New members of the Singapore forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018

Hello my name muhammad im planning to move and work in singapore. Im currently working as a medical representative in Bayer Pakistan. I wanted to ask if its legal for a visit visa pass to job hunt in singapore? Im actually now starting to send cv online. I hope someone will give me advice. Thanks

Muhammad21: You shopuld read more on this forum (and elsewhere) about job search in Singapore. As has been stated several times before,  job search on a SVP (tourist visa) is allowed. You should just not expect, after your SVP expired, to be able to return with another one.

Hello everyone, my name's matthias and I'm looking to gain experience outside the EU. I've got an engineering degree from a German university. Somehow I believed the german engineering degree would be highly regarded, but as it turns out it isn't . I'm still confident however that I'll find a job, I think it should be possible

Matthias: as you have noticed, a university degree alone does not make you stick out from the masses of (cheaper third-world) applicants.
I recommend you get a few years good work experience and some useful niche skills and then try again.
One more hint: A German „Diplom“ (university degree) is NOT a Singaporean „diploma“ - which is a mere technical certificate - but nearer to a M.Sc.

Hi, I'm Shandy, just move Singapore from Indonesia for 1 month and currently working here permanently. Looking forward to get new friends and community also.

Hello Fellow Expats,

I am Manish. I am from Canada. I had lived in Singapore for 15 years and invested in a condo close to Dakota MRT. Since I am in Vancouver for next few years, I am renting out my condo. I have put an  a for this in the housing section.

I already miss my morning Roti Prata, and Teh Halia.

Thank you
Manish

Hi,
I'm abdullah from Tunisia, I have an IT bachelor from tunisia and i have more than 4 years IT training & teaching , more than 5 years Entrepreneurship consulting and SoftSkills training
I want to immigrate to singapore, so i want to know if my experience is in demand there
and if it is a good idea to applying to job from outside singapore (because i hear  i need more than 1 month to get job and an other 1 month to get WorkVisa )
any information is welcome
thank you

IT is still a field with jobs available in Singapore, but your chances depend on your specific skills, how well you present yourself - and of course luck.
Unless you have rare niche skills, applying from abroad is very difficult (in most cases, your application will move to the trash right away). You are right: A month is definitely not enough to find a job, 3 - 6 months is more likely - plus of course 1 - 2 months for the work visa. But you don't need to be in Singapore the entire time.
Good luck!

hi all! sorry for having no photo (will upload soon!) I'm Evelyn, i'm waiting for my EP application status (fingers crossed it will be approved!)
I am Chinese Indonesian, studied in Indonesia and Australia, and I'll be working as a piano teacher in SG. Nice to meet you guys! 

Welcome to the forum, Evelyn!
I don't think we had a piano teacher here before. I wonder if, in the artistic field, it is easier or harder to find a job and get a work pass?

Hi! Sorry for late reply! And umm if you compare it to other EP applicants, let's say accountants, i think there will be less applicants. There are also other things that make u worth consideration to be hired like: versatility as a musician (can u play other genres, are there any extra skills that u can offer to a company, e.g: composing, accompanying, arranging) bcs in the end, it's always nicer to hire a local (less paperwork) so you have to proof that you're worth the extra work

Hi all! My name is Neo from Philippines. My S pass application just got approved and will be flying to Singapore in few weeks time

Hello my name is Kelvin. My wife and i moved here from Australia 6 months ago. We love the food and are enjoying ourselves in Singapore.

Hello, I'm Jas, from Philippines! Actually been working here in Singapore for 9 years and staying here for 11 years. Tho, i'm new on the site! Hope to make friends and widen my network!

Hi my name is Katyna, and I'm from Singapore.

Hi,
After graduating I left Singapore before the expiry of Student pass (couldn't submit back) means I never overstayed there.
Now after almost half year, I want to gain LTVP for job seeking purpose and other uses.
What shall I do?

