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

beppi · 2018-04-10T11:41:40+02:00

There have been numerous discussions and questions recently about the time needed to process a work pass application. For the benefit of those inquirers - and to avoid multiple threads about the same topic - I would like to explain the process in detail here: First, let me say that MoM does not disclose their actual internal processes, so the following is based on circumstantial evidence and observations by some users here (mainly Surya and me), plus what other users post about their own application process and results - so please come back here and post yours, to improve the information available on this site. Furthermore, MoM is a law unto itself - and has the right to do whatever they want, including deviating from their own rules and publications. It is their game, their court and their ball. If you don't like this, don't apply! That said, the following are guidelines that apply in most (but not all) cases. In addition, it is the status as of now (Apr.2018) and things can and do change. 1. A Singapore work pass can only be applied for by a Singapore-registered employer willing to hire you. They must submit the offer letter (accepted by you) and full job and salary details. They cannot apply before this is settled. 2. The employer has to cover all work pass application fees (and if they engage an agent to help with the formalities, also the agent's fees - Please note that an agent alone CANNOT apply for a Singapore work pass!). They are not allowed to charge the job seeker for it. Thus all Singapore work passes are free of charge for the job seeker! 3. On submission of an application, MoM first performs a rough check if the application can be entered into the process. The submission will be rejected if - the application is not complete (e.g. missing documents or information), or - the job seeker already has another work pass application running 4. If this check is positive, the application is entered into the system. This means a FIN number is issued (and the employer informed of this) or an existing FIN of the job seeker re-used and the application entered into the EPOnline system with status "pending". It may take a week or so until this is done. 5. Next, the officer in charge will check whether the employer is allowed and able to hire foreigners: - Is the industry strategically allowed to hire foreigners (e.g. due to a lack of local workforce)? - Is the company banned or had problems with foreign employees in the past? - Do they have a viable business model and can pay the offered salary? - Does the employer have space for you in their foreigner quota (S-Pass and WP only)? - Was the job posted on the jobs bank for two weeks, with no suitable local applying? During this stage, MoM may ask for additional documents from the company, and process will resume only on their submission. If MoM then decides negatively, the application is rejected without further checks. This stage may take 1 - 3 weeks, depending on the workload of the officer in charge. 6. After this, your personal credentials are checked: - Are your submitted certificates recognised and correct? MoM may (at their discretion) engage external agencies (e.g. in your home country and elsewhere) for the verifications, which by itself takes 2 - 12 weeks (the timing is out of MoM's control) and can be seen by your EPOnline status changed to "pending input from vetting agencies". - Is your background (education and work experience) suitable for the job offered? (Note: It is basically impossible to get a work pass without experience in a similar job.) - Is there a strategic interest (and benefits) for Singapore to have you working here? - And, last but not least, is the offered salary within the market norms for this job in Singapore? You will be rejected if you earn too little or too much! Again, additional documents and information may be requested during this stage (e.g. a justification why the employer wants to hire you and no other candidate). If not, this may take 1 - 3 weeks. 7. If all these checks are positive, MoM will approve your application, inform the employer of this and send an IPA (In Principle Approval) letter to them. The IPA is your visa to enter Singapore, so you should travel within its validity (usually a month). In exceptional circumstances, the IPA validity can be extended by up to a month (the employer must apply for this). If the IPA expires and you didn't travel yet, you lost your chance to work on this job! 8. After your arrival, a health check is required in most cases. This is mentioned in the IPA. 9. Then MoM will issue the actual work pass (usually on the spot or within a day) and you can start work. From submission to start of work, you should realistically plan for at least two months, but this can be shorter or longer depending on many factors nobody can foresee. Some additional notes: - MoM rarely discloses any rejection reasons, but sometimes the wording in the rejection letter gives a hint. E.g. "This candidate is not eligible for a work pass, please look for another candidate" means you have no chance of getting any work pass at all, often due to misconduct in the past (MoM has a very long memory and good databases!). - A rejection can be appealed against by the employer. For this to be successful, additional information must be included that alleviate the rejection reason. If the reason is not known, it may help for the employer to arrange a personal meeting with the officer in charge. You may come along to such a meeting. - If the appeal also has been rejected, the decision is final and you cannot work on this job in Singapore. - An appeal process can take as long or longer than the original application. - In some, rare cases where the employer has very strong reasons for you to start work before the application process is completed, they can request a temporary work pass from MoM. - In all other cases, there is nothing you can do to accelerate the process. MoM takes as long as Mom takes - and all you can do is wait. There is no point asking on this forum how long it will take (nobody here knows!), or complaining about it. - You or the employer can, however, at any time cancel the application for any reason. This of course ends your attempt to work in Singapore. Good luck! (Yes, al lot depends on this, too!)

