Am I quite certain to be approved?

Looking at your job offer (Quant analysts are in high demand due to special skill sets) and pay package, I’m very much sure you should get your EP in few weeks. Recently, our firm too hired few quant guys in our QSG function, all have got fat pays like yours and all of them got their EP approvals in less than 2 weeks time. Good luck

Thanks surya. I was getting really worried ( a bit less now) because I didn't know about this forum beforehand and since HR was so confident I just assumed it was automatic. Then I see the advice over and over here not to quit before IPA and scared myself. Next time i will be smarter!

Approved. One day. Thanks for assurance.

Congrats, welcome to Singapore..

surya2k wrote:

Congrats, welcome to Singapore..

Thanks. i was very surprised how quick because HR said they expect a week or worst case 2 for EP. DP now submitted and hope that approves fast too.

just for future informational purposes - was it irresponsible for HR to tell me to resign before getting an IPA? Should I have stood my ground?

It’s an unique case where HR asking a selected foreign candidate to resign from his current role as he or she is very much sure about candidate’s EP approval. But, as you are the candidate so it’s you who need to take the risk call and right judgment before acting upon someone’s advice.

Thanks surya. Your knowledge here is immensely valuable for everyone. I understand that I took the risk myself, was just curious if it was a negligible risk (say 1%) or a real risk (say 10%). either way point is moot now.

On the other hand I have another question - I haven't gotten the letter yet. In fact it isn't even available in ep online search yet. For EP of this nature, is medical exam necessary? I have no issues with HIV and TB, but I have mild diabetes, is that going to be a problem?

You will receive IPA letter soon, with that IPA letter you legally can visit Singapore with your family (if DP also approved for them).

Once you reach Singapore, in next day or two, has to visit any clinic which are authorised (Parkway Sheraton clinic is one of them) to do medical test. The report will be submitted at MoM (clinic will do for you).

do you happen to know if mild diabetes is an issue for MoM?

Should not be an issue at all.

surya2k wrote:

Should not be an issue at all.

Thanks. Was getting worried. One last thing - I just noticed that in the confirmation page my employer gave me for the application - for the question
Duration of Pass Applied For: 36 (in months)

I am puzzled because according to the MoM website, it says the first EPass is for up to 2 years?
This is my first epass ever.

It’s not employer gives you rather MoM approves the number of months. You can see IPA letter (once you received) how many months MoM has mentioned. As MoM has changed its criteria and yardsticks to give EP and S pass, there is possibility MoM started giving 3 years EP pass to first timers. Good luck

surya2k wrote:

It’s not employer gives you rather MoM approves the number of months. You can see IPA letter (once you received) how many months MoM has mentioned. As MoM has changed its criteria and yardsticks to give EP and S pass, there is possibility MoM started giving 3 years EP pass to first timers. Good luck

Just got IPA. It's for 3 years.
One other weird thing - on my application - for the question - "has the job been posted to the job bank?" - the answer was no. still approved. thought that was a requirement.

I think it should be yes, employer might have changed to ‘Yes’ later.

surya2k wrote:

I think it should be yes, employer might have changed to ‘Yes’ later.

actually i found the answer to my own question. If monthly salary is above 12k, there's no need to post on job bank

Jobs that are exempted from the advertising requirement
For practical reasons, you are exempted from the Jobs Bank advertising requirement in these cases:
 Your company has 25 or fewer employees; or
 The job position pays a fixed monthly salary of $12,000 and above; or
 The job is to be filled by an intra-corporate transferee (ICTs) as defined under the World Trade
Organisation’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (WTO GATS); or
 The job is necessary for short-term contingencies (i.e. period of employment in Singapore for
not more than one month); or
 Situations where there is no new job vacancy in your company:
 Conversion of your existing work pass holder to EP in the same company; or
 Renewal of the pass of your existing EP holder; or
 Your overseas vendor sending their staff to fulfil their contract for services to your
company

http://www.mom.gov.sg/~/media/mom/docum … .pdf?la=en

Good to know. Infact, if you are earning fixed salary 12k per month (last one year) then you can apply PEP and if you lose job, no need to leave the country, can stay and search for job. Employer no need to apply EP as you are sponsoring for your PEP.