You can get an LTVP only as close relative of a Singaporean or foreigner who works or studies in Singapore (and as pregnant woman who wants to give birth here).
You cannot get an LTVP for job search (although once you have an LTVP for other reasons, you can also look for a job).

Hi all, thanks for accepting and looking to explore more..

Hi everyone,

I am currently working on a Full-Time Service Crew Role with a Multinational Food Franchise company that offers an excellent package that I thought might be of interest. It is a booth/stall rather than a cafe/restaurant. Preferably Dependent Pass Holders or Singaporean PRs due to it being a new outlet. Do let me know if you are keen to have an open chat on this. Thank you.

Hi Guys, I am actually a Singaporean and I have a friend from Morocco. He is currently wanting to find jobs in Singapore without using any agency and he does not have any contact in Singapore as well. Do you guys have any advise on what he can do to find a job in Singapore? He will be coming to Singapore using tourist visa next month and hope to get a job in Singapore in time to come. Hope you guys can give some suggestion. Thanks!

If he has no connections, you could help him with yours.
Apart from that, he needs a good education (university degree recognized by MoM), at least three years applicable work experience and skills that are rare and in demand in Singapore, because if there are suitable locals, they must be hired first.
Good luck - he needs that, too!

Hi Thanks for the reply! However my friend was looking into those mid skill work like as waiter, chef etc without using any agency. unfortunately I don't have any contacts or connection on the such job roles. Do you have any idea where I could find information in getting jobs in Singapore for mid skill workers?
Thanks!

In that case he needs a technical certificate recognized by MoM. The rest remains the same.

Hello, I'm K.Bala, from india ! Actually been working here in Singapore for 7 years and staying here for 8 years. I am  new on the site! Now i will try to move in other country.
(Looking for job -Electrical and instrument supervisor cum QC inspector.

Hi all. I am a Singapore but my beautiful wife is from Vietnam. I am self employed and owned the website [link moderated]
Cheers all.

My wife and i have been legally married in Singapore three years ago and have tried many many time to get a long term pass, but was rejected all the time with no reason. ( I am a Singaporean  ) The last application was trough the Prime Minister's office. Just feel very very tired every going to ICA office to extent her monthly stay here with me. If you are an ICA officer, please tell me why?  My wife is suggesting she go back to Vietnam and i go to visit her when i have my time. SAD!

Try to get LTVP+ which will allow her to work legally and can stay.

Or else ask her apply job as a foreigner then once she got through, employer can apply work pass (EP or S pass) based on her experiences and qualifications. So, she doesn't need any LTVP to stay here.

I believe your income doesn't allow her to qualify for long term visa.

fyi, for foreigners must have minimum S$6000 per month salary to apply for dependant pass for their spouse, so as you are a Singaporean you should have earned S$4,000 or above to get LTVP for your spouse (there is no official amount defined for Singaporean but I assume it should be around $4k). This could be the possible reason why ICA is not allowing your spouse to get her LTVP. Many ICA officers don't like to get letter from ministry as recommendation. Good luck

Note: I'm not working in ICA.

Good day everyone!! I am pearl I am new to this forum. I have a job offer from accounting firm in Singapore and the agency already lodge my employment pass last May 17,2018. By the way, I am an accountant with almost 5 years of experience from Philippines and i have offered above the salary quota of e pass. Do i have chance  to be approved??

Thanks for the ideas.

Welcome to the Expat forum.

What do you mean by above salary quota? With 5 years of experience and a graduate degree, you can expect anything around $5000 to $5,500 at least. Is that what you were offered? If yes then your employer has to provide a strong rationale to MoM why did they require a foreigner to hire this position? Secondly, how many local candidates were interviewed and rejected due to lack of skills which you have but they don't possess those skills etc. (You would be considered lucky if MoM doesn't ask these questions to your employer).

Depending on your employer's response with valid rationale, MoM would consider.

