EP Rejected - Studying in Singapore

You can see plenty of information and discussions on same topic in recent months. I don’t agree with HR statement that MoM needs more information after rejection. It should be other way round that MoM asks for more information before they provides any conclusion. So, when HR appeals then provide additional information for MoM to consider, cause appealing without any additional information is fruitless. Now a days it’s taking longer than usual to see the result at MoM (minimum few weeks to maximum 4 months in some cases). Good luck

Thank you very much for your input.

Maybe when MoM can't draw any conclusion due to insufficient information, so they changed the status from "Pending" to "Rejected"?

I just checked the online EP application, it goes back to "Pending" again.

Not sure whether the problem is with me, or the HR

As I said earlier, if MoM need any additional information then they reach out employer, they don’t reject. But, yes if you provide any false or incorrect information, they reject your application after verified and don’t reach out employer further. So, before appealing at MoM to reconsider your application, you need to double check what did you provide earlier, correct if anything wrong (provide rational why it was provided incorrectly earlier) for MoM to consider. Same way, if you have any additional information on your education, job experience and new certification then submit at the time of appeal. Without any changes to earlier submission, result won’t change.

If it’s appearing as ‘Pending’ that means it was not rejected earlier. If it was rejected then it must have followed below process (see note).

Note: After appealing, your status will remain same “rejected”. It will only change to “approved”, if your appeal was successful. Good luck

surya2k wrote:

As I said earlier, if MoM need any additional information then they reach out employer, they don’t reject. But, yes if you provide any false or incorrect information, they reject your application after verified and don’t reach out employer further. So, before appealing at MoM to reconsider your application, you need to double check what did you provide earlier, correct if anything wrong (provide rational why it was provided incorrectly earlier) for MoM to consider. Same way, if you have any additional information on your education, job experience and new certification then submit at the time of appeal. Without any changes to earlier submission, result won’t change.

If it’s appearing as ‘Pending’ that means it was not rejected earlier. If it was rejected then it must have followed below process (see note).

Note: After appealing, your status will remain same “rejected”. It will only change to “approved”, if your appeal was successful. Good luck

Thank you for your kind clarification on this.

Sorry I am confused. Now the status is appearing as "Pending", means it was not rejected earlier. But when I checked the status (online status) last week, it was appeared as "Rejected" on Monday (8th January 2018) but quickly changed to "Pending" on Tuesday (9th January 2018). Means the application is rejected or not rejected?

Normally, if it was rejected and after you submit the appeal, it should have shown as rejected, it doesn’t change back to pending. Status pending only shows after submitting the application very first time. Unless from January this year, MoM has changed its processing style and can show pending after appealing on rejection.

I have heard about such cases before, where the status of "rejected" changed back to "pending" on appeal. This is not the normal case, but seems to sometimes happen.
I thus wouldn't read too much into it - just ask the employer whether they got a rejection note from MoM or not, and whether they appealed against it (and with which justification, additional information).

yeah. my rejection was on january. Probably that's why it shows in this way.

beppi wrote:

I have heard about such cases before, where the status of "rejected" changed back to "pending" on appeal. This is not the normal case, but seems to sometimes happen.
I thus wouldn't read too much into it - just ask the employer whether they got a rejection note from MoM or not, and whether they appealed against it (and with which justification, additional information).

HR says MOM needs more information about my position. Since they have already resubmitted my application, think it is not so nice to keep asking them about the exact reason for the previous rejection and what they have did to address the MOM's comments.

Shall I check with the HR, or just let them do their job?

I think it is legitimate to be interested in one's own application process.
In any case, without asking you will never know.

Hi diego145763,

May I asked you any updates for this?
I have face the same EP rejection on 4 Jan 2018 for my application as well , it has been 2 weeks passed. Quite worry.

Thanks

HI MAMA

did you see your application status as "rejected" or it is still pending?

Thanks for your advice.

