Singapore's New Points-Based EP Approval System’s Impact on Hiring Solutions

In this month’s issue of Aurex Insights: Renewable Energy APAC, we bring you an overview of Singapore’s new points-based EP approval system, its purpose and what it means for hiring solutions and renewable energy recruitment. As always, our team also covers the latest news and events influencing the industry, market movers and current renewable energy recruitment opportunities.

What people are talking about

UAE’s Masdar to launch the Cirata floating solar PV project which will be the largest floating PV project in Indonesia and #5 globally at 145MW. It should be operational by the end of 2022. Masdar also joined BP’s offshore wind-to-green hydrogen project, HyGreen Teeside, in the UK which will initially be 60MWe (MW electrical) but scale up to 500MWe by 2030.

Australian APA Group and Wesfarmers signed an MOU for pre-feasibility studies to convert a section of a natural gas pipeline to green hydrogen.

ODE, led by Jinho Paik in South Korea, will be Owner’s Engineer for Vena Energy’s 384MW Yokji Offshore Wind project near Yokjido Island near Geoje.

Span’s BlueFloat Energy hired Michael Pinkerton as Taiwan country manager.

Japan’s Eurus Energy is partnering with Australian advisory firm Energy State to develop the Hunter Hydrogen Network, a green hydrogen hub in Australia and a dedicated hydrogen pipeline extending between New South Wales and Newcastle. Existing partners include AGL Energy, APA Group, ITM Power, Idemitsu, and Trafigura.

Malaysian high voltage specialist, PESTECH International, and French hydrogen company Hydrogene de France (HDF Energy) signed an MOU to explore green hydrogen projects in Southeast Asia, focused on producing hydrogen from hydroelectric in Cambodia and Malaysia.

Orsted and the Penghu Marine Biology Research Center in Taiwan have developed a non-invasive methodology for coral seeding, in vitro fertilisation, larvae transport, and larvae attachment to wind turbine foundations and will attempt to deploy this in Taiwan.

What we are currently working on

For the full job descriptions regarding the roles below, please contact us.

Associate Director, Project Finance, Infrastructure Development, Singapore
Business Developer, C&I, South Korea
Carbon Project Developer, Remote from Asia
Product Solutions Integration Manager, ANZ, Smart Energy Management
Grid Connection Head, South Korea
Head of Grid Connections, Taiwan
Senior Project Manager, Solar, Taiwan
Commercial Engineering Manager, South Korea
Commercial Engineering Manager, Solar, Taiwan

Changing landscape: Singapore’s new points-based Employment Permit (EP) system

Singapore will be introducing new changes to its EP process. From the 1st of September 2023 onwards, relevant candidates need at least 40 points under the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) to pass.

There are four foundational criteria to determine eligibility with two coming from assessment of the individual and two coming from assessment of the employer:

The individual’s salary
The individual’s qualifications
The firm’s attributes of diversity
The firm’s support for local employment.

20 points are awarded if the candidate exceeds expectations, 10 points if they meet expectations, and 0 points if they do not meet expectations in the respective categories. As an example, for qualifications, 20 points are awarded to candidates from a top-tier institution, 10 points to a candidate with a degree, and 0 points to those with no degree.

Further, there are 2 additional bonus criteria: skills bonus and strategic economic priorities bonus. As an example, if a candidate possesses technical skills that are not readily available in the local labour pool, then that candidate is awarded an additional 20 points. The exact list of shortage occupations contributing to skills bonus as economic priorities list will be announced by March 2023.

A summary of the new points system is shown below:

What will this mean for Jobs in Singapore?

What this may mean for renewable energy recruitment and hiring solutions is perhaps a concentration of foreign talent in areas designated as shortage occupations. For example, Singapore has indicated that technology development and technology innovation roles will likely continue to be a shortage occupation, thus we expect to see more foreigners looking for hiring solutions that will place them into roles such as SCADA, information technology system administration, and programmers.

On the contrary for renewable energy recruitment, areas not designated as shortage roles but where Singaporeans have less experience, such as in large-scale solar development, employers will be forced to choose between training up a Singaporean, increasing the points of candidates such as hiring only from top tier universities or paying above local PMET salary norms, re-locating the role overseas where there is qualified talent, or another creative renewable energy recruitment solution.

We at Aurex Group, encourage any discussion from clients who want to better understand the COMPASS process better, or understand how best to utilise hiring solutions for renewable energy recruitment and what this new development would mean for their business. We also welcome candidates who have talent in renewable energy or the above mentioned spaces, to come forward and have conversations about our hiring solutions and renewable energy recruitment opportunities with us.

Market Moves

Anna Su has taken on the role of Chief Executive Officer at Swancor Renewable Energy, previously she held the title Chief Financial Officer and Head of Business Development again at Swancor Renewable Energy.
Shinichiro Suzuki has moved from Mitsubishi, where he held the role of General Manager, Strategy & Planning, International Power Division, to Diamond Generating Asia as the new CEO.
Nicholas Pentreath has been promoted from Head of Investment and Corporate Controlling to Chief Financial Officer at X-Elio.
Sean Rooney has accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer at Windlab, where previously he held the role of Finance Director.
At Veolia, Guillaume Frangville has moved fromFinance Director, East-Central Regionto Chief Financial Officer of Korea.
Sreejata Bhattacharjee has changed roles at Anaergia, previously Global Human Resources Associate, she now hold the title of Global Human Resources Business Partner and Talent Acquisition.
Yangho Bae has left KHNP, where he was Vice President of Renewable Energy, to join BayWa r.e. as Managing Director of Korea.

Jaehun Jeong has accepted the role of Lead Commercial Manager at Orsted, hepreviously held the title of Business Development Manager, Hydrogen & Ammonia at Hanwha.
Brandon Eunkyu Lee has left Hyundai E&C, where he held the position of Development & Commercial Manager, to join COP with the title of Development Manager.
HyeokJun Go has left his role of Datacenter Mechanical Engineer at GS E&C andhas accepted the position of Project Development Manager, Power & Energy at SK Eco Engineering.
Nick Stahl has left Brookfield Renewable Energy, where he held the title of Asset Manager, Solar. He has now joined DNV as a Solar Consultant.
Paul Tong has joined GE in the capacity of Environmental Manager, he was previously at Jan de Nul where he held the title of Environmental Engineer.
James Xa has left his role of Account Manager, Vietnam at Longi Solar, to join Trina Solar as the Senior Sales Manager, C&I.

We always look forward to keeping in touch and exchanging ideas, insights, and opinions. If you are a company considering utilising hiring solutions, we welcome the opportunity to present our services and capabilities within renewable energy recruitment. If you are a candidate, please check our jobs page or reach out to us to discuss your background, skills, and future aspirations and how we might be able to offer you our bespoke renewable energy recruitment services.

Amy Marietta

Consultant, Power Generation, Asia

Aurex Singapore Pte Ltd

amy.marietta@aurexgroup.com

+65 9424 0023

12 Marina View, #11-01 Asia Square Tower 2, Singapore 018961

EA 18S9493 | R1878463