Last activity 29 November 2024 by aimocomia

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2129 replies

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its_bharathNew member27 May 2020 09:31:05

#921

My EP approved today

Details:

Visa type : fresh EP not renewal.
Applied: 04/05/2020
Rejected: 16/05/2020
Appealed:19/05/2020
Approved:27/05/2020

All the best to those awaiting for the result.

Charlie_123New member28 May 2020 01:35:45

#922

Congratulations ! That's fast

happygirl123New member28 May 2020 09:03:44

#923

Hello,

My company appealed one month ago. Is it possible that at the beginning status was pending, then changed to we need inputs from other agencies and now back to pending again?

Charlie_123New member29 May 2020 12:22:14

#924

Hi all, my EP got approved today . Took precisely 9 days in the approval . All the best to everyone waiting for the results.

its_bharathNew member29 May 2020 15:59:08

#925

Congratulations !

thena001Member30 May 2020 07:26:53

#926

Congratulations !

K GDMMember30 May 2020 10:28:37

#927

Hi,

Can anyone please offer any guidance? I have been in Singapore 10 months on a DP and got a job offer beginning of April. The recruitment agency sent EP application on 2 April. MOM replied quickly asking for more documents, one of which was university certificate as my middle name on the university transcripts I provided was missing so didn’t exactly match that of my passport. Unfortunately I have lost my uni certificate and can’t get a replacement during lockdown. I therefore got a verification letter from my uni but MOM said that was not enough and would need third party verification from Data Flow.

The recruitment agency sent the request for vetting to Data Flow on 21 April and the result is still pending. When chased they advise they cannot give information as to why it’s taking so long but they will come back by 2 June.

The problem is the role is a maternity cover and the lady needs to leave very soon so we are running out of time and the company has mentioned they may look to recruit in the UK instead and cancel the EP application.

Has anyone dealt with Data Flow, is it likely they will come back on 2 June with the verification of my degree? - my uni is on the MOM recognised list and they have my transcripts and a verification letter already.

If they do hopefully come back with positive verification on 2 June my recruiter says we need to send a new EP application to MOM, any idea how long it could then take to get the approval letter given MOM have had all my documents already? And I can start work with the approval letter whilst waiting for physical pass?

So many questions I know, I’m just so confused and stressed by the whole process but also accept not having my uni certificate is a huge error on my part.

beppiGermany - Singapore Expert30 May 2020 15:53:58

#928

15310

I have no experience with Data Flow. But a new EP application takes anywhere between a few weeks and several months at MoM. You cannot start work before the EP is issued. But if it is urgent, your company can apply for a temporary EP to cover the time until the actual EP is approved. Do not put your hopes up too high, though: Such temporary EPs are only issued very rarely and the company has to give a very good reason why this is needed.

Sapphire17Active member31 May 2020 08:50:23

#929

Hi all, is anyone here knows if someone holding spass before can be downgraded to work permit?
Nationality is filipino, degree holder.
Thanks

beppiGermany - Singapore Expert31 May 2020 08:58:50

#930

15310

There is no such downgrading.
But an employer can apply for a WP for someone who previously had an S-Pass. MoM would grant it if all the requirements are met.

Sapphire17Active member31 May 2020 09:09:07

#931

Hi beppi thanks!
Meaning mom can approve even if salary become lower by -$1000?

beppiGermany - Singapore Expert31 May 2020 09:14:53

#932

15310

If MoM decides that this is within your market value, in principle yes. But I think this is unlikely. Were you overpaid before, or underpaid after the change?

Lizzy_lizzyMember01 June 2020 11:51:04

#933

Charlie_123 wrote:
Hi all, my EP got approved today . Took precisely 9 days in the approval . All the best to everyone waiting for the results.

Hi Charlie_123 can you please share if you are already in Singapore ?

Charlie_123New member01 June 2020 13:03:54

#934

Hi Lizzy, yes I have been in Singapore only, on a student pass

thena001Member02 June 2020 03:23:14

#935

Hi,

I was signed a agreement with company A (my agent. they are the one responsible to paying salary). I have to work for Singapore PSA. But A company didn't have quota to hire foreigner. So some other B company apply my EP. I didn't have any agreement with that B company and also i don't no that company name.

EP related details like following.

Applied: 01 May 2020
Rejected and Appealed: 05 May 2020
MOM informed that they need more time to review : 25 May 2020 (need another 3 week)

my questions are

1. is this kind of things(signed with one company, EP apply another company) possible to do in singapore?

2. is this affect to my EP processing process(MOM ask another 3 week)?

beppiGermany - Singapore Expert02 June 2020 06:23:46

#936

15310

1. No - and it sounds fishy! You should only work for a company that you have an agreement (contract with and that pays your salary.
2. Only if MoM knows about it - then the EP will be rejected.

thena001Member02 June 2020 07:33:07

#937

Thanks beppi.

