stricter-rules-for-employment-pass-approval

Hi,

I'm glad to know that that you guys got your EP approved after the long waiting period.

I am also waiting for my EP to be processed. It has been 10 days since submission and I am starting to panic that I check the status 2-3 times everyday. I cant really do anything as this would be my first real job. And my friends getting theirs in about 5 days definitely doesn't make me feel any better.

I am a recent graduate from a university in Singapore, and it took me almost a year on my savings to find an employer who is willing to hire me. I am under the MOE bond as well. It would be really really depressing if I get rejected or my employer just decides to abandon me

Sorry for the rant, I just want to get this off my chest. Thanks.

Don't worry Alex, be patient. If your job is unique (employer had emphasized this well to MoM), all the documents provided to MoM is genuine and based on the weight points at MoM site if your application is entitled for an EP then I don't think you should be worried.

Wishing you all the best, hope we will hear good news from you soon.

niru12345 wrote:

Adi999 wrote:

Rejection might be quick, but if it is pending for some time that means MOM is reviewing the case. So, assume you will be hearing good news soon if your case is clean.

Hi Adi999,

Can the above be assumed ? I read this thread and i am also in the same situation & panicking. Luckily i haven't communicated to my current employer that i will be resigning soon. My EP application was filed on 6th June 2016 by new employer, but the case is still showing as "pending" under EP Online. As of today it has been 8 working days, so the usual SLA for processing times(7 working days) which MoM gives has passed already.

Thing is since i have agreed to join the new employer and it is an manpower agency, I am very worried whether the client (where i ll be posted) will wait till the time my EP gets approved. Since there is no way i can find out how much long it will take & whether or not it will be approved.

So because of the delay, the client[for whom i will work] might get frustrated & withdraw the offer altogether because of the processing time. Also it is very difficult to switch to a new job nowadays, as the industry & stream i am working is highly competitive. i tried giving interviews from the past 3 months to about 7-8 different companies before finally securing this one.

I am worried because of the fact that i am highly underpaid in my current role & the new role & offer that i am getting just matches me as per the market rate for the role. I really want to do what i am being offered by the new client. So hoping MoM responds swiftly.

It is just that i cannot do anything for this has left me frustrated & panicky.

Still pending so still have to wait it seems right ? 

Two things you can do at present. Either have to wait without thinking -ve aspects of your case or may request to your employer to contact MoM to see if they can respond with some information to know the cause of delay. All the best.

My EP also in pending from 7th June. Hoping for the best.

my New employer has applied for EP on 23rd May and I got my EP on June 14th.

I guess EP process has changed and now its taking bit more time than before , One of my friend is still waiting for EP approval , his application was submitted on May 20th around.

Aryan_sg wrote:

my New employer has applied for EP on 23rd May and I got my EP on June 14th.

I guess EP process has changed and now its taking bit more time than before , One of my friend is still waiting for EP approval , his application was submitted on May 20th around.

Hi aryan_sg,

You give me hope man !!

surya2k wrote:

Two things you can do at present. Either have to wait without thinking -ve aspects of your case or may request to your employer to contact MoM to see if they can respond with some information to know the cause of delay. All the best.

Hi surya2k,

Thanks for the advice. I tried requesting my new employer to try contact MoM but they mentioned that i better wait as it is taking long time generally across everywhere.

Additional info/update

I have got another offer from an equally good employer but there are pros & cons. if you ask me, i can opt for either as either one would nurture me & shape up my career better.

So what should i do now ? If i withdraw my previous application, what are the chances my new IPA will be approved.

If i stick to my current offer, i will have to forcefully say no to the newer one.

Worst case: if MoM rejects my current IPA, i lose both of my opportunities & why ?

Just because there were differences in timings of the offers. Is there any way by which multiple IPAs can be filed & the candidate can be given a chance to choose ?

Here in this case, i am losing an opportunity just because of process delay.  i didnt know which would come first & who would reject a offer in anticipation that the other will come.

