Comparison: Singapore Entrepass versus Singapore Employment Pass

Foreign entrepreneurs who wish to establish their business in Singapore and also reside here have two options to choose from: Entrepass and Employment pass. Each one has its own advantage in terms of ease of approval, processing period and mandatory requirements. Every prospective applicant should choose the best option depending on their personal circumstances and exigency.

EntrePass
The Entrepass is designed to facilitate the entry and stay of entrepreneurs in Singapore to directly manage the business operations. Dependant passes will also be granted for the immediate family to live work and study in Singapore. You may leave and re-enter Singapore any time and it is renewable for as long as the business remains viable. An EntrePass is issued to persons who can present a detailed Business Plan based on reliable information.

For an Entrepass the educational qualification is of little consideration while the applicant’s

Entrepreneurial track record
Prospects of the proposed business
Viability of the plan
Efficacy of the management team
Salary expectations (adequate to cover living costs)
Level of paid-up capital (adequate to sustain the business during early development)
Current citizenship
as presented in the Business Plan and the accompanying testimonials will play a significant role when governments officials determine the outcome of the application.

There is no stipulation on the minimum capital injections or minimum turnover. No local Director or Shareholder is required to form your Company in Singapore, if your application is successful.
The EntrePass application must be sponsored by a well-established Singapore registered company or the applicant must furnish a banker's guarantee of SGD $3,000 if the application is approved.
Since the Entrepass is issued based on the Business Plan, it is imperative to write a sound plan giving a detailed overview of the business operations, marketing strategy, industry / market analysis, personnel strategy, economic value to the country, and the financial planning.
EntrePass applications are jointly determined by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board Singapore (SPRING). Business Plans are assessed by SPRING, while MOM will issue the EntrePass for successful applicants. This means the minimum processing time is at least six weeks.

Employment Pass
Alternatively, foreign entrepreneurs can first incorporate a company and later apply for an Employment Pass visa via the incorporated company. The Singapore Employment Pass comes with a valid stay visa for up to two years. The immediate family of the applicant will also be provided with a Dependent Pass to live, work and study in Singapore. The application can be submitted on-line. The outcome of the application from the Ministry of Manpower is therefore obtained within a shorter period of time and the probability for approval is higher compared to an Entrepass application. However, while incorporating a company a local Nominee Director is a prerequisite until the application is approved.

The Employment Pass is approved using the following criteria, based on a point system:

Declared Salary of the applicant
Age
Position
Educational Qualifications
Skills
Work Experience
State of the company

Both Entrepass and Employment Pass have their own intrinsic worth. The Entrepass application gets a fair appraisal of the proposed business from the Singaporean experts, which helps gauge the genuine company prospects locally. The Employment pass is ideal for seasoned entrepreneurs who are confident of their venture and require a quick entry to kick-start their business.

Singapore Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC)

It is common for people having experienced the Singapore life seeking employment Pass followed by Permanent Residence to sustain the quality living. Beyond education qualifications, Singapore also looks for those with relevant experience and/or specific skills that can add vibrancy and diversity, and meet the needs of our economy. As the nature and needs of the economy change, Singapore governmental policies seek to adjust the requirements accordingly to ensure that new Permanent Residents (PR) and Singapore Citizens (SCs) fit the relevant profile. Generally an applicant can seek Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC) if:

• Have good educational background and professional working experience?
• Looking for a job in Singapore?

If you are a foreigner and would like to work in Singapore, you:

Have to first secure a job offer in Singapore;
Once you have a job offer, you need to apply for an Employment Pass;
Only upon approval of the employment pass you can start employment in Singapore.
The problem faced by most potential applicants are that many Singapore based companies are reluctant to offers foreigners a job unless they have secured their employment pass, because many companies just don’t want to go thru the application hassle. To address this problem for employers and employees, the Singapore government has introduced “EPEC” employment pass eligibility certificate.

This certificate from Singapore government entitles you to stay in Singapore and find a job for the following two reasons:

• You will be issued a 6-12 months visa to stay in Singapore and look for a job.
• Your prospective employer will have the assurance that you will be issued an employment pass if they decide to hire you.

The processing time for an employment pass eligibility certificate (epec) application is about 3-4 weeks from the date of submission. We can help you with the application of employment pass eligibility certificate.

EPEC Requirements:
We will need the following documents from you for application of employment eligibility certificate:
Copies of your educational certificates and transcripts
Passport copy
2 passport size photos
A copy of your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
All documents must be in English or official English translation is required.