I think I will drop the HR a mail next week to ask them the current status, and if there's anything I can do to help the situation.

mamamama1125 wrote:

Hi diego145763,

May I asked you any updates for this?
I have face the same EP rejection on 4 Jan 2018 for my application as well , it has been 2 weeks passed. Quite worry.

Thanks

Hi mama,

The current status is still "pending", it was "Rejected" for a day and changed to "Pending" on the next day on the 9th January.

May drop HR an email to ask for more information next week,

Hi guys, I think MOM is getting more strict in approving Epass. Some needs to downgrade to Spass just to be approved. Same thing happened to my friend who has been working here for 8 years. His EP renewal was rejected last August. This company is his third company since he arrived in SG and been an Epass holder. They re-appeal his pass but was rejected the second time. Their HR decided to apply or Spass for him and after two weeks it was approved. We'll never know what's the MOM criteria anymore.

MoM's exact criteria, while unpublished, can be deduced from circumstantial evidence like postings by affected people on this forum and elsewhere.
In your friend's case, it must have been too low salary - since he already had an EP thus obviously fulfilled the other criteria. MoM expects salary in line with market value - and market value increases with work experience. Thus if your salary stays the same, you'll fall out of the eligible range after some years.
That they gave him an S-Pass instead is pure goodwill: The two passes are meant for different groups of people (EP for university graduates and highly skilled individuals, S-Pass for technicians and diploma holders) an not interchangeable.

beppi wrote:

MoM's exact criteria, while unpublished, can be deduced from circumstantial evidence like postings by affected people on this forum and elsewhere.
In your friend's case, it must have been too low salary - since he already had an EP thus obviously fulfilled the other criteria. MoM expects salary in line with market value - and market value increases with work experience. Thus if your salary stays the same, you'll fall out of the eligible range after some years.
That they gave him an S-Pass instead is pure goodwill: The two passes are meant for different groups of people (EP for university graduates and highly skilled individuals, S-Pass for technicians and diploma holders) an not interchangeable.

I have 0 experience and my salary offer fulfills the minimum requirement for E Pass as published my MOM, hope it gives me more chance of getting the EP

FrankieOh wrote:

Hi guys, I think MOM is getting more strict in approving Epass. Some needs to downgrade to Spass just to be approved. Same thing happened to my friend who has been working here for 8 years. His EP renewal was rejected last August. This company is his third company since he arrived in SG and been an Epass holder. They re-appeal his pass but was rejected the second time. Their HR decided to apply or Spass for him and after two weeks it was approved. We'll never know what's the MOM criteria anymore.

What is his recent salary and academic qualification ?

I'm not sure how much his salary is but definitely it is in the required salary range for Epass. Bachellor's degree holder and his work title is assistant digital marketing manager.

My status is rejected since two weeks from 4Jan2018,
experience hire but 1st time apply ep, study in sg before, but unsure with the rejection reason too, hr have no idea and mentioned that will proceed for resubmit 2 weeks ago, ask to wait for 2-4weeks  , hopefully can have a result Soonest as possible...just want to know anyone are waiting currently for ep / any appeal..

Mamamamama wrote:

My status is rejected since two weeks from 4Jan2018,
experience hire but 1st time apply ep, study in sg before, but unsure with the rejection reason too, hr have no idea and mentioned that will proceed for resubmit 2 weeks ago, ask to wait for 2-4weeks  , hopefully can have a result Soonest as possible...just want to know anyone are waiting currently for ep / any appeal..

Maybe some missing document? HR told me that MOM needs more information about my position, and will gather those information that MOM requested and send to them

I also think of this possible.. do u think it must be three weeks processing time? Long waiting ...

Mamamamama wrote:

I also think of this possible.. do u think it must be three weeks processing time? Long waiting ...

this one i am really not sure, the deviation between one case to another case varies a lot. Some 1 week, some even 2 months.

Hi Guys, any update regarding your EP status?

阿华田 wrote:

Hi Guys, any update regarding your EP status?

approved on Monday

Hi Surya2k, sorry to interupt but could you help me with my case?

I first had my S-pass rejected from company A (due to insufficient quota) in July 2017.