You can have only one EP application running at any one time.
Thus for the new employer to apply, you'd have to cancel the first (delayed) application first.
There is no guarantee that then the new application is approved faster or at all - MoM looks at every one on its own merit.
So you have to decide which one you want to pursue. If you want to continue the first application (which at least is partially processed now), maybe you can delay the second employer long enough to still go with them if the first application is rejected.

Thanks Beppi, Seems that is the only logical thing to do.

Hi All,

Just had a word with my prospective employer, with the intention of politely pushing him to let me know what exactly is the reason for the delay.

He mentioned to me that MOM is being very strict in approving new EP, based on the guidelines given by SG government that processing time from now onwards would be a minimum of 1.5 months everywhere. And i should be getting a response before the next weekend i.e around 14-15 July about the status of my application.

Not sure how much this is true ?

Note: my application for IPA was filed in 1st week of June and the status till now is pending. The status hasn't changed till now.

This makes me more nervy hearing about retrenchment everywhere & SG Government trying to go anti foreigner etc etc.

Any one having any ideas on this, can throw light on this issue ?

So now you finally believe me?

beppi wrote:

EP processing times of a month or more are common - and the duration tells nothing about your chances for approval.

Hi Beppi,

You being a senior member of this forum, i am not challenging any of your facts in any way . It is just that i am not able to digest the fact that apart from waiting there is no other option.

I have been following you & your valuable advice since the time i came here. In fact i remember you had given me advice on the salary information & living standards prior to coming to SG some 2 years back which really helped me a lot till now.

Regards,
niru12345

niru12345 wrote:

Additional info/update

I have got another offer from an equally good employer but there are pros & cons. if you ask me, i can opt for either as either one would nurture me & shape up my career better.

So what should i do now ? If i withdraw my previous application, what are the chances my new IPA will be approved.

If i stick to my current offer, i will have to forcefully say no to the newer one.

Worst case: if MoM rejects my current IPA, i lose both of my opportunities & why ?

Just because there were differences in timings of the offers. Is there any way by which multiple IPAs can be filed & the candidate can be given a chance to choose ?

Here in this case, i am losing an opportunity just because of process delay.  i didnt know which would come first & who would reject a offer in anticipation that the other will come.

Update

Just an update on my application. It is still showing "Pending". Over 1.5 months have passed since my application for EP was filed.

Based on my previous communication with the prospective employer, i waited patiently & managed to talk to the HR today.  I inquired about my case, for which i was told that "MOM has asked for some internal documents of the company itself".

On further checking whether MOM has asked about any documents missing from my side for my application or any issue with my application, i was told nothing required & asked to wait till next week.

Seems the delay for my case is due to scrutiny of the employer based on the new stick-and-carrot approach adopted by MOM, where it is checking on the 3 core rules introduced to ensure strong Singaporean Core everywhere.

Hoping things to be clarified by next week  .

My husband's Epass was applied on 25.07.2016 and until now it is still pending. Agency who applied for his pass said just wait.

It is a relief to read this forum and finding out that delay  of MOM approval is really happening nowadays.

We are hoping we get approval soon.

niru12345
Hi! Any news on your pass approval? I hope you get it soon.

Still pending.. No news yet..!

niru12345

Don't worry, I think nowadays they are really strict. My husband's epass was applied by the agency on 25.05.2016 and until now it is pending. He's been working in Singapore for about 6 years as a software engineer. We were told by the agency to just wait. No other documents asked from him by the agency/MOM.

Is your's directly applied by the Company? Or through an agency and you will be deployed later on.

Thanks!

tweety_jo21 wrote:

niru12345

Don't worry, I think nowadays they are really strict. My husband's epass was applied by the agency on 25.05.2016 and until now it is pending. He's been working in Singapore for about 6 years as a software engineer. We were told by the agency to just wait. No other documents asked from him by the agency/MOM.

Is your's directly applied by the Company? Or through an agency and you will be deployed later on.

Thanks!

Hi Tweety_Jo21,

It was applied by an agency & i will be deployed later on.

May i ask all if there is a maximum time frame of processing the applications ?   The reason i am asking is a big project is going to start in my current company soon & it will go till 3 years. I myself would feel for my current employer if i commit to it and later resign if there is an approval.

There is no maximum time for EP processing. The longest I heard of was 2 months.