How To Effectively Tackle Employment Pass Rejection

It has been observed in recent years that the Singapore Ministry of Manpower has decreased the number of Employment Passes issued to the foreigners. Also, the Singapore Employment Pass Processing time sometimes stretches infinitely. People face difficulties as to how to appeal for Singapore citizenship. To solve all the problems, read the following pointers.

 

  • Why Is Your Singapore Employment Pass Rejected?

Your Singapore Employment Pass application can be met with rejection if it does not fulfil the minimum salary requirement of S$4,500 or the academic or work qualification.

 

  • Reasons For Employment Pass Rejection

Your Employer Did Not Maintain the Mandated Local to Foreigners Ratio

It is a mandate for all companies to prioritize the hiring of locals over foreigners to protect the Singaporean workforce. The employer must produce proof why they hired a foreigner and locals were considered and interviewed but their skills did not match the job profile. Companies with a disproportionate number of foreign employees showing disinterest in hiring the local labour force are less likely to obtain Employment Passes for their foreign employees. The policy follows the principles of the Fair Consideration Framework. The ones who do not abide let their employees suffer in receiving an EP.

Your Job Scope and Qualifications Do Not Match

Before an application is approved or rejected, there are certain qualifiers that are checked. They include salary demand, work experience, educational background, and market demand of the job. Only those applications are accepted whose qualifications align with the job requirement. The case is also applicable to degree holders whose degree is unrelated to their job.

Your Job Designation Can be Acquired By Local Resident

The reason why the Government promotes the contribution of foreign skills is to create a positive impact on Singapore’s economy. It only looks for those individuals who can contribute to the nation in the long run. If the same job can be done by a local citizen, then there is no reason to grant an EP to a foreigner in such a situation. Therefore, a foreigner who has skills viable to the business entity that are not available in Singapore is likely to have the employment pass application approved.

Time Spent At Your Previous Jobs Is Not Satisfactory

A heavy weightage is given to the fact that you have remained in all previous jobs for a substantial amount of time deemed to be satisfactory. An applicant who has failed to do so will be subjected to rejection. 

Issues With The Company Background

If your company’s business activities are irrelevant to Singapore’s economy, then your company has a weak Singaporean core, or your company belongs to an industry that is impertinent to Singapore. The MOM can ask for detailed information about the company’s business activity, manpower projection, and the reason as to why the applicant was chosen.

 

How to Tackle Employment Pass Rejection?

Take the help of an immigration consultant in Singapore or an expert as they hold an experience and knowledge of the MOM’s policies and work. Do research on the industry of the business and know if a role brings value to Singapore’s economy. Prepare and draft a strong justification letter explaining why the company requires you to fill a crucial role and what special skills you possess.

To get access to the Singapore Employment Pass, you must carefully scrutinize your documents and skills. Be vigilant of any mistake because it can cost you a rejection. Adhere to the policies and law of the land. Take suitable professional help from an immigration consultant in Singapore as and when required.

Job seekers, including foreign nationals, can work in Singapore with a good salary if they have the employment pass.  Foreign nationals with a professional job offer can apply for the Singapore employment pass if they meet the eligibility criteria. Either the employer or the appointed agent can apply for this work visa on behalf of the candidate.

Employment Pass

Singapore employment pass is the work visa issued by the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore for foreign nationals. Every foreign national required this pass to work in this country. Foreign nationals with this work visa can travel in and out of the country without applying for the entry visas. They can live and work anywhere in Singapore.

Who can apply for an Employment Pass?

Any foreign national who is a job seeker, manager, employee, and a director or owner of Singapore companies can apply for the employment pass. But the candidate must have the eligibility to apply for this pass.

Eligibility & Salary Requirements

You must know the employment pass criteria before applying for this work visa. Anybody with a job offer in Singapore can apply for this pass. He or she must work in a specialized, executive, or managerial position. In addition, he or she must draw a fixed monthly salary of a minimum of $4,500. Experienced or older candidates need higher salaries in order to be eligible for applying for this work visa.

Documents Required

A person cannot apply for the employment pass in Singapore without having proper documents. The documents required for the Singapore employment pass application are:

  • Copies of the personal detail pages of the passport 
  • Relevant educational certificates and a copy of resume
  • Written consent required from the side of the candidate for allowing the employment agent or company to apply on his or her behalf
  • The instant information or the latest business profile of the company registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
  • Any document requested by the Ministry of Manpower

Application Process

Singapore employment pass processing time can be varying from several days to weeks based on the credentials of the employment company in the country. The ministry also considers the qualifications of the candidate as well as the availability of his or her supporting documents and the process of the employment pass.

Cancellation and Renewals

A Singapore employment pass holder needs to renew it before his or her pass expires. Ensure to send the application for renewal at least two months before the expiry of it. 

Foreign nationals who no longer work with a Singapore employer can cancel his or her employment pass. They can also stop working or not renew the pass if they have no plans to work in the country. An employee can cancel it within one week after the last day of notice or one day after his or her employment pass expires. But if the applicant already becomes a permanent resident in the country, the Ministry of Manpower automatically cancels it.

