How long will my work pass (EP, S-Pass, WP) application take

We have discussed these topics before. Please read existing forum posts before you ask a question again!

Hi beppi is it possible to have 2 pending spass applications at the same time?

No.

Hi All,

My EP application has been pending for around 5 months. Has anyone heard similar case before? Can give me some suggestions?

Thanks!

Hi. What does this mean? My employer told me it’s not about quota:

“company is not suitable to employer foreign employees”

Sid1988 wrote:

Does anyone know that once e pass got approved what will be the next steps?
Do I need to talk to my company or they will contact once they get IPA, and is it possible to check IPA online.
My status is showing Approved but I can't find out the validity and all.

Application: 6th March 2020
Approved: 24th March 2020

Stay healthy & Stay Safe to all

Hi Congrats,

Your Pass Approval, My Status is still showing Pending, I am really worried

I can always see only Pending, No other remarks

I am just wondering what are the possible reasons for this Delay, it is more than 3 Weeks

What are the chances of Approval

Is it possible to communicate to MOM for this delay? Anybody Please reply

Sid1988 wrote:

Does anyone know that once e pass got approved what will be the next steps?
Do I need to talk to my company or they will contact once they get IPA, and is it possible to check IPA online.
My status is showing Approved but I can't find out the validity and all.

Application: 6th March 2020
Approved: 24th March 2020

Stay healthy & Stay Safe to all

Hi,
Can you please tell me in detail steps how you checking your Status

@venzz:I have checked my status on the official site.https://eponline.mom.gov.sg/epol/PEPOLENQM007DisplayAction.do
Don't worry it may take some time, mine is already approved but no communication from my company for the last 3 days, so I guess it is due to the unstable situation, they will approve once situation get feasible.


@Beppi/Surya:
My visa got approved since 24th, but no communication from my company, I have read all the posts and I supposed to get IPA, just need a small input that is it right to ask them about this or shall I wait for coz I too don't know in this situation how to follow up

ToBeLucky: That is an extraordinarily long time. Youremployer should contact MoM to find out what is holding it up!

Sapphire: This means the company is not allowed to hire foreigners. You better look for anotheremployer!

Vigneshcoke: You should read existing forum discussions about the processing time. It was 1 - 2 months before the virus issue, probably more now.
Your status can be checked by logging into the EPOnline system on MoM's website.

Sid1988: Of course you can ask your employer about the status!

Sid1988 wrote:

Does anyone know that once e pass got approved what will be the next steps?
Do I need to talk to my company or they will contact once they get IPA, and is it possible to check IPA online.
My status is showing Approved but I can't find out the validity and all.

Application: 6th March 2020
Approved: 24th March 2020

Stay healthy & Stay Safe to all

Hi Sid / Venzz,

Does your degree Certificate is Verified by MOM? Do you Submit your highest degree or all the degree Certificate you have?

I am asking this because we three submit our Application on same week, you both got Approval but mine is still pending

I have a Master Degree and Diploma through distance education one year course, after EP I had query to submit My Diploma All Mark sheet, I have explained it is one year course so only Mark Sheet
Does MOM will verify all the Certificates or highest one

I am worried if MOM went on degree verification, now in India there is lockdown for 21 days untill 14-Apr, it means after the University resume then only they process the Application

Please share your experience

You cannot compare your case with others - even if ALL parameters are same, you might be processed differently (if only for random spot checks they conduct).
In any case, distant learning degrees and certificates are not recognised by MoM. So, in all likelyhood, they will reject you for that.

@vigneshcoke
I don't have the full answer for your question, but once the MOM requests your employer to verify your educational certificates, you will be informed by the company.

To verify your degree, the employer needs to engaged an external agency (RMI or Dataflow). For my case, it's RMI. RMI will need you to provide a letter of authorization to allow them to check your personal information. This letter is the reason why the employer contacts you.

RMI says it would take 15-20 days for the verification. But that wasn't in the virus situation. Some universities do it online while some others only do it via physical mail. Hopefully your university can provide the service online.

Hope this helps.

Hi guys!
This forum has been really helpful. Would like to seek some advice.

I am already on an EP here with a different company, however I recently got a new offer in another field with a monthly salary of $5000. My new company have submitted an e-pass application on my behalf, but was also informed that 4 of their candidates ( senior level, out of country, out of country qualifications) were rejected in 2 weeks. I'm definitely not going to resign my current job now, but would like your help to see if my chances are high?

27 F
Medical & Travel security industry
$5,000 basic monthly
2 master's degree, one from NTU Singapore.

I apologise If this is the wrong thread to post.

The main factor will be whether there are suitable locals available who can do the job. Just S$5000/month seems too low for two [link moderated]. degrees - or do you have no applicable work experience?

