Singapore work visa trends show impact of increased government requirements

June 4, 2014 - PRLog -- More stringent Ministry of Manpower requirements for the granting of employment passes may be impacting on number of successful applications to live and work in Singapore.

The trend for the issuing of Employment Passes, as measured from 2011 to end 2013 show relatively stable numbers of Employment Pass holders working and living in Singapore. The number of Employment Pass holders stood at 172,100 in June 2013, compared to 175,400 at the end of 2011.

Singaporeremains one of the most desirable locations in Southeast Asia for professional jobseekers and the latest numbers may indicate that applicants are facing challenges when applying for certain classes of work visa, even as the Singapore economy continues to recover from the effects of the global recession.

"“The global economic downturn did not pass by Singapore without any effect; we saw increased pressure on multinational hiring practices which has caused a noticeable stagnation in the numbers of Employment Passes issued. The Singapore government is also prioritising the hiring of Singaporean citizens and permanent residents,” said Cheng King Heng, Senior Immigration & Work Visa consultant at One Visa, Singapore's leading Immigration consultancy.

According to Mr. Heng business will also be coming under increased pressure from government to conform to new human resources approaches which ensure that Singaporeans have a fair chance in an increasingly competitive labour market.

Mr. Heng emphasised that there are several types of work passes and visas available to foreign professionals who wish to work in Singapore and those not familiar with the Singapore environment may find the requirements challenging.

According to Mr. Heng the most important factors influencing which is the correct pass for an individual are:

The salary of the individual concerned.
The qualifications and experience of the applicant.
The unique skills that bring to the Singapore business environment.
How established sponsor company is and its historical turnover.

“Singapore remains one of the most welcoming business environments in the world for appropriately qualified professionals. However, the new criteria make it extremely important that applicants consult a professional work pass consultant in order to manage the application process.”

At One Visa we are seeing an increase in applications for different Work Passes and Visas and although we have every confidence that the approach by government is transparent and well considered we urge those who are considering Singapore as a business destination to seek professional assistance so as to save valuable time and money. ”

With the latest figures showing that 30% of the employment passes and S-passes were rejected this year due to the tightening of foreign manpower policy it is increasingly important to ensure that both businesses and individuals get the right kind of advice to ensure that work visas are approved. This is especially important when there is a history of past application rejection,” concluded Mr. Heng.

Ends.

For more information please contact:

Cheng King Heng, Senior Immigration & Work Visa consultant

Landline: +65- 64071579

Email press enquiries: media@one-visa.com

Website: www.one-visa.com

More about One Visa:

One Visa is a Singapore-based consulting firm that specialises in providing solutions to immigration, recruitment and incorporation matters to both corporate clients and foreign individuals.