All posts tagged EP

Singapore Employment Pass Explained In Detail

By blogger on

Acquiring Singapore Employment Pass is what non-Singaporean citizens, or even residents desired in an effort of seeking Singapore’s business capabilities. The Singapore Employment Pass is considered as the main working visa to any entrepreneurs, managers, skilled workers, professionals, and business owners may he/she be a director or shareholder of a registered company in Singapore. The said Employment Pass is issued by Minister of Manpower in Singapore.

Being the world’s favorite investment hub, the Minister of Manpower finds it necessary to grant eligibility among foreigners to live and work in Singapore, thereby, eradicating all legal hindrances commonly associated in doing business offshore.

Traveling in and out of Singapore has never been easy and minimal hassle with a Singapore Employment Pass. Being able to acquire a Permanent Residence in Singapore is one step closer to be able to actually acquire a Permanent Residence in Singapore.Of course, this is subject to a few requirements and considerations. At any rate, an EP in Singapore is issued to the following individuals:

– All foreign individuals whose desire is to relocate to Singapore for matters related to business.
– All entrepreneurs who have already established business in Singapore and who wish to employ foreign individuals.
– All foreign individuals who receive an employment offer in Singapore.To make this work, the individual needs the employing company to process the application for EP on his or her behalf.

For first-timers, the Singapore Employment Pass is considered valid for 2 years but for the next renewal the validity would be for 3 years. In applying for an EP, the Minister of Memorandum provides a 3-step procedure described as follow:

Step 1
Before the application is submitted online, a newly incorporated company must obtain an authorization code from Minister of Manpower. Usually, the authorization code is released within a span one week or 2.
Step 2
After obtaining the authorization code, the EP application will then be submitted online and which will take 2 weeks for its approval.
Step 3
Upon approval, a letter known as In-Principle Approval or IPA is sent via e-mail from the Minister of Manpower.In claiming the EP, IPA will then be given to the Work Pass Division of Ministry of Manpower.The validity of IPA will hold 6 months, from the date when it is notified as approved.

Other requirements that applicants should prepare besides the IPA are medical exam which can also be done from ones country, a copy of present passport size photo, original passport with the entry embarkation cards, and other requirements given by IPA.

It is the sole decision of the Ministry of Manpower to evaluate applications for EP. The ministry takes into consideration pertinent aspects in evaluation such as present status of citizenship, salary of the applicant, age, pertinent work and experience, the company’s paid-up capital and background, and expected roles and responsibility.

The following are qualifications that a foreigner or applicant must possess to be eligible:

– An educational Diploma and or degree from a reputable college or university:
– Expert’s skills
– Professional qualifications
– Nonetheless, though an education is among the primary factors, it may be compensated by other factors in its absence.The Ministry of Manpower does not immediately discard applications by foreign individuals who have not completed a college degree or earned a diploma Either way, the following documents must be presented:
– Related certificates and a printed copy of Original Transcript of Records
– Detailed Resume or Curriculum Vitae indicating the employment and education history
– Testimonials or Certificate of Employment from previous employers
– A copy of Passport details

Should the documents expressed in foreign languages, the same must be translated into English by an official translation service accredited by Singaporean authorities.

Relative to the purpose, the Employment of Pass are in 3 types namely P1 Pass, P2 Pass, and Q1 Pass.
In order to attain P1 EP, one must earn a fixed monthly income not below S$7,000. The position kept must either be an executive, specialist or managerial.

The P2 EP is issued among individuals having a fixed monthly salary of more than S$3,500 and who possess satisfactory qualifications.

For a Q1 EP to be obtained the applicants must have a fixed monthly earning of more than S$2,500 and who should also have impressive qualifications.

Family members may then have a chance to visit or even stay for a considerable period of time since upon issuance of EP, the applicant can apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass or Dependent Pass.

Singapore Employment Pass Important Requirements For Foreign Applicants

By blogger on

The Singapore Employment Pass is a visa issued to foreign businessmen, shareholders, managing directors, supervisors, and employees with specialized skills, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

To prove their eligibility, foreign applicants are required to provide MOM with these following documents and certificates:
Educational certificates, and if applicable, testimonials from their previous employers.

All the documents and testimonials should be in English, if not, these should be translated into this language by an authorized translation service.
A completed Employment Pass Application form which is downloaded from MOMs official website.

