Employer didn't send IPA letter yet

If I understand correctly from your above statement that your prospect employer confirmed you that your S pass (EP is different and its selection criteria too different) was approved, then by right company should send you IPA as this letter comes from MoM (not issued by the company).

I have a basic question, how did you know that your S pass got approved from MoM, was there any official proof from MoM other that company informed you? If you have official proof then I believe you should not be scared of company is not going to hire you. As to hire a foreigner in first place is not easy and replacing with another foreigner before allowing you to work in the company is considered as cheating and wasting MoM's time and will have implications (unless the company hired a local talent instead a foreigner).

So, check above things to clarify yourself. Wish you all the best.

You have a valid work contract with the company - this is prerequisite for applying for a work visa. Such work contracts are usually conditional on issuance of the work pass (i.e. they are null and void if MoM doesn't approve it), but otherwise can only be terminated by either site by giving a proper termination notice. Since your employer did not terminate you, they are bound by the contract and have to employ you.
Just contact them and ask for the IPA to be sent to you as soon as possible!

surya2k wrote:

If I understand correctly from your above statement that your prospect employer confirmed you that your S pass (EP is different and its selection criteria too different) was approved, then by right company should send you IPA as this letter comes from MoM (not issued by the company).

Hi there, thanks a lot for replying. Yes, my employer confirmed to me that it was already approved. And told me that they're going to send me the IPA letter this Monday.

surya2k wrote:

I have a basic question, how did you know that your S pass got approved from MoM, was there any official proof from MoM other that company informed you? If you have official proof then I believe you should not be scared of company is not going to hire you. As to hire a foreigner in first place is not easy and replacing with another foreigner before allowing you to work in the company is considered as cheating and wasting MoM's time and will have implications (unless the company hired a local talent instead a foreigner).

So, check above things to clarify yourself. Wish you all the best.

My friend is already working in Singapore and checked for my status online (using my travel document number), by then I knew that my application's on process because in the Enquire Pass Status of MOM, my FIN is already there which really means the company really applied for my pass.

beppi wrote:

You have a valid work contract with the company - this is prerequisite for applying for a work visa. Such work contracts are usually conditional on issuance of the work pass (i.e. they are null and void if MoM doesn't approve it), but otherwise can only be terminated by either site by giving a proper termination notice. Since your employer did not terminate you, they are bound by the contract and have to employ you.
Just contact them and ask for the IPA to be sent to you as soon as possible!

I couldn't agree more. The employer is still not giving me a go signal or a notification though. Thanks a lot beppi. Are there instances that a company would cancel an IPA without notifying the applicant and look for another one? (and I haven't received my IPA yet!)

I still am waiting for the IPA (and hopeful)  so I could process my papers here and go back soon.

Then don't worry if FIN is already issued under your name then it's matter of time only to get your IPA.. Start preparing your next work assignment in Singapore. All the best

surya2k wrote:

Then don't worry if FIN is already issued under your name then it's matter of time only to get your IPA.. Start preparing your next work assignment in Singapore. All the best

Then I'll just wait for my employer to send my IPA letter issued by MOM right? Thank you buddy, you're of great help in my worries.

If the IPA is already issued, just not in your hands, you can also travel to Singapore on another visa and sort things out with the company and MoM after arrival (this is handy if you are eligible for visa on arrival!).

Edited: I see you are Philippino and thus eligible for visa-free travel within ASEAN.

beppi wrote:

If the IPA is already issued, just not in your hands, you can also travel to Singapore on another visa and sort things out with the company and MoM after arrival (this is handy if you are eligible for visa on arrival!).

Edited: I see you are Philippino and thus eligible for visa-free travel within ASEAN.

That's a great plan but is it alright to go back with a tourist visa again after a month? I just departed last July because my 30 days SVP has already ended. I just continued my application here with my roaming number.

A second entry with a gap of a month should be o.k. If immigration asks any questions, be honest ant tell them that you actually have an IPA, but the company didn't manage to send it to you in time before your trip. The officer will be able to see this in the system if you give him/her your FIN.

beppi wrote:

A second entry with a gap of a month should be o.k. If immigration asks any questions, be honest ant tell them that you actually have an IPA, but the company didn't manage to send it to you in time before your trip. The officer will be able to see this in the system if you give him/her your FIN.

I'll consider this one. It's risky when it comes here, they have eye on travellers who might plan to work in Singapore. Telling them that I got an IPA would be null to them, there is a requirement here in PH, you have to process your IPA with POEA before going back, by that then you'd pass the immigration in the Philippines. Thanks a lot beppi. 😊

Artzyyy, I think what beppi means is that you tell that to the Immigration officer in Singapore.

You will not be allowed to leave PH if you tell that to the immigration officer in Manila. You will need your Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), also know as exit pass from POEA. Most say it is better to claim that in SG.

