ltrock wrote:Thank you sundaymorningstaple and durain for the information. In order to make sure that I am understanding the steps, I believe the following steps are:
1. Enter Singapore with a round trip ticket and be on a visitor status
2. Find a job in Singapore or apply for a Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC) if I need more time. I did the self-assessment on Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website and it indicated I would likely get approved.
3. Employer applies for Employee Pass (EP) for me.
- Is this generally correct?
Some more questions:
- Healthcare. Do you have any suggestions for good international health insurance policies? Are there any Singaporean health insurance policies that might be a solution?
- Expat Packages. Could you elaborate on expat packages? In terms of background, I have 10 years of U.S.-based experience in finance with investment banking and private equity. I am moving to Singapore for family reasons. Do you think it is a mistake to find a job when physically in Singapore as compared to finding it when outside of Singapore? Would I be considered for "local" packages if I get a job after arriving in Singapore? To what magnitude would the compensation packages differ?
Thank you again for your insight and advice.
The EPEC should be applied for before coming to Singapore. It will take approximately 7 days to process and you will be notified by email of approval and/or the necessity of submitting documents (Not required in the initial application) prior to arrival here. Having said this, I couldn't find anywhere where it said you could not file while in Singapore - so it may be possible but I cannot say for certain. The only thing I could find was in the T&C below.
The EPEC
MUST be applied for through the MOM website. Contact Singapore doesn't issue EPEC's. Like my own site, they link to MOM's sites. The only link to Contact Singapore is in the MOM FAQ's to see a list of Headhunter/Recruitment Agencies. They also show a link to the Singapore Yellowpages as well for the same reason.
If one reads my earlier link to MOM's site all will be explained clearly:
EPEC
This also taken from the MOM site regarding the Terms & Conditions for EPEC issuance:
Terms and Conditions
In order to apply for an Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate ("EPEC") online, you must agree to these terms & conditions. Application for an EPEC does not constitute an application or renewal of an Employment Pass. The EPEC is not a pre-requisite to an application for or a renewal of an Employment Pass.
1. Application for the EPEC is free of charge, and is not a pre-requisite to making an application or renewal of an Employment Pass.
2. MOM may ask EPEC applicants for additional supporting documents through the email address provided by the applicants. Please ensure that the email address provided is correct and applicants should check the email account frequently. MOM will not be responsible for any delay in processing caused by slow responses from applicants.
3. If your application is successful, please make any plans to leave for Singapore only AFTER you have received the physical copy of your EPEC. MOM will not entertain requests for reprinting of EPEC after the certificates have been mailed to the mailing address stated by the applicant at the point of application.
So. The order of requirement should be as follows.......
1. Apply for a Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC).
2. Enter Singapore with a round trip ticket and be alloted a 1 year stay to find a job.
3. Find job in Singapore . Employer applies for Employment Pass (EP) for you. Hope your profession is a needed one as the Employer needs to show cause why they cannot get a local to fill the position.
OR
1. Enter Singapore with a round trip ticket and be give a 30 day VISA.
2. Find a job in Singapore . Employer applies for Employment Pass (EP) for you. Hope your profession is a needed one as the Employer needs to show cause why they cannot get a local to fill the position.
3. If no luck in 30 days do a Visa run to a neighbouring country and get 2 additional weeks. If still not successful, be careful because the next time Immigration will probably indicate that they will not renew the next time. Or possibly apply for a LTSVP for 90 days (but you will need a local sponsor for that one). As you indicate possible family relations here this might be an option if they will sponsor.
4. If still no luck, return to home country with tail between legs to recoup loses spent because of not getting the EPEC (which is still not guarantee).
OR
Try to find a job offer while still in your home country and only come over here for the interview. Cheapest option all round.
I know, I'm as much fun as a stick in the mud!
Regarding your health insurance I cannot help much there but I have a list of Insurance Companies in my signature link. You can check out their websites for more information.
Packages. If you come here (and it sounds like you have an Asian wife) and your wife is Singaporean, it may hamper your ability to secure the best expat benefits (It shouldn't in a perfect world, BUT....) Most HR departments, even in MNC's are run locally by local managers. This has been discussed here before with makan-24/7 so you might want to do a search of his nick and look at some of the threads. The following one is slightly different as he is actually a Malaysian Chinese with long experience in the west, but will give you some insites to the local thought processes of HR departments
http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/ft ... ae4647c2a1
EP applications generally only take a week or two unless there are some doubts of educational qualifications. It used to take me only 3 to 5 days to get a new employee's EP. However, there were a spat of bogus Degree Certs in the last couple of years so they are doing a bit deeper verification of said qualifications now if they have the slightest doubt. If you have a processing EP, generally you can get an extension on a visa from ICA without too much problem.
sms