First time application takes longer days (several weeks if not months at least) as MoM needs documents verification (if you are passed out regular degrees or masters from top 10 global universities or well recognised institutions then chances are much faster for them to review). Good luck

Thank you so much for your advice and ideas sir. It really helps a lot. That is the range of my salary offered. I have to wait for the approval which my employer already post the job online for 2 weeks. As i know my employer had Filipino employee for 8 years and resign and that the position Im going to fill. As I fill up ton SAT in MOm website. i am eligible for E pass or S pass. But, i have to wait for the final approval.

Again, Thanks.

Sorry to said this i am born here and grew up here and i dont know all these. How did you know if you are not from ICA. Above all you have said about the salaries, i am over all the scale. Imagine if my PM's office cant even ans my questions. How do you know ICA officers dont like ministers ( MP and PM )recommendation? Thks any way.

Ask yourself, if you are a honest officer and doing your work according to the law (It has defined clearly that approving LTVP is subject to case by case basis) , would you be happy to see someone one comes with a minister recommendation for help? If I would be in that position then I won't entertain this. It's the fact that many officers don't like these kind of recommendations but there are officers who listen. So, it depends on individuals.

How would I know? It's experience to read the cases in this forum and various other forums in last decade or so. It's matter of individual interest to know (just google it, you will see past experiences posted by people).

I also recommend that you can visit ICA office with your wife along with all the documents & PM office's letter. You may request the officer and try to convince him or her that you both are legally married (show them the marriage certificate) and you want her to stay with you. Hope they will help you to find a permanent solution. Good luck

Done many time visiting the office already. Just imagine, the officers at the counter for extention on level 4 dont even have to check our documents every time we go for extention. This show how frequent we have been there. Why should people seek help from higher authorities if the matter can  be sloved at the level. Therefore, if the officer do not like it, its their own fault. What their Good at in answering is, it is  ICA matter . We cant tell you. Who will understand why there was a rejection ? Again, thks for your reply and through a few years of experience hearing people in this forum and trying to help. Wear my shoes and you shall know. Its full of nonsense. Sorry to say this. If our Prime Minister's office have wrtten in to ICA and even  cannot help, you think by listening to your advice here can ??? That is why i posted in here hoping an ICA office can answer me.  Others, thank you for you time reading.

I can understand your frustration. Try last time and suggest (if it didn't work out), try to upgrade her educational certification by doing diploma course here which will help her to get a job in future (immediate effect, it will get her study visa). I think this is the best solution for you, if she is not able to find an employer who can apply work pass for her. Good luck

Friend. She got a degree in accounting. No intention to work at the current moment. My income is good enough to go traveling and go on with life. Therefore. Its ok.

Sorry for your situation, Singviet!
Singapore authorities (as most buerocrats worldwide) can be pretty mercyless.
ICA officers might monitor this forum (I know for a fact that they do monitor other Singapore expat forums), they have never come forward and posted here.
If the situation is really as you describe, you should probably consider relocating to Vietnam or elsewhere with her.

P.S.: Did you, by any chance, marry a (current or former) WP holder without getting permission from MoM first? That would wxplain it, and also that you have no chance at all to change it. (There were even cases where the couple had kids and the ex-WP mother wasn't allowed to join her Singaporean kids in Singapore!)
In that case you should really consider to move elsewhere.

She did not work here at all but only at home, Vietnam. Thks for that

Hi all,

My name is Toni. I'm an IT consultant specialized in ERP which is a Business Application System. I'm planning to live in Singapore, along with my wife and no kids.
Understand there are many IT job at Singapore, so I just pointed out my preferences, not to be 'cocky', but to find out whether that is unique so it will permit me to live there.

My specification are :
- Bachelor Degree from known University in Indonesia (listed in MoM)
- ERP consultant in Microsoft Dynamics AX (having many Microsoft certifications to prove along with quite recent version so it is updated with current technology)
- PRINCE 2 Project management certified
- ITIL Foundation Service Management certified
- Experienced in AGILE Scrum
- Work experience in the same field for 14 years

I'm must say I'm 43, so this is some factor which I'm quite afraid of.


Hope to find some advice.


Thanks and have a nice day.