Singapore Expats

Hi all,

For all people who prepare to submit a LPR and make a lot of expenses on translations (like me), here is a small update what I got back from SMC during my application in April 2010:

- Many applications submitted from July 2009 still wait for a decision letter (even simple 1 person applications). Waiting time can be 10 months +.
- Even Cambridge University PhD grads are rejected right now, while a nearby country bachelor student gets approved. SMC does not understand the logic of the ICA.
- Most rejections are the result of errors in Form4A and with the required documents, not from eligibility issues.
- Right now, the ICA wants LPR / PR people who want to convert to citizenship at the long run. Therefore, class A countries like the USA, UK etc are not that attractive since they are unlikely to become Singaporean.
- IF the current trend (long application times, many rejections even from top US applicants) continues, SMC is scared where the LPR scheme ends up
- The most important areas are Education, Income and achievements
- Whatever your job title is, match / align it with the MOM common jobs list. They told me that this list is used to asses your job. If you have a high position but it can not be matched and assessed by MOM with the common job list / strategic job list, your job may be underestimated or not understand.
- Use the word DEGREE instead of Diploma (Diploma is the latin translation). Even though they are the same in Europe by name (my master degree also states Diploma but it is a degree), in Singapore a diploma is a lot less!
- Due to all the small issues in my application that I experienced, it is better to submit it personally than send it by mail. Incomplete applications are always rejected, even if you are a honored PhD grad from Harvard
- Payment can be made by Singapore Money order (SINGPOST) / local check (DBS) and bank draft. In their forms SMC state only bankdraft (which is a problem for many countries like mine which do not use / issue checks and bankdrafts).
- Let SMC do all the certification of true copies. They charge S$5 per page, compared to 40 euro per page in Europe.

My overall impression was:

If you are not in a hurry, save your money & try EPEC or wait until after the elections.

good luck to everyone

Good Info

serve_the_servants wrote: - Even Cambridge University PhD grads are rejected right now, while a nearby country bachelor student gets approved. SMC does not understand the logic of the ICA.- Right now, the ICA wants LPR / PR people who want to convert to citizenship at the long run. Therefore, class A countries like the USA, UK etc are not that attractive since they are unlikely to become Singaporean.

Makes sense to me...The whole PR scheme is to boost Singapore's population as well as counter the effects of an ageing population .Most of these Ivy league graduates and those with advanced degrees are short stayers.These people do not need PR's they just need EP's

Yes, you are right.

Last month, a friend form the UK was rejected his PR even though he holds 2 masters and works on a p1 in Singapore for 3 years.

Another friend from Myanmar got his PR approved in three months with hardly any work experience (6 months) without any master.

Strange things are happening now. Last night a Singaporean taxidriver told me he saw this pattern many times in Singapore before. He said, just apply one day after elections, you will be fine.

There is just a lot of barking and biting right now, the game of politics is so predictable.

serve_the_servants wrote:Yes, you are right.

Last month, a friend form the UK was rejected his PR even though he holds 2 masters and works on a p1 in Singapore for 3 years.

Another friend from Myanmar got his PR approved in three months with hardly any work experience (6 months) without any master.

Strange things are happening now. Last night a Singaporean taxidriver told me he saw this pattern many times in Singapore before. He said, just apply one day after elections, you will be fine.

There is just a lot of barking and biting right now, the game of politics is so predictable.

Your friend from Singapore was working on what EP and what was his Job Description here? Thanks

He works as an technical engineer at a high-tech firm for about 10 months now.

Hi guys.

Hereby an update.

After 2 months and 3 weeks, my LPR application was rejected, pretty fast. As usual, no reason given.

This is the way it goes, I hold 2 masters (business administraton + information management) from a top-50 university, 1 honours master with best master thesis award. I am from the Netherlands, 27 years old.

I am an IT manager & architect, earn about 8k a month.

As suggested before, Singapore is looking for other people now. I tried it, but the 3500 S$ investment is wasted (application fee + translations). My application was put together with SMC, I spent about held a day at their office until they said that all was fine.

To all people waiting for the outcome, good luck!!!

Sorry to hear that serve_the_servants. What will you do next? Re-apply? or try other way (i.e.) EPEC? Just curious
Thanks

To be honest, I did expect the rejection quite a bit. It would be naive to expect an overseas PR application to be accepted while people working in Singapore (and adding $ to the machine) for three years are rejected for PR.

Anyway, I totally understand the current attitude of the SG Government. I wish that the government in the Netherlands would listen to its people for 1 minute. We are overloaded by foreigners that not even can read or write, and since they all have no job, I pay 50% income tax.......

Back to your question I am doubting between PEP or EPEC. I would like to go for PEP, but I am scared that it will be rejected because my wife and I married last April (MOM may think it is a marriage of convenience).

Perhaps it will be EPEC. But given the current EP rejection stream, I have to be very lucky. To increase my chances and stand out the Singapore IT consultants, I plan to take up advanced certification the coming 4 months (CSSLP, CISSP), since Master degrees aren't that appealing anymore in Singapore. Last month, the MOM minister said that Singapore has enough master students to cover all master jobs, so their is no need for a foreigner.

What is your plan? Did you apply for LPR? I will not re-apply in this current climate, that would be a waste of time and money, the message the ICA sent me is totally clear

As Kurt Kobain said, we are gonna serve the servants....

Well I m not sure now (not so excited anymore)
I haven't apply yet ..
Thanks for the news even its not a good news

serve_the_servants wrote: What is your plan? Did you apply for LPR? I will not re-apply in this current climate, that would be a waste of time and money, the message the ICA sent me is totally clear

As Kurt Kobain said, we are gonna serve the servants....

As Kurt Kobain said, we are gonna serve the servants....

Sorry to hear you didn't get approved! Maybe you should forget Kurt Kobain, and start serving yourself! A man with your education, should be looking at survival, knowing full well that MBA's are two a penny these days.

Kick start your life and drive your own destiny, you will be much more appreciated in Singapore!

Everybody knows how Kurt ended up

I will survive, see you in Singapore from january.