Criteria at MoM to approve a work pass

We have noticed in recent months where expats ask why their work pass application got rejected despite of full filling the criteria of a job and offer letter in their hand. It gives them anxiety, sadness, and immediate assessment of next course of action.

Beppi and myself answers these questions most of the time as expats don't visit older threads to read past discussions and secondly due to unexpected result, with the anxiety and what to do next, expats expect an immediate response. In many instances, they send private messages to us and seeking for an advice urgently.

So, to overcome this, we have written down possible reasons for rejection of an application and what could've the following process at employer's end.
Anyone can add more points into this.

There could be any reason, below are few potentials:
1. S pass quota availability at employer
2. Employer's past record while hiring foreigners
3. Information discrepancy between original documents and declarations
4. Valid rationale from employer to hire a foreigner along with provide proofs that locally they had tried but didn't get skills as per the job scope
5. Adverse record of employee
6. Any fake certificate or incorrect declaration or fake
institution
7. Salary mismatch in the market in line with employee's experiences and education
8. Mismatch between job requirements and candidate's background
9. MoM wants more locals to be employed in the employer's industry (see recent news about reduction of foreigners' numbers)
10. Feedback (or missing thereof) from candidate's educational institutes or past employers during vetting stage
11. Nationality and race of candidate
12. ... (probably many more that MoM does not publish)

What could be the next course of action!

The appeal is the only potential option for MoM to reconsider its earlier decision. 

For appeal, someone has to understand very precisely that the employer has to rectify the issue and furnish a note to validate their appeal. Without addressing the core reason of rejection won't give a positive outcome on appeal.

Good luck to all of those expats who are going through this work pass application approval process.

Hi, just wondering how you check your application status by logging in EPOL? I don't have CorpPass as well as SingPass.

Just enter FIN/Passport number and name to enter the site

Hi there,
I am also wondering to go on an appeal because I just got rejected today. I graduated with a Bach Degree of nursing, I think that I was offered a lower salary than wht I should have been offered? They offered me basic of 2550 but adding housing and allowances would go up to 3000. They offered me this much because I have no experience working in Singapore.

I did however grow up in Singapore as my dad was with the Gurkha force. I also completed enrolled nursing in Singapore and came to aussie to do my Bach degree. My family is still in Singapore as my dad was offered a job in SPF after retiring, so I wonder if it's also because of my dad's Background that I wasn't granted?

Should my employer actually have applied for Employment Pass? Because my other Friend who have graduated with a degree get offered 3000 for basic but is this because they are singaporean? There was no reason stated for the rejection so, I don't know what reasons my employer can give to MOM. But I am just wanting them to try and appeal instead of giving up totally:(

There could be several possible reasons, including your identity (from Nepal). Please check with your employer that what was written in the rejection letter. Is it “this candidate is not eligible to work here, please find another candidate.”

Good luck

Alright Thankyou:)

Hi Surya2k & Beppi,

I am Helmi from Indonesia. I found that this forum is really useful because of you guys. Right now I really need your advise for my specific case.

I got a job in Singapore as a Tech Lead with salary S$5800 for the probation period, after my confirmation as an employee, my salary will become S$6500. I have no education degree because I already got my first job when I was still in university.

I used tried SAT with both salary adn no degree provided and both have different result. With salary 5800 I only eligible for S-Pass, but when I tried with 6500 I'll be eligible for EP.

I asked HR about this and they applied for 5800 first. The application date is on 3rd June 2019. After that I can check the status online with type Employment Pass and status Pending.

Yesterday HR told me that my pass application is rejected and then they said excactly like this:

"We have checked with MOM officer and they reverted that the reasoning for rejection is due to personal matters with certain authority issues that has not been resolved."

I was confused about which matter and authority they are referring to. After asking MOM again, HR told me:

"I've checked again with MOM officer and it's due to your personal matter with certain authority. We are unable to know the exact reasoning for it."

I really want to resolve the matter whatever it is in order to make an appeal. First of all, I need to figure out on which country the authority is? Indonesia or Singapore? Because as far as I can remember, I went to Singapore no more than 3 times since 2015 and never had any problem with immigration or police.

But today I rememember that I have 1 of my credit card (issued in my country) is on outstanding status since february 2019 with amount around S$47. Is this really the matter?

I also have a house loan with amount S$36000. But I pay it regulary on a montly basis without any delay so far. Can this be a potential matter?

One other matter that I had in my country is my motorcycle tax that not been paid since last year because I lost it. Can this also potential?

Other than these 3 matters. I don't thing I have anoter matter with any authority.

I really need your advise about this because as we know that I have to address the issue accurately before doing any appeal.

Any advice is greatly appreciate.

Thank you very moch.

None of the above should hamper your chances of getting work pass approval here. So, there could be some other reasons, likely in Singapore (not in your country).

You need to reach out MoM for their advice. Good luck

>>> I did however grow up in Singapore as my dad was with the Gurkha force. I also completed enrolled nursing in Singapore and came to aussie to do my Bach degree. My family is still in Singapore as my dad was offered a job in SPF after retiring, so I wonder if it's also because of my dad's Background that I wasn't granted?


Were you a PR before in Singapore and surrendered it so as to avoid NS?

I have always been on dependant pass. Gurkhas have never been offered a PR and we can't apply for one either. And I am not a male so I do not have to do NS...

Thanks for your reply Surya2k!

Could it caused by any inaccurate information that I provided in the form? For example, in the form I stated that I never stayed in Singapore before. In reality, I went to Singapore for holiday several times. But my assumption was that going for holiday is not considered stayed. What do you think about this? Is this inaccurate or my assumption was right?