Hi, i need some advice. This is my first time for me apply EP. Is that possible that I got fin number if my EP got rejected? Because I already have fin no but my company said that my EP had been rejected.Need some clarification on this.

Your query seems bit unclear to me. If your EP was applied by your employer, then where did you get the FIN number? You may ask the employer what was the reason EP got rejected, as MoM must have mentioned (even though in very short, but still enough evidence to know the reason).

So, I'm curious to know how MoM generated your FIN after verified your credentials and accepted you as an EP holder but later rejected (as per your employer's words). Good luck

Im also a bit confused a little bit regarding this and seek some advice through this forum. Yes, my employer did applied for my EP on early August and ask me to sign the form that filled with fin number and my details at end of August. However, yesterday they said that my EP got rejected on two attempts. I just wondering is that possible to have fin number in the first place if your EP got rejected? They also said that MOM does not very clear with the reason of rejection.

I'm still unclear about your further details, but one thing I never heard that after your FIN generated you need to sign any form. Cause initially you need to fill and sign an EP application form and send the soft copy to your employer who will apply through online and upload the complete form which you had send them. That's the only time you sign the form, after then once your EP application got successful and approved then a FIN will be generated, your employer will send you online generated confirmation of approval and ask your available time to visit MoM office for finger print and photo session.

In between there is no need to sign any form where your EP FIN number is mentioned. So, looking at your case, if you have photocopy of the form where FIN number had mentioned then recheck (I think that should not be your FIN number).

I don't know if MoM will do such mistake to generate FIN number of your EP and later rejected.

Regarding the form that i mentioned, that one is for the employer side which includes my details n also stated fin number there, which the employer asked me to sign. (Not  form for EP application).

Is there any way that i can check the status of my EP by myself instead of asking my employer??

Btw. Thank you for your clarification on the steps procedure of EP application above.

You may open the link and check your EP status:

https://eponline.mom.gov.sg/epol/PEPOLU … yAction.do

Another link for other details and guidance on EP process as your reference:

http://www.mom.gov.sg/eservices?categor … yment+Pass

Hope this helps.

Thank you so much. Really appreciate your helps and clarification.
Will go through the link provided.

Surya: The existence of a FIN does NOT mean the EP is approved. The application process (as far as I understand, but I don't work at MoM) is as follows:
1. Employer submits EP application form and required documents to MoM.
2. MoM officer checks the application - obviously bogus or incomplete ones are sent back without FIN generation.
3. MoM officer enters application into system. This generates a FIN number (if it's the job seeker's first application, otherwise the FIN from previous times is re-used) and the employer is informed - now they can check the status online.
4. If necessary, additional information or documents are requested from the employer.
5. MoM officer(s) and external (vetting) agencies check the authenticity of all documents, the eligibility of the company to hire foreigners and if the applicant is allowed to work in this job in Singapore.
6. A decision (EP approved/rejected) is made and the employer is informed.

Beppi: The above case was first timer to apply EP (as per the message), so there is no question about he/she is having a FIN number earlier (unless previously he/she was having a PEP or DP which is not defined here).

Secondly, this is the first time I came across that MoM issue a FIN before approving someone's EP or DP. Which I believe should not happen looking at the complexity and tediousness of it, where there is a possibility of rejection. Or else MoM has to track those FINs which are successful and which are unsuccessful then reuse later.

So, this is a piculiar case where employer signed a form with FIN number on it (not sure what is that form related to as further details are not given). I still believe MoM does not generate FIN number for each applicants irrespective of outcome, rather it generate FIN once it's approved in their system. Otherwise people here who are waiting more than 1 or 2 months must have hold one FIN number each.

A FIN is needed to check the EP application status online, thus a FIN must be issued before approval, otherwise the online system makes no sense.
Also, FINs are not reused for other persons. Once issued, it stays with you for life (or until you become PR/citizen).

Noted Beppi. I checked today morning with someone who does work in MoM, he clarified by saying after they input your data into the system an ID reference number will generate which can be used as reference number of your application and once application is successful, it Will be used as FIN and if not successful then keep it as referral ID of your application.

Though we may call it as FIN but in real it's an ID refer to your application till its successful, only can be used as FIN after your application is successful.

O.k., I didn't know about this distinction, I thought it's a FIN from the start ...
Thank you for clarifying - I learned something today!

People call it FIN from the beginning because once their application gets successful it's the same ID number is given as FIN. So, there is nothing wrong if you call it as FIN.

But in case application got rejected then this same FIN number will be referred as your application Identification referral number.

e.g. After applied 4 times, 5th time your application got successful so it will be referred as your FIN. But, prior to this all 4 times earlier will be referred as referral ID. In case you never applied after 4th attempt, then this will be stored as reference ID of your application.