For professionals: In case that their employer is a Singapore-based company, they should be sponsored by this business entity. However, if their employer is an overseas company which does not operate a local office, they should get sponsorship from a local company which must sign the EP form and stamp this with its company seal.
A company should provide its latest business profile which must be registered to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). However, if a company is not yet registered to this agency, it should provide at least the registration papers from its respective professional body.

The applicants passport-sized photograph which must be taken within the past three months.

Relevant travel documents and passport particulars of an applicant.

It is important to note that MOM usually requires additional documents and certificates to foreign entrepreneurs. For example, they are required to secure an approval letter from the International Enterprise Singapore if they are planning to setup a representative office.

The approval letter should state the purpose of the application, duration of an applicants assignment, and activity for the maintenance and repatriation of an applicant.

Meanwhile, foreign professionals such as doctors, dentists, school teachers, nurses, lawyers, and pharmacists are also required to submit supporting documents provided by their respective accreditation agency or professional body.

Requirements for EP Applicants

One of the most important requirements is a college diploma from a reputable university. However, passing in this qualification does not guarantee a successful EP application since MOM also considers other factors.

For professionals, they should have several years of work-related experience, specialized skills, and at least a fixed monthly salary of S$2,500. And for businessmen, strong entrepreneurial skills and their companys reputation, background, and paid-up capital will determine their eligibility for this visa.

In some cases, MOM also considers an applicants age, roles and responsibility in a company, and current citizenship.

Requirements For Singapore Employment Pass Eligibility

By blogger on

There are three categories of Employment Passes in Singapore: the P1 Employment Pass, P2 Employment Pass and Q1 Employment Pass. Before considering to apply for a particular employment pass, it is important that you possess all the required criteria to be eligible for the employment pass you are applying for.
The basic requirements to be eligible for a Singapore Employment Pass is that the foreigner applicant must have a fixed monthly salary of at least S$2,500 and must possess the recognized qualifications which includes acceptable degrees, professional qualifications or specialist skills. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is the authority that evaluates each EP application and qualification, based on a criteria that includes the following: global and country institution rankings by independent accreditation boards, hiring history by top companies in Singapore, validation by HR consultants in listed countries, employment outcome of the institution’s graduates, and the institution’s enrollment standards.
In addition to the foregoing basic requirements of monthly salary and recognized qualifications for a Singapore EP, each of the three categories of EPs have specific eligibility requirements and this article will discuss each of these categories briefly:
P1 Employment Pass
A P1 Employment Pass can be given to an applicant who performs a Professional, Managerial, Executive or Specialist job and has a fixed monthly salary of at least S$7,000.
P2 Employment Pass
A P2 Employment Pass can be given to an applicant who performs a Professional, Managerial, Executive or Specialist job and has a fixed monthly salary of at least S$3,500 and not more than S$7,000.
Q1 Employment Pass
A Q1 Employment Pass can be given to an applicant who performs a Professional, Managerial, Executive or Specialist job and has a fixed monthly salary of at least S$2,500 and not more than S$3,500. An applicant who does not possess the recognized qualifications as discussed in the first part of this article can still be eligible for a Q1 EP provided he possesses compensatory factors such as skills and years of experience, depending on the discretion of the MOM. A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience is a plus factor.
A fixed monthly salary, as discussed above, refers to the total regular income of a foreign employee earned from his job, including his basic salary, and this income must be paid to the employee on a fixed monthly basis, regardless of his performance.
A fixed monthly salary and/or basic salary does not include the following: additional payment by way of overtime, bonus or commission; any form of reimbursements or in-kind payments; any sum paid to an employee or contract worker to defray special expenses incurred by him owing to the special, unusual or hazardous nature of the employment; any productivity incentive payments and any allowances which are variable in nature; any contributions paid by the employer or employee to any pension or provident fund; or any gratuity payable on discharge or retirement.

Ways To Secure A Singapore Employment Pass

By blogger on

The Ministry of Manpower is authorized to grant Singapore Employment Pass to qualified applicants which will allow foreigners to work legally for a period of 1 to 2 years. Employment Pass is renewable as long as the pass holder remains employed in a Singapore company. This work visa allows foreigners to travel in and out of Singapore with minimum hassle in the immigration and apply for a permanent residency in Singapore.