Stayed and visited are two different things. If you have traveled few times on a tourist visa for few days won't consider as staying.

Okay,..That's clear enough.. Thank you. Yesterday I also went to Financial Service Authority in my country to obtain my personal financial report and got that all my data is clean. So, I think you are right that this is not the case for my rejection reason. For the next step of this investigation, I think I will ask ICA, because MoM won't tell anything to individual.

helmithejoe, any update on your case?

Hi, my case is like this , my employer submit my EP application on 13/06/2019 and until now the status is still pending. I verified the update with mom and discovered that the passport my employer provided was wrong (there is only one alphabet employer key wrong).

I already inform my employer regard this issue, 1.)so the employer can halfway modify with mom about my correct passport ?
2.) Or they need resubmit the application again? 3.) Or the mom officer actually can just verify with my employer for this human error then continue proceed my application as usual

any potential options above will further consume the time for processing?

Joi016: This is a thread about "Criteria at MoM to approve a work pass". Your questions are not about this and are thus off-topic here.
But to answer in short: Your employer should contact MoM ASAP to correct this typing error.

Hi there, back here again...
I talked to my employer and they said that all MOM said is that I am not eligible for work pass. So is there really no way to appeal when they say this? My parents are living in Singapore on employment pass and dependant pass, I really want to come back here:( but I can't even apply for dependant pass as I am alr above 21.

Raszme: Your case is special and beyond the expertise of our forum regulars. I think it‘s best to contact MoM (and possibly ICA) directly, explain your situation and your strong desire to return to Singapore and join your parents - and then ask them what you can do to achieve this.
Alternatively, your employer could ask MoM for a personal meeting with the processing officer and bring you along to it.
Good luck!

My agant say my s pass approved.but he did't give my ip he say i have to wait untill finish medical insurance.is it the right way

No... it is not mandatory to wait for Insurance once IPA is issued. Medical Insurance is required before you go to get pass issued and that can be done also after you enter Singapore.

Thank you 😊😊😊

Gihan966, please read the this message, I have provided the links from MoM website to understand what should cover in your medical insurance with other guidelines from MoM. It's mandatory the employer needs to submit insurance coverage online before MoM could issue your work pass.

See the below links about the guidelines from MoM:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi … -insurancehttps://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi … -insurancehttps://www.mom.gov.sg/faq/employment-p … ss-holders

Surya2k thank you bro😊

Good news on my case..

My pass was finally approved after my company appealed. It takes less than 3 weeks.
I and my HR still don't know why it was rejected. But when they appealed, it's approved though.

For anyone whom also been rejected for no clear reason, just appeal, because sometimes their rejection are just no reason, and after that they will approve you for no reason too.

That you don't know the reason (or that MoM declines to tell it) does not mean there is no reason!
Experience shows that very few things happen at MoM without a reason.

Hi Surya,

My Rejected S pass has that reasoning. I am Indonesian and I know you did replied some other members whom are Indonesian and having same rejection reason. I still attempt to appeal and don't want to just give up :(

However, what kind of appeal would be suitable I have no idea. I posted my story here recently. https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=861271 Thank you Surya.

helmithejoe wrote:

Good news on my case..

My pass was finally approved after my company appealed. It takes less than 3 weeks.
I and my HR still don't know why it was rejected. But when they appealed, it's approved though.

For anyone whom also been rejected for no clear reason, just appeal, because sometimes their rejection are just no reason, and after that they will approve you for no reason too.


Hi Helmi,

On your appeal attempt, do you attach any additional documents or you just appeal without any amendments nor additional supporting documents? Thank you.

thanks so much for sharing, highly usefull

Without any additional documents.. I don't even know when exactly my company appealed..  Maybe they only attached some justification letter.

Any appeal without good reasons (in an explanatory letter or with additional submissions) will be unsuccessful. Just asking MoM “Please look at it again” will not work!

Hi Beppi and Surya, Thanks for being responsive in this forum.

I'm currently checking every hour about the appeal of my pass. It was rejected last September 3.  When I ask the HR they said no reason at all. It happened to me before on my current company now they keep on rejecting me. So this is already my 3rd EPass rejection. Will it be part of their criteria that i was rejected 3 times on previous company that applied?

You are quite persistent. Most others would have given up after the second or third rejection.
Of course there is a reason for each of MoM's decisions  and the processing officer can see that and why you were rejected before.

Thanks for the reply! But now im being applied on a different company.  It got rejected again. Im hoping for a positive appeal now. Another question is, anyone here has an idea what time the system refresh for the results?

@mowglicious A lot of different company hired you. Damn! You must be an expert :)

Not really just lucky enough to find job posts.

We are on the same boat bro, I also have applied 3 times and got rejected, last friday the appeal have been submitted, hope this time will have a beautiful ending, finger crossed

I'm really hoping it gets approved

Hi All,

My employer is applying for employment pass for me. And My status is still pending. I just got worried if it is approved or not as I have no degree and they offered me S$7000. It is applied on monday Sept 16.

Thanks,
Denny

Dendianton: Without a degree, you might get an S-Pass instead of an EP.
The usual processing time is 1 - 2 months, so don't start worrying after just four days!

Still waiting pending confirmation:

Nationality -- Indonesian
Company -- Financial Banking
Salary -- 7K
Educational background -- nothing provided (no degree)
Experience -- 7 years related to the position
Application -- 16 September 2019

Pending 11 days now (working + Non working days)

hope I can get that job... Fiuhhh...