With favorable geographical locations, Singapore is one of the best countries to expand your business. However, the norms and regulations for company incorporation in Singapore are very different. Several factors come to play before incorporating a business in Singapore. 

There are many leading company incorporation service providers in Singapore. But before stepping into the business world of Singapore and hiring any consultancy firm, one must have detailed knowledge as to how to invest and how to set up the business to get the maximum profit. 

 

Types of Business Entities in Singapore 

All the decisions needed to make for incorporating a company in Singapore, the most difficult is to choose the type of business structure. 

  • Sole Proprietorship

Businesses owned by one individual fall under sole proprietorship. The owner is fully responsible for the profit or losses that the company may incur.

  • Company or Limited Liability Company (LLC)

The company incorporated under the ownership of two to twenty partners falls under this section. The Singapore incorporation law and regulation provide a separate legal entity to the company that is aloof from its owners. This means that the risks, debts are made in the name of the company and not the individual owners. 

 

A Company Incorporated in Singapore Mainly Undertakes the Following Partnerships:

  • Limited Partnership

This type of corporation has one general partner and one limited partner. The general owner can either be an individual or a corporation who is accountable for all the debts incurred during his period as the general partner. As for the limited partner, he is liable up to a certain limit as mentioned in the signing contract of the partnership. 

  • Limited Liability Partnership

Two partners are liable for the debts incurred by the company based on the amount invested. They are not liable for the debts incurred by other partners. An advantage for this option, limited liability partnership reduces the risk of personal loss. 

 

Which Business Entity To Choose?

As the differences have been established, now comes the question of which one entity to choose. The answer lies in your situation and plans. 

  1. You should be aware as to how much capital you are willing to invest
  2. Will you opt for single ownership or do you want partners?
  3. Are you willing to take limited or unlimited liabilities?
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various business structures?

 

How To Set Up A Company In Singapore?

Foreign companies must abide by the Singapore company incorporation norms to expand or set up their business here. 

  • The owner of the business must be at least 18 years old.
  • Any business entity must have one representative residing in Singapore. 
  • A foreigner can apply for an Employment Pass under the new entity. 
  • The owner must also provide other documents as when required for the registration.
  • After the registration, one must comply with the post-registration processes.

Contact the best company incorporation service providers in Singapore to get the best possible solutions and guidance on company incorporation in Singapore. 

Approximately thousands of foreign companies get registered in Singapore each year. Simultaneously, the number of foreign professionals working in the country has increased considerably, and now more than one-third of the total Singapore workforce is made up of professionals from overseas. While several changes to the employment pass scheme are implemented each year to ensure that only the best minds could live and work in Singapore, overall, hiring foreign nationals in the country is relatively simple for business.

Below are some of the requirements for Singapore Employment Pass, the basis of Singapore PR application.

Singapore Employment Pass Application

First, companies who want to hire foreigners for work must ensure that they apply for an employment pass. Singapore employment pass is the primary form of work visa intended for foreigners who would like to work and live in Singapore. It takes around a month to receive an employment pass, and authorities must verify the record of both the individual employee and the organization that employs the immigrant. This employment pass is also a basis for the Singapore PR application.

Related Job Experience And Salaries

With the recent changes made in the eligibility requirements for an employment pass, Singapore authorities will look into the foreign professional’s related job experience, their educational qualifications, and their current and proposed salaries in Singapore. The third requirement is that salary is an essential addition to the work pass eligibility. Singapore wants to ensure that highly qualified professionals with an excellent professional background will join the country.

Hiring Companies

The Foreign companies that want to settle their business in Singapore and are planning to accompany some of their top-level management from their head office (the home country) will have to apply for the work pass upon registration of the Foreign Companies (i.e. Singapore Branch). Once again, it must be remembered that an employment contract must be made with each overseas worker they wish to move. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MoM) processes Singapore employment pass applications and will ensure that the job offered is valid and that all laws and regulations are complied with.

If a Singapore-based company wishes to hire a foreigner who is already working for another business in the region, the Employer should secure an EP In-Principal-Approval from MOM for the foreign professionals. If the immigrant ceases working for the company that had them initially hired, their work pass is to be cancelled immediately. Therefore, employers need to apply for a Singapore employment pass as part of the hiring of every foreign professional.

The added advantage to becoming a PR is that the flexibility of the career switching process often becomes less complicated. As a holder of the Employment Pass, any employer shift means you would have to cancel your current Employment Pass and wait for your new Employment Pass application to be approved by MoM before you can start work.

Employment Pass Holders

As each Employment Pass issued for an employment and foreign professional needs to go through the formalities for each and every career switching, thus, this can result in the loss of valuable time and resources in the process. That’s the basis that grows the popularity in getting permanent residency in Singapore, of course, foreigners who are looking to settle down in Singapore as one of the key points for Singapore PR application.

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