HELP! "not eligible to apply for a work pass here"

You should start reviewing your application once again and see what went wrong. Here are few potential reasons that could have drawn a flag at MoM.

Salary- Is your offering salary under below market standard? Can check using various salary report cards available on net.

Education- does your education, experience and salary mismatch to your pass application and its composition? You can check using resources available at your end.

Employer - does employer have used it's foreign quota already? Check with the employer's HR.

Job position - If MoM feels there is no need to hire a foreign talent for the offered job then they might reject your application. Nothing you can do about it, only your employer can justify why they think that you are the best person for this job and can provide claim of that to MoM for reconsideration.

Good luck.

With a PhD and applicable work experience (you didn't tell how long, but I assume it is several years) you should not apply for an S-Pass, but for an EP. Your salary should be around S$8000/month or more (check MoM's SAT tool to figure out the exact number!) - otherwise you're underpaid and rejected for that reason alone.
However, the wording "not eligible to apply for a work pass here" means that there is a general reason why you will not get any work pass in Singapore, not just this one for this job. Did you check whether your degree and university are recognised here? If not, you're out of luck (unless you get another degree).

Hi,

I'm also facing the same reason for rejection.

I've studied in Singapore for more than 15 years. I have always enrolled in a government school before subsequently completing my studies in a private university in Singapore.

Several employers applied for a work pass for me but at the end of the day, I always receive the same result; Rejected and not eligible to apply for any work pass.

Just a brief background about me:
-Companies that previously applied for my pass: Large MNCs in the recruitment sector
-Average academic results
-No criminal records
-Pay offered: >$2500
-All of my employers have quota available for foreign hires

Moving on to the present, as my passes are constantly rejected and the reason always turn out to be a dead end, I went back to my hometown to gain working experience and 2 years later which is now, I got a job in Singapore as a recruitment consultant in one of the biggest agencies in Singapore. In our first attempt, it got rejected within 3 weeks with a reason which is identical to that of 2 years ago; Rejected and is not eligible for any work pass in Singapore. They decided to not appeal as it would be time consuming, but instead, they withdrew the application and submitted a new application, raising my salary at the same time. But at the 2nd attempt, I was rejected within 3 weeks with the same outcome as well. When all of my employers tried to enquire, they are always unable to get anything from MOM that we can work with.

Is anyone able to help me out? Thanks

Sorry to hear, could you please request the employer to have an appointment with MoM in order for them to understand the reason of repeated rejection. If I tend to believe that you have no case pending at MoM or ICA, during your stay in SG you never had any cases in Police neighbourhood nor any absconding payments at bank etc., then it surprises the outcome you receive at each time (even after 2years).

One thing I would like to add that after rejection if your employer increases the salary and appeal, it doesn't go down well at MoM as they will think that you and your employer manipulating the job offer in order for you to get work pass approval. Good luck

Thanks Surya2K. Hmm with regards to the increase of salary, they were trying to show that they would really like me to work for them and if the starting pay is too low they're willing to increase it. Man, never have I thought it'll send a negative message to MoM.

One more thing, for the appointment, is it possible if I go over by myself instead as I do not want to further trouble them?

Thanks.

Your employer then justify the changes in salary (at higher side) cause it's not that easy to convince MoM (don't tell that employer really like you, MoM don't buy these kind of statement), rather tell that your skillsets and experiences are matching to their requirements and despite of several attempts in the market (posting in job bank as an example) they didn't find a suitable candidate who can match their expectations.

For your second query, it's hard to tell that MoM would inform you the exact issue, if they give you an appointment to meet their officer (even we don't know if they will tell the reason to the employer but chances are high that they may indicate issues behind rejection of your application to them). Good luck

All right, Thanks man

The rejection reason might also be too low salary: As a fresh graduate, you need a minimum base salary of S$3600/month as a fresh (B.Sc.) graduate (more for higher education or work experience) to get an EP. Applying for an S-Pass at a lower pay instead does not normally work, because MoM sees it as circumventing their rules and they also don't like dumping-price foreigners distorting the local market structure.

@beppi sorry for the late reply, I just saw your reply today. Hmmm but other foreigners do not have any problem getting their passes approved when this company applied for them even when they are offered a lower salary as compared to mine. Looking forward to your reply. Thanks!

Every application is evaluated on its own merit, and no two cases are the same.
You can use the SAT tool on MoM's website to figure out what salary you need to get an EP.