New long-term pass for foreign students

Asia One, May 02, 2009

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has launched the new Long Term Pass (LTP) to foreigners residing long-term in Singapore.
The card will be issued to Student’s Pass (STP) holders from 4 May this year.
Plans for the LTP card were announced last July, as part of the government’s initiative to enhance national security.

A more secured card
Compared to the current paper-laminated cards, the new polycarbonate LTP pass for students has better anti-forgery features and is more durable.
It contains the same biometric security features as those in the National Registration Identity Card (NRIC), including laser-engraved photograph and fingerprint images.

Lower fees
The ICA has also reviewed the current fee structure for student pass holders.
Instead of paying the current $40 annual fee for the student pass, successful applicants will only need to pay a one-time fee of $60 for the issuance of the card, regardless of the duration of the pass granted.
This is on top of the non-refundable processing fee of $30 when submitting an application for the student pass.
Visa fees will continue to apply for those from visa-required countries.
Students will be required to pay a sum of $60 for replacement of lost or damaged STP cards. Those who lose their paper-laminated cards will be issued with the new card at the prevailing fee.

Singapore is Asia's most liveable city

Straits Times, April 29, 2009

By Fiona Chan

SINGAPORE has risen six places in a global ranking of cities with the highest quality of living, overtaking cities such as Paris in France and Honolulu and San Francisco in the United States.
As the icing on the cake, Singapore also topped Mercer's list of cities with the best infrastructure in the world. It proved superior in various areas, including electricity and water supply, telephone and mail services, public transport, traffic congestion and range of international flights from local airports.
Although it is often taken for granted, infrastructure 'has a significant effect on the quality of living experienced by expatriates', said Ms Cathy Loose, Mercer's Asia Pacific global mobility leader.
The development of Marina Bay and Sentosa Cove as new waterfront living areas appear to have boosted Singapore's position in the rankings.
'Singapore already has excellent housing, but now its new ocean-front and seafront living options have allowed the ranking to move even higher,' said Mr Derrick Kon, Mercer's Singapore global mobility leader.
He added that the 'high-quality houses and apartments' that are available for rent and the 'excellent selection of appliances and furniture' for residents definitely helped elevate Singapore's quality of life.
The other factor that contributed to Singapore's higher ranking is the presence of 'many good schools' in the city, said Mr Kon.
'Singapore has always had a lot of good schools and international schools, but now there are also more private schools offering university degrees,' he said.
'If expatriates come here with their children, this is one area they would be looking at, and in Singapore they would have a lot of options, with international programmes and university programmes.'

Supporting social integration

TodayOnline.com, Monday • April 27, 2009

IT’S like getting married. Once a foreigner has made the decision to live in Singapore, then he or she is part of the family and together with citizens born locally, are in the same boat to build a brighter future for their children.
Giving this analogy during a community visit to Nee Soon on Sunday, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan said this is why the National Integration Council (NIC) will help foster integration efforts between new citizens and local-born citizens. The formation of the NIC, which is headed by Dr Balakrishnan, was announced in February.
Giving more details about the 20-member council, which is made up of seven Cabinet ministers and leaders from the community and private sector, Dr Balakrishnan said: “We (already) have a fair democratic society that’s a big plus point ... and we have already integrated HDB estates where all races live together.”
He added: “Even foreigners can see that Singapore is a working example of a united, cohesive society and we’ve already come a long way”.
However, he said this has only worked because of “top-down” Government policies and initiatives. “The formation of the National Integration Council and the fact its members are from the people and private sector is because I want to encourage a bottom-up approach to give people opportunities.”
The council will support collaborative social integration efforts and drive integration initiatives in schools, workplaces, the community, and through the media. It will also keep an eye on the progress of social integration, share best practices, and help resolve any problems that may arise.
The council, which will convene for its first meeting soon, will start by consulting the ground for feedback and ideas. The Government will then provide funding and support to implement these plans.
Meanwhile, Dr Balakrishnan said one of the most effective ways to achieve integration is to participate in grassroots activities as this will enable neighbours to get to know one another. “If we don’t spend time doing this, I worry with the rates of immigration we will have people emotionally anxious. Singapore is changing too rapidly”.
In recent years, the buoyant economy and the broadening of the eligibility criteria for citizenship and permanent residence in 2004 have boosted the ranks of new citizens and Permanent Residents.
“Singapore has to continue to change; this is our karma — to be an open global city constantly attracting talent. But even as we change, we need to reassure Singaporeans that is a place for citizens who always come first but we will always welcome those who commit to our cause. Even as we welcome newcomers, they will become part of the mainstream and they won’t be kept in separate ghettos,” he said.