Would not the severed ties thing in actual fact mean that you have finished with you current employer. I would imagine they have had a few guys who took long service leave or Leave without pay tried it for a few months and then headed back to their current employer.
OK, so the severed ties might be a final condition precedent to an offer of employment being accepted?
I understood TurbTool's comment to mean they would not even entertain an application to commence the recruitment process unless ties were first demonstrably severed.
I guess that makes more sense. You can apply, and EK will make an offer, and part of your acceptance has to include proof that you've left your previous employer. If that's what it is, that works.