Hi Beppi,
Thank you for your prompt reply!

I do have 2 years 7 Months of work experience for the job, however they were all abroad and some were for NGOs.

Thuylive wrote:

@vigneshcoke
I don't have the full answer for your question, but once the MOM requests your employer to verify your educational certificates, you will be informed by the company.

To verify your degree, the employer needs to engaged an external agency (RMI or Dataflow). For my case, it's RMI. RMI will need you to provide a letter of authorization to allow them to check your personal information. This letter is the reason why the employer contacts you.

RMI says it would take 15-20 days for the verification. But that wasn't in the virus situation. Some universities do it online while some others only do it via physical mail. Hopefully your university can provide the service online.

Hope this helps.

Hi Thuylive,

Really Thanks for your detail response

My case is three weeks finished since EP Applied, as of now My Employer didn’t inform me that they need to verify My Certificates or to engage any 3rd party

So can I conclude that My Degree Certificate Verification is not initiated  by MOM

In your case after how long MOM ask ti get the Degree Verification

Also My Employer didn’t told that Distance Education Certificates are not recognised in that case MOM still can consider other Full Time Master Degree submitted along with the same EP

Please give your response

beppi wrote:

You cannot compare your case with others - even if ALL parameters are same, you might be processed differently (if only for random spot checks they conduct).
In any case, distant learning degrees and certificates are not recognised by MoM. So, in all likelyhood, they will reject you for that.

Hi Beppi,

Thanks for your response

My Employer didn’t told that Distance Education Certificates are not recognised by MOM in that case MOM still can consider other Full Time Master Degree which Submitted along with EP, because I have given 3 degrees in which only one is distance education

Also My Employer didn’t share me what is the Queries being raised by MOM what is the conversation going between them, they asked me to share the Mark Sheet only one time

Is that any way that we can check what is the actual query, as an individual using only Passport can see the status always “Pending”

MoM will consider all information they have.
Conversation between MoM and your employer is only known to them. Ask!

Sapphire: This means the company is not allowed to hire foreigners. You better look for another employer!



Hi beppi, my employer wants to appeal on this. Is it possible?

Sapphire17: Appealing against a rejection is always possible, but they'd have to know the reason and change it before doing so - otherwise it is a waste of time.
Another aspect: The just published, very bad economic data will almost certainly have an impact on the labour market - and preserving jobs for Singaporeans by imposing a hiring ban on foreigners is a suitable measure here. Nothing is announced yet, of course, but you can expect to fall into this hole very soon.
I recommend you make alternative arrangements, e.g. with a job in another country (or your home). The chances in Singapore are vanishing!

Hi beppi thank you for the response. I am currently in singapore, and employer still wants to appeal on that kind of rejection thru agency. Any advice?

if there will be such ban, does it mean that all existing applications will be declined as well?

Hi All,
After my epass got approved on 24th today I got a call from my company stating that due to the current situation they cannot release offer coz they don't know what will happen down 2 months, so hr told that she will process once situation will calm down.

Now I cant conclude that is she denying with a valid virus reason or still I have chances of getting an offer once the situation will calm down.  And do anyone has idea that now the company is avoiding releasing offer. For info, my company is a pretty big outsourcing company.
Beppi or Surya, any idea because I am so confused after today's call, I thought after getting e pass approved it will be an easy road

@vineshcoke

My employer informed me about the degree’s verification 1 week after they applied for the EP. I’m not sure if this timeline applies for most cases. I don’t know about distant learning degree either.

As it’s been 3 weeks since your EP process started. Like @beppi has suggested, I think you can check in with your employer for update. Good luck! I’m waiting for my pass result too.

Sapphire17: If they want to appeal, they must find out the rejection reasons first and then do some changes so it does not apply any more. Otherwise it willjust be rejected again.

Happygirl123: Nobody can foresee the future. But knowing the way Singapore works, I think it would not be a blanket ban on foreign workers, but making it much more difficult in most cases - something like foreign hiring only for very essential function with no local expertise existing.

Sid1988: What do you mean by "release offer"? To apply for an EP, a valid employment contract must exist. Check your contract for the termination terms and notice period. The company can withdraw your EP at any time for any reason, but they still need to fulfill their part of the contract and terminate it properly.

Hi beppi the rejection is like this:

We assessed the supporting documents the we have requested from you, unfortunately we find that your company is not suitable to employ foreign employees.

Do you have any ideas on this? Thank you

Sapphire: This means the company is not allowed to hire foreigners. You better look for another employer!

Cannot be appealed? My boss says she wants to appeal on this rejection. How?!

