Why is My Singapore Employment Pass Rejected?

Insufficient Funds at the Company

MOM foresees that it is not financially feasible for the Company to hire a work pass holder. MOM uses a period of 12 months of employment and should see adequate funds in the company bank account. If not, they will deliberately reject the EP application and advise for the Company to hire locals instead.

To curb the problem, it is advisable for the Company’s bank account to always have sufficient funds to cover the candidate’s 12 months’ salary payable together with their business operation expenses.

For example:

• Declared salary of EP holder per month: $5,000
• Estimate overheads of business operations per year:$100,000
• Funds in the company bank account should cover:
  • 12 months of salary payable: $60,000
  • Estimate 10% of overheads: $1,000

Total: Minimum $61,000 in company bank account

A Leap of Candidate’s Salary

One of the famous rejection reasons is MOM noticed a significant change in the candidate’s salary compared to their previous employment.

Put a salary range in between the previous salary received, and a recommended leeway of 30%. They can also check their eligibility via the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) with the intended salary.

Job Scope and Qualifications Do Not Match

MOM reviews a candidate’s educational background, work experiences, the salary offered, and market demands for certain occupations before deciding the outcome of the application. Hence, your profile should be commensurate with the job scope.

It is always advantageous for a candidate to possess skills and knowledge related to the occupation applied as an EP holder. It will also be helpful if some letter of recommendation are presented to support the application. The supporting documents will boost the chance of success in an application.

The Position Can be Easily Replaced by a Singaporean

The Government wishes to create sustainable and inclusive growth for Singaporeans to remain at the core of the country’s workforce. Any positions applied for foreign expats that can be easily replaced by a Singaporean will have a higher chance of the Singapore Employment Pass rejection.

Having skills or abilities that are rare within the country and directly relate to the business entity will likely have their EP approved. For example, a foreign professional from a Korean background advising on Korean products is in a niche.

Applicant Did Not Fulfil the Eligibility Criteria

Submitting the EP application without first checking their eligibility via the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) can lead to rejection. Even though the current minimum qualifying salary for one to hold an Employment Pass is SGD$5,000, it does not apply to every candidate.

Checking their eligibility via the SAT is helpful before proceeding to submit the EP application. Speak to a consultant who can gauge if your salary is in proportion to your age, experience, skills, and the job scope.

Discrepancies in Applicant’s Personal Information

Every EP applicant is required to provide sufficient information about personal details, academic qualifications, work experience, awards, and achievements. Those who either provide insufficient or incorrect information will find that their application will be rejected.

Educational certifications from China and India also require further verification. If not done properly, it delays the process or results in rejection.

Declare only what you can prove with supporting documents and complete the entire verification process before your submissions.

How to reduce the EP rejection rate?

One of the ways to ensure the Employment Pass application is a smooth one is by hiring a professional agency to do so on your behalf. Paul Hype Page is one of the pioneers in doing work visa application, mainly Employment Pass.

We ensure to cover up as many red flags MOM might point out so the application can be assessed smoothly by the Ministry of Manpower.

How to appeal for Employment Pass rejection?

The hiring company or professional employment agent who applied for the EP earlier can appeal against the rejection within three months. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not directly hear appeals from candidates.

When appealing an EP rejection, it is important to address the issues mentioned in the rejection letter. Otherwise, the result will not change. Therefore, take your time and have a thoughtful appeal. Employer can always check the EP Online to check the status of the appeal.

It will take approximately 6 weeks for MOM to process your appeal.