How long will take to get a work permit application approved?

It may take a couple of days - if all goes well.

It will usually take the first-time employer of an FDW longer than the current employer of an FDW. However, since the Work Permit Office replaced the trusty Labournet with WPOnline, all bets are off. Occasionally one meets an unforeseen obstacle.

Expatriate employers please take note.

1. If an employer is living on leased premises which used to be occupied by an employer of an FDW who has moved out but fails to notify the Work Permit Department, the application by the new tenant will automatically be rejected on the ground that there is already one FDW on the premises as the record (yet to be updated) shows.

   At this writing, WPOnline does not warn the User of this but simply accepts the application only to reject it automatically. (That's artificial unintelligence for you.)

   So if you have just moved in, be sure to check with the landlord if

   1. the previous tenant had an FDW while living there and
   2. if so, did he officially request MOM to record the change.

   We have come across numerous cases where a change of address is not reflected in MOM's database.

2. If an employer's address (or passport number, or some other particular) has changed since she last employed an FDW and the Work Permit Office does not know about it, there will be a delay.

3. In general, whenever information first furnished changes, there is potential for delay. Tell your agent about it and furnish the agent with documents to present to MOM to have the information updated prior to submitting an application. A stitch in time saves nine.