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PEP Questions

Posted: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 1:50 am
by north
A few questions regarding my situation. I got a PEP prior to being laid off earlier in the year. I have not gotten a new job, and the PEP is valid for 5 years, but supposedly conditioned on (a) minimum income requirements (like S$60k / year, which I passed) and (b) not being unemployed for more than 6 months. I have a lease here and am quite content to ride out the storm here, unemployed if need be. I would like to keep the PEP though.

Questions:

1. Does anyone know if it is possible to extend the 6 month unemployment timeline?

2. What happens after the 6 months? Does it expire? Am I here illegally? Does it turn into a short term visa?

3. I'm going to be out of Singapore the month preceding (and including) the 6 month anniversary of the termination of my employment. What are the ramifications of my re-entry into Singapore after this time?

Thanks for any advice on the above. I'm not too worried about being allowed to stay in Singapore; my wife is employed here, so I could probably switch my pass to a dependent's pass. But that would obviously be less preferable as it might make me less attractive to future employers.

Posted: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:49 am
by carteki
A) Technically no, but it can't hurt to ask.

B) It expires and you need to arrange another form of right to stay. Not sure as to the actual steps.

C) It means that when you return you will need to enter on a visitors visa, or some other form.

Hope you manage to find some other work soon.

Posted: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:46 pm
by sundaymorningstaple
Said it all.

Posted: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 8:43 pm
by north
Thanks! One more question, if you know -- is there a length of new employment required to reset the 6 month clock? The regs say that the PEP will expire after 6 months of continuous unemployment. Would a 2 week stint at a part-time gig reset it, or are there length requirements?

Posted: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:24 pm
by sundaymorningstaple
Once you exceed the 6 months the PEP is cancelled. As noted, the granting of the PEP is a once in a lifetime affair (at least till now anyway). So once you lose it. It's not longer valid and cannot be reset or renewed.