The small Asian state of Singapore is known to many as a tourist Mecca. But the high economic and social level makes this country a desirable place for labor migration. Work in Singapore for foreigners is not very diverse, but due to the high level of economic and social development, this country offers ample opportunities for representatives of skilled and unskilled labor.
Singapore is one of the Asian countries that are gradually striving to take the leading economic positions in the world. Being inherently a city-state and very modest in size, Singapore nevertheless occupies an important position in its region and the world. Due to geographical and social characteristics, in particular a small area and a lack of a raw material base, innovative non-resource-intensive spheres of activity, including information technology, pharmaceuticals, production of household appliances and electronics, financial services, tourism and the service sector, have become the strongest sectors of the economy of this country. The sharp economic leap that has taken place in recent decades has helped to attract foreign investment in the country’s economy.
There are several main factors due to which foreign citizens choose employment in Singapore. The main thing is a high level of remuneration. In this respect, Singapore practically does not lag behind the EU countries. Another important criterion is the very low unemployment rate of only 2%, and the loyalty of state bodies to foreign applicants, including residents of Eastern Europe.
Among the additional advantages that attract migrants from Eastern European countries are a high level of medicine and the presence of certain social guarantees. Despite high prices, especially for rental housing and clothing and food, Singapore provides a decent income and significant career growth. Employment of foreign citizens in Singapore requires the prior receipt of a special permit. Exceptions can only be valuable specialists who come to work in the country at the invitation of specialized government organizations – scientists, representatives of the highest echelons of the educational system, politicians, journalists and some categories of social workers. A permit is usually not needed for temporary employment, including for seasonal work in the tourism sector or in another direction of the service industry.
For all other categories, a special permit will be required. Depending on the qualifications and experience of the employee, this document can be of several types. One of them is intended for highly qualified specialists with sufficient work experience and claiming wages in excess of 3.3 thousand per month. This primarily applies to business leaders, top-level managers or founders of their own business. The second type of permits is available to holders of intermediate qualifications and a certain level of work. Such applicants earn more than $ 2.2 thousand a month and can take positions of employees in the service sector, tourism and entertainment, including various positions in hotels, nightclubs and other entertainment establishments, construction specialists, and domestic personnel. For these two categories of workers, the permit is issued for a year with the possibility of further renewal. Another group of job seekers in Singapore are students and interns. The salary level for such future workers is usually from 3 thousand dollars per month. In this case, the permit will be valid for 6 months. The issuance of a work permit is only possible if there is an employment contract with the future employer, therefore, first of all, the future migrant needs to find a local employer. It is the representatives of the employing company that must apply to the Ministry of Labor for a foreigner to work in the country, for which purpose it is necessary to convince this body that the applicant is not only worthy to perform certain duties, but is also objectively the best candidate for an open vacancy. To find a promising position in Singapore, regardless of the qualifications and aspirations of the applicant, he must have the appropriate education or have certain skills in demand in this country. An equally important requirement for a future migrant is knowledge of the language. As a rule, a fairly good level of English proficiency, otherwise a foreigner can only count on illegal employment, which is fraught with certain sanctions and deportation. Having a diploma from one of the countries of Western Europe or work experience in the European Union will be an additional plus for a resume of a job seeker in Singapore.
Job search in Singapore: what vacancies can foreigners look for?
For foreigners, the rules for finding a job and the conditions for admission to a position, as a rule, do not differ from the requirements applicable to other foreigners. Therefore, your search for jobs in Singapore should start with an overview of the local job market. Today, local companies most often require qualified employees in the fields of information technology, finance, banking, as well as in medicine and tourism. Migrants are often hired for positions in the sectors of construction, tourism, hotel and restaurant business, engineers, representatives of the maritime profession are in demand, but unskilled jobs are not very common in the country. This is partly due to the fact that a job as a nanny, maid, au pair, or other similar vacancy is more likely to be offered to citizens of the country or residents of neighboring countries, including Malaysia. Of the unqualified vacant positions, there are many jobs in entertainment establishments, including nightclubs and bars, in particular, many young girls can get a job as a dancer or model. Jobs can be found here
It should be remembered that many applicants apply for any vacancy, therefore preference will be given to the most experienced of those who wish. The average salary in the country, according to statistics, is $ 4,000. But for foreigners who have just arrived in Singapore, this figure can reach 2-3 thousand dollars. The specific salary will depend on the education of the applicant, his work experience and some other factors, for example, the type of activity or the level of prestige of the enterprise.
Thus, in general, the level of wages in Singapore is quite high, but, like in other Asian countries, the difference between prestigious professions that require a high level of qualifications and unskilled professions in the service or manual labor sector remains significant. When studying the labor market, you need to take this aspect into account and analyze your own chances of getting a decent job.
Also, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the list of documents that will be useful to you when applying for a job in Singapore.