AmaNTUNew member02 June 2020 12:35:18

#938

Hi Charlie, congratulations on the speedy approval. I am also on students pass. Did you submit any document in particular to help with the speedy approval process?

GuestPoster292Guest02 June 2020 13:22:29

#939

214245

Hi, does anyone know if MOM will process new EP application if the applicant is not in SG currently ?? Since the "circuit breaker" ended and now in phase 1 and slowly reopening. Thanks.

Lizzy_lizzyMember03 June 2020 08:09:08

#940

ydkm wrote:
Hi, does anyone know if MOM will process new EP application if the applicant is not in SG currently ?? Since the "circuit breaker" ended and now in phase 1 and slowly reopening. Thanks.

Hi Ydkm,
My HR says MOM is still not approving Passes for those outside from Singapore and I’m also trying to find out if someone not in SG has got approval... so far no confirmation.

mrdadaNew member03 June 2020 12:54:21

#941

Hi everyone,

Little update on my case.
Today, the MOM asked for my resume (CV). According to the message send to my HR, they will give an answer after reviewing my CV.

Has someone already had to do this ? I find it a bit surprising, because they are already aware of everything that is on my resume.

Thanks. I really hope to have a positive result soon.

thena001Member03 June 2020 14:37:59

#942

Hi,
Please someone tell me what are the MOM web site status messages (according to order) need to pass during EP processing process?

Nyc_bomNew member03 June 2020 16:26:50

#943

Not EP but 3 DPs for family not in Singapore was approved today in less than 8hrs.

nageshbNew member04 June 2020 01:17:38

#944

As per my consultant even in my case MOM asked for my CV. Had got EP before in 7 and 3 days.. now applied EP on 15/05/2020 still no update.

Lizzy_lizzyMember04 June 2020 03:08:16

#945

Nyc_bom wrote:
Not EP but 3 DPs for family not in Singapore was approved today in less than 8hrs.

Thank you so much for the information.

timothy90New member04 June 2020 03:20:58

#946

My EP was applied on 11/05/2020 and there is no update from MOM. There was no contact from MOM for additional documents whatsoever.

timothy90New member04 June 2020 03:27:13

#947

Does anyone have experience contacting MOM regarding our pass application progress? It feels passive relying only on HR and it is much better if we could talk to them ourself to figure out the reason for the delay.

nageshbNew member04 June 2020 04:29:12

#948

My EP application got approved today.. applied on 15/05/2020

Priya-1304New member04 June 2020 05:18:39

#949

Hi Nagesh, congratulations.

Are you currently in SG or outside? Was it a new EP or a renewal? Also, has it been a straight approval or you had to go through an appeal?

Thanks

nageshbNew member04 June 2020 05:43:46

#950

I am currently in SG. It's a direct approval no appeals. They asked additional documents like my CV and hiring effort from my employer. It's not renewal since changing the new job.

Priya-1304New member04 June 2020 06:18:11

#951

Ok. Thanks for the info. All the best for your new job.

timothy90New member04 June 2020 06:30:34

#952

nageshb wrote:
My EP application got approved today.. applied on 15/05/2020

That is fast. Congratulation!

beppiGermany - Singapore Expert04 June 2020 20:11:10

#953

15310

jolly2612 wrote:
Located: OutSide SG

Very low - unless you are working in an essential service sector (e.g. medical).
Read https://www.mom.gov.sg/covid-19/frequen … s-services

shaneslMember05 June 2020 05:44:56

#954

Hi there
Do I want to visit to MOM to register fingerprint after the EP notification letter?Or else are they have contactless procedure to get the EP card?

Dhannu111Member05 June 2020 11:04:54

#955

Hi,

Can you please tell me what was the status of your application when appeal was made ?
Rejected or pending?

StskMember05 June 2020 11:09:18

#956

Hi sir spass renewal apply 23 /05/20 and rejected 26/05/20 and appealed 29/05/20 how can check spass appeal status....

shaneslMember05 June 2020 12:33:54

#957

It was approved(on 11th of May) after appealed on the 9th of April.

GuestPoster292Guest06 June 2020 08:24:26

#958

214245

Hi, can share what industry is your job in ? essential ?

Sapphire17Active member07 June 2020 04:12:46

#959

Hi,
Is anybody here in construction sector? Have you done swab test? How long and how to get the result?

happygirl123New member08 June 2020 14:20:18

#960

hello, i have been waiting for my employment pass more than 4 month, currently it is in appealed status more than 1,5 months ( currently rejected at MOM website). Can another employer apply for a new employment pass for me, while my current EP is under appellation?

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