Sapphire17: Appealing against a rejection is always possible, but they'd have to know the reason and change it before doing so - otherwise it is a waste of time and it will just be rejected again.

Thanks beppi, actually I have received an email with offer details before my epass got filed, but the official contract and offer letter they supposed to send after visa got approved. Now they are saying situation is quite bad and they do not want to take the risk so once things will settle down they will initiate it.  I don't know really it is due to the situation or it is just a way to not giving IPA letter, though it is from a renowned company so I hope they are not telling a lie.

Sid1988: If there is no employment contract agreed upon, the company cannot apply for an EP. So either you have a contract without realizing it, or the company is not telling the truth (or both).
Note: An offer by email and your acceptance of it is already a contract!

Ok got it, yes I have sent acceptance through email for joining date as ASAP, so that is the contract.
Actually hr told me that if they release an offer now and cant aboard me during my joining then I will lose my job in my present company and at the same time won't able to join them so that will be difficult for me. So they want to wait for the situation to settle down in Singapore after that they will proceed.
I have read in the MOM newsletter that they have put a travel ban on long term visa holders so maybe that is the reason.
Hope will get positive reply from them after 15 days, else I also don't have anything that can be done from my side.

You are right: Foreigners cannot currently enter Singapore even with a valid visa, unless they are working in essential services (e.g. healthcare and transport). This is unlikely to change in 15 days.

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to share my experience and gather some inputs. I've been going through all the related forums here and noticed that these days, a lot of approvals seem to be coming in on day 7, day 9, day 14 or day 15 after the application date. I understand that there isn't a fixed timeline, but this is from observation.

A quick question: Since March 20, has anyone gotten their EP approved? If yes, how long did it take from the application date.

Another question: If anybody knows or would like to share an openion, is the COVID situation slowing down EP approvals even for those who are already working in Singapore on EP and just looking for job change / renewal?

A bit information here about my application:

Pass: EP
Date Applied: 18th March 2020
Status: Pending (as of 30 March)
I've been working in Singapore for the last 4 years (have 1 EP renewal in the past)
I'm changing my job
Salary : 7K
Experience: 6 years
Company background: A very popular social media app worldwide

If anyone has any comments, please do let me know as it's been a while now and I've started getting a little anxious here.

Hi @Goldy_Sam01,

I totally understand your predicament, and have the same questions. I'm also doing a change of EP for a new job and my HR called me to tell me that some of their candidates got their EP app rejected in the last two weeks, and it's making me so anxious

Hi,
Just want to know what are your guys’ opinion on my case.
I returned from China on 31st of Jan.
Currently working in Singapore for 2.5 years.
My new company applied a new EP for me but got rejected in the first place, even we already upload the travel history declaration.
The agent contacted MOM and tried to appeal.
MoM only asked for my education certificate and allow to appeal. Agent already submitted the appeal.
Not sure whether the appeal can be approved or not. As I already been back to Singapore and haven’t travelled out since 31st of Jan.
Yearly salary: 100k+
Experience: 4 years
Thanks in advance

Hi ,

I am in the same situation. My new company submitted EP application in 2nd week of Feb but it got rejected after 24 days of submission. Rejection was due to the salary range issue with the job advert. Company has appealed last week after posting the job advert again for 14 days. Current status is Rejected and do not know if it will be approved or not by looking at the current situation of virus.

Hey guys,

My EP just got approved today!
I checked the status at 6.30am last this morning and  it was still pending. At 12pm today when I checked, it's approved.
Date of application: 18th March 2020
Date of approval: 30th March 2020
Approval time: Morning
Status went from pending to approved, no other states.

P.S: I've been on Singapore EP for 4 years now and I am changing my job.

Vj1307 wrote:

Hey Hi,

My application got rejected last evening. I checked with the Employer and they had mentioned that the educational credentials was the reason.

They did inform me that they would check further with the MoM and let me know on the supporting documents required.

I am suspecting my PGDBA, which wasn't listed as approved college / university in the SAT list.

Looking forward for some update from the employer so that the EP is reapplied. Am confident that it would be through. But nervous....

Hi,

I have also used one of My Degree based on distance education with PGDBA from Alagappa University and another Master Degree Full Time

My EP Application is also Pending

What is your status now, did your Employer applied again, did MOM consider B. E alone for your EP because many of then have only Single Degree, did you got your EP Approved?

Hi Beppi / other Experts in this Forum,

I read one old Post as shown above stating that distance education is not recognised by MOM PGDBA and have chance to rejection of EP

Is MOM will not consider other degree provided for EP Application

Also Mr. Vj1307 said re Application foes need to increase the Number of degree or higher level of degree, it seems kind of strange requirements, does anybody heard similar like this

What is the solution for such case?