For entrepreneurs who have just incorporated a Singapore company and planned to relocate to the country it is required to secure an Employment Pass, a work visa which will allow them to relocate easily. It is also a must for corporation wanting to transfer their staff such as managing directors and management staff of the company.

Here are the fundamental steps to note in securing a Singapore Employment Pass:

First, you need to be aware of the eligibility requirements. The following basic requirements should be met first:

Employment Pass Eligibility Requirements
Recognised educational diploma/degree
Professional qualifications
Specialist skills

Second, note that the the subsequent considerations is also examined by the Ministry of Manpower and may affect your application.

Salary
Age
Roles & responsibility
Related work experience
Companys background
Companys paid up capital
Current citizenship

Third, prepare your resume or CV stating your educational and employment history, copies of educational certificates and past employment testimonials, and a copy of your passport details after you assessed that you are qualified for the eligibility requirements. Remember that all non-English documents should pass through a professional translation firm for a quality translation. In addition, there are three Employment Pass categories, P! for applicants generating a wage of more than S$7,000, P2 for salary of more than S$3,500 up to S$7,000 and Q1 for salary of more than S$2,500.

Fourth, you need to hire the services of a professional firm who will apply in your behalf your Employment Pass. They will be the one to apply online to Ministry of Manpower as the application process is shorter. The normal timeframe of application approval is usually within 1 to 15 days before issuance. Once approved,an In-Principle Approval (IPA) will be issued by the Ministry of Manpower. The IPA letter will have to be produced upon collection of the EP at the Work Pass Division at Ministry of Manpower. An IPA letter is good for Six months from the date of notification of approval.

Fifth, Once accepted, you need to carry the following in order for you to get the Employment Pass:

Recently taken passport size photograph
Original passport with the entry embarkation cards
Medical exam report* (if the In-Principle Approval states that you require one)
Any other documents that are requested in the approval letter
A copy of the IPA letter

About Singapore Employment Pass Application

By blogger on

The Republic of Singapore welcomes foreign entrepreneurs, professionals, managing directors, shareholders of Singapore companies who plans to relocate to Singapore to manage their own company operations to process a Singapore Employment Pass Application. The Singapore Employment Pass Application is processed in the Ministry of Manpower. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) allows the foreigner to apply for an Employment Pass after they have incorporated their Singapore Company to enable them to live and work in Singapore. The EP does not fall under any quota system nor is there a monthly levy charge for EP.

Ministry of Manpower provides an Employment Pass with a validity of 1 or 2 years and it is renewable as long as the pass holder remains employed in the company. With an EP, you can travel in and out of Singapore with minimum hassle at the immigration checkpoint. It also gives you the benefit of applying for Permanent Residence status.
Basic eligibility requirements of a Singapore Employment Pass:
Generally, a recognized Diploma/Degree qualification from a reputable university is expected.
Professional qualifications
Specialist skills
Work related experience

Evaluation criteria of the Ministry of Manpower:

Salary of applicant
Age of applicant
Roles & responsibility
Repute of the company
Company paid up capital
Applicant current citizenship

It is vital to have a satisfactory educational qualification but it does not guarantee a successful EP application as the applicant also need to satisfy other criteria such as relevant work experience and/or professional skills. Moreover, an applicant who does not possess a recognized educational qualification may not necessarily be rejected for EP if he possesses other compensating factors.

Application Procedure:
1.Application to obtain authorization code to submit application online for newly incorporated company. Upon submission, it takes about 7-14 days for Ministry of Manpower to send the authorization code.
2.Submission of application online. It takes Ministry of Manpower between 1-15 working days to process the application.
3.Upon receiving the In-principle Approval notification, we will make arrangement for the collection of your EP.

Basic documents to furnish:

Resume or CV stating your educational and employment history
Copies of educational certificates and past employment testimonials
A copy of the personal particulars page of your passport

Once the application is approved, you will be required to submit the following documents. the Ministry of Manpower will issue an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter via email. The IPA
letter must be produced upon collection of the EP at the Work Pass Division at Ministry of Manpower. An IPA letter is valid for Six months from the date of notification of approval.
A copy of the IPA letter
Recently taken passport size photograph
Original passport with the entry embarkation cards
Medical exam report (if the In-Principle Approval states that you require one)
Any other documents that are requested in the approval letter