Hi....pls help....my EP is showing as approved online but employer has not sent me anything.. .is it that issuance of IP A letter takes time or employer has changed his mind....pls reply

Could be either.
How long has it shown "approved"?
Why don't you contact the employer and ask?

Hi...Its been 3 days since I have checked online.. could be it was approved that day only or may be before.. how to check the date of approval ....employer was saying that it is pending...

Wait a few more days, then ask the employer about it.

Hi. May I ask if I can go to Singapore even if my pass is still in pending state? Can the singapore immigration officers see it when I enter SG?

You can visit here after travel visa )as a tourist you must have). If you are belongs to any ASEAN member countries, then you can come directly and at immigration check point, officer will give you 30 days visa.

Hi my agent asking money after my application approval and after that he will give the ipa..He also asking me to check online..You can check by your fin number..After checked the status you pay money like that.is that possible to cancel after it was approved before getting ip

First and foremost: It is not allowed (by Singapore law) to charge the job seeker for work visa application or issuance - all fees (they are low at around S$70) and costs must be borne by the employer. If the employer engages an agent to help them with the workl pass application, they must also pay that agent and cannot charge you.
I suggest you contact your employer (NOT the agent!) to get the IPA letter. If that does not work, you can also contact MoM directly, explain the situation and ask for a copy of the IPA letter to be sent to you.

The employer can cancel a work pass application (and in fact also a work pass after it is issued) at any time. If they do, you might be entitled to some salary or damages - check your employment contract!

I don't know my employer .I know only my agent ....

You don't know who you will be working for???
Then on what basis did you accept the employment offer and contract?

Maso Aravinth wrote:

I don't know my employer .I know only my agent ....

This is also happening to me now, I don't even know to whom I will work with(Company Details), no contract or offer letter provided and since I'm desperate to work in SG even I'm still employed here in Dubai I took the risk by trusting the agent. They keep on telling me that once my Spass will approve that's the time my employer will call and give out all the details I needed to know. Singing of contract will be done in SG as they said, and will fly by next month sept 07 without any proof on my side that I am really hired. Sad part is that I send money for admin fees, spass application fees, insurance fees, even asking me now to send the payment for my ticket, they said that booking of ticket will be done by them as it will go through MOM. So now im starting to doubt if I can really start a new life in SG after I read the post here at this forum.

The agent ask me to pay for Admin Fees, Insurance fees, application of spass like that even asking me to send the payment for the my plane ticket ,they said they will do the booking as it will go through MOM, I cannot book on my own. What should I do?

Quote//
Sad part is that I send money for admin fees, spass application fees, insurance fees, even asking me now to send the payment for my ticket, they said that booking of ticket will be done by them as it will go through MOM. So now im starting to doubt if I can really start a new life in SG after I read the post here at this forum.
Unquote//

Before you pay the money, you should try to explore the options and information regarding how it works here (Expat.com Singapore forum is the lively forum where someone can get all kind of information as an expat), there is no point feeling sad now. I have already replied you what you should do and what you shouldn’t, when you asked same question using PM.

Now, it’s upto you to repeat your mistakes again or wait to see if your S pass approved or not. Looking at these crook agents, I have doubt if they have applied your s pass in first place or not. They cheat people like you, who are so desperate. Once you have fallen trap by paying above fees, then now forcing you to pay your ticket price, which is completely unwanted (MoM doesn’t ask to provide your travel itinerary to Singapore as this is completely irrelevant for them). Good luck

Hello, need some advice.

Consulting company applied me for an employment pass and was approved though i don't signed anything regarding on my employment to them yet, i don't have any idea also how much will my salary be until i received the IPA,

I stayed here in Singapore with SVP and told the company that it is nearly expiring, they told me that my employment to them is not yet sure until they find me a client, they gave me IPA(not yet issued) so that i can use it to exit to Malaysia and to get another 30 days SVP. I am in Singapore again now with 30 days visa using IPA.

Is it possible for them to cancel anytime the pass the applied to me? What if other company apply for another pass for me and gave me another IPA, is it possible to use that again to re-enter Singapore? Cause right now i am not even sure how long will it take for them to look for a client and no assurance for my employment.

Thank you!

A company can only apply for your EP if you have agreed to an employment contract with them. This of course includes salary and planned start date, which they must give to MoM as part of the EP application.
Of course the employer (and you, too) can at any time terminate this employment contract by giving the contractually required notice. They must then inform MoM to cancel your EP at the appropriate date.
Since this “consultancy” is obviously not honest here (doubly so if they charged you for anything, which is illegal!), I recommend you forget about working for them and look for another opportunity.
Entering Singapore with an IPA is NOT the same as SVP. I have no idea what happens if you abuse the IPA in this way, but I would not recommend it!