However, I have a new offer from company B and they said they had applied for my pass in mid Jan 2018.

To current date, my EPOL application status is still rejected (from company A).

So my question is, will my new application status be updated and changed to Pending instead of Rejected?

You are right, check with your employer whether they had applied your work pass or not? Cause, once they apply, within a week or in second week it should change the status to “Pending”. Or it maybe that employer applied recently which is why it’s not updated in the system yet. Your employer can clarify the above queries. Good luck

Thank you so much for your reply!

I did enquire with my employer but he said the status is still Pending from MOM. Is there any chance that the status wont be changing until the new result (which is either Accept or Rejected) comes out?

It has been 3 weeks since, do you have any advice?

If they applied and it has not been decided on, the status is "Pending" - no matter what the onlkine system says.

Hi Everyone,

Want to share my experience here and need experts advice.

I have been working in Singapore on EP for last 4 years, I have done Bachelors of technology in Computer Science Engineering, salary around 7K, I'm in software security field.

Recently I got new offer to work for a new client, but all formalities were done with the help of a third party/consultancy so they'll be my employer and I'll be on their payroll and will be working at client location

My EP was applied on 17th Jan and after waiting for 3 weeks was rejected on 7th Feb with statement something like "EP can't be granted because employee can only work for employer not for any other client"

The consultancy has clarified to MOM that I'll be 100% on their role and also added my scope of work while re-appealing.

What are your suggestions is this how consultancy/client thing work ?
and what's your comment on getting my EP approved

I haven't heard of this - so far working for an employer who "rents out" his people to others as a service was possible on EP or S-Pass.
But maybe this is the start of a new development? Since there's obviously scope for circumvention of rules (about foreigner quotas, hire-locals-first policies or which companies can and cannot hire foreigners), I could understand if MoM starts closing this loophole.
Or there is another reason in your case.
In any case, try to be hired directly by the client you actually work for!

Thanks Beppi,

My EP was re-appealed on 12th Feb, but still the status seems as "Rejected"
Any idea in how much time will it change to "Pending" again ?

The system does not always show "pending"during the appeals process. Sometimes it stays "rejected."

Hello Everyone,

My name is Shahin and recently I have just completed Bachelor degree from one of the MoM   listed University.

My Employment pass was rejected last week and my company enquired the reason of rejection to MoM and MoM stated that the letter I submitted from my University that includes a clause "Subject to senate approval, He will be awarded the degree of X on X date" and that caused the rejection. Now, senate has approved my degree and my company appealed with senate approval letter.

Just to let you know, I can see my fin number even though EP application is new in their application checking portal.

Can you please suggest what are my chances of EP application to be approved ?

From your message, I couldn’t find out where did u study? What was the package offered and from which field (to know demand & supply ratio)? But, a fresher just complete his graduation is tough to get an EP, unless you passed out from a premier institution.

On FIN number generation, during online completion of your application, system will generate an identification number which will be your FIN number in future. To get EP approval depends on niche industry, JD profile, institute, degree certificate and past experience. Good luck

Thanks Surya2k for your reply. Sorry, I did not mentioned the details.

I've completed my study from University of Malaya, Malaysia. Currently, our university is ranked 114th in the world and best in Malaysia. My final result is Distinction (3.81 out of 4.00). The company offered me the salary of 3.6k SGD and the company is a tech startup. My professional title would be Software Engineer.

I did not receive my certificate yet since my convocation ceremony would be in October, 2018 so my university issued me a letter stating that I have completed all the requirements and my degree is approved and I will be awarded the certificate in October.

If the stated reason (you didn't have the degree yet) was the only problem, you have cleared it now (by submitting the cetrificate) and may have a chance.
But, as Surya said, it is difficult for a fresh graduate to get an EP. What do you offer that locals don't? The salary (minimum for a fresh graduate) also does not imply that the company is desperate to hire you.
Good luck - you'll need it!

Anyways, thanks everyone for sharing your opinions. It took 45 days to approve my EP.

Congrats, welcome to Singapore.

How long did your appeal took?