A forumer in Singapore Expats said that he was offered a job by a local company, but he was asked to wait for 14 days until they put up the advertisement in the Jobs Bank for 14 days. Jobs Bank mandates that local companies must advertise vacancies at the repository for at least 14 calendar days before the company can apply for an Employment Pass (EP). Companies are also expected to consider Singaporeans fairly for job positions.
The forumer said that he had accepted the employer’s job offer and that they were processing his EP application. He is however anxious because he could not find the company listing in Jobs Bank and also because he had waited for 10 days.
The forumer said that he is currently working in Singapore and that he had asked his current employer to renew his EP. His current EP is expiring in March 2017. He asked if it was alright for the existing employer to submit for a renewal while his new employer makes a fresh EP application to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). He was afraid that both his EP applications will fail as a result of that.
Another forumer replied to him and said that he need not worry as it is not a problem. Such renewal and fresh EP applications for the same person is very common now, this forumer said.
“Not a problem. In fact, I’d like to have a hundred for each time it’s happened. It even more common now as due to backlogs and supervetting, MOM is advising employers to apply for renewal 3 months before expiry of you employment pass. Therefore you cannot blame someone for looking for a new job that close to the end of their pass. If it’s renewed, so be it. It can be cancelled just like any other pass. There is not a vetting period for the pass so apply. If you get the job, tell the employer to withdraw the renewal or if it’s issued, ask them to cancel it at the end of your notice. If they don’t, go to MOM and explain same to them. They will cancel it with receiving the card provided you have proof of termination/resignation.”