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NikkiVT
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Relocating to Singapore from Ireland

Post by NikkiVT » Fri, 23 May 2014 5:02 am

Hi, My husband children and I are hoping to relocate to Singapore in a couple of months. We don't have jobs to come to at the minute, although we both have a lot of experience and qualifications in our fields. If we don't manage to get jobs in Singapore within the next few months, we are thinking of coming over to look for jobs and maybe staying in Johor Baharu (staying in Singapore may eat away at our savings fast). Is this a realistic idea? What is the job market like at the minute? I'm an experienced Microbiologist/ Biomedical Scientist Manager. My husband works for Microsoft as an IT Service Manager.

Also, we have a dog and 2 young children. Is it easy to get about on public transport with a dog? Any one else have experience of getting about with 2 young children without a car?

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Brah
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Post by Brah » Fri, 23 May 2014 7:23 am

You need to read a lot in the forum that has already been said. In fact I posted something about this this week.

I have no idea about biomed, it seems to be a steady industry here; if your husband can get a job at MS that might make the move sensible.

From what a lot of us see, jobs continue to leave Singapore, wages are going down, and prices are high. It's not a place to move to for work, it's a place to leave to save money. Those few who get expat deals, it's probably worth it until the novelty wears off. For those not born here or who do not plan to become citizens, it is a place whose time has come, and gone.

It's not like there is deep cultural, intellectual or recreational value to warrant leaving a place that is. What it is is a pleasant place to live if you like hot weather and safety, where the national pastime is window shopping at cookie-cutter malls.

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Post by JR8 » Fri, 23 May 2014 9:41 am

How do the job offers look from the searches you’ve already made? I’d not consider relocating without having very very serious interest being expressed. i.e. Why move your life, risk getting nothing viable, and then have to pack up and go back home ... after all your expense?

I’ll come out and say it, I think your plan is inadvisable to the point of being reckless.

Where to start? Have you ever been to Johore Bahru? It’s rather like the wrong end of 1970s King’s Cross. It’s dirty, dusty, seedy, unattractive, polluted, and generally ghastly. The idea of some ‘happy family’ move the West just slotting in there into some local temporary accommodation is hard to visualise.

What are you going to do? Fly to Changi, get a taste of ‘Asian 1st World’ then a day later cross the border to the hell-on-earth that is JB? What visa arrangements would you have for Malaysia?

If you bring a dog it will have to go through quarantine. If you initially moved to JB, it might have to have quarantine in Malaysia, and when you move to SG, it will have to then do SGn quarantine. Also note dogs in Islam are ‘haram’, believed to be unclean. Put it another way they are taboo. You can get by in SG with a dog as Muslims are a minority, and there are more expats and dogs around, so the locals are somewhat used to the concept of a dog as a pet. But I think you’d have trouble finding accommodation that would accept a dog in JB, and the idea of going out and walking it through the dusty and traffic jammed streets... well, it would be a novel sight for the locals I expect.

I hope this is a useful jolt.

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Post by Beeroclock » Fri, 23 May 2014 10:34 am

Definitely at least one of you should have a firm job before you move, with enough salary to survive on (there are various threads on living costs). This will be tough going but at least a feasible basis on which to relocate your family, and with hope to the upside if the other partner finds a job after arrival.

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Post by ScoobyDoes » Fri, 23 May 2014 11:18 am

Singapore has to be one of the worst places on the planet for a European to come to for testing the waters without any kind of work placement.

It's not called the most expensive city in the world for nothing, and living in JB won't do much to cut expense. As JR8 said, the dog on its own is a problem. It can't just float around the world as it pleases bypassing quarantine time and costs. I think in Europe there is the 'Pet Passport' or something like that (?), making in much easier for animals to travel around.....but this is certainly not Europe.

My aunt asked me several months ago whether there would likely be work out here for her friend's son, in the field of 'ethical hacking' but I just had to say exactly the same thing, look somewhere else.

IT guys are crawling out the woodwork like the ants, geckos and cockroaches we get at home. They are cheap, usually from China or India when based in Singapore, but with regards the Microsoft Service Team working on my systems, they are based actually in China and do everything remotely.

You stand a better chance as a Microbiologist/Biomedical Scientist but you either come out by yourself for a few weeks to research the local market OR have something in place before traveling.
'When Lewis Hamilton wins a race he has to thank Vodafone whereas in my day I used to chase the crumpet. I know which era I'd rather race in.'

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zzm9980
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Post by zzm9980 » Fri, 23 May 2014 1:01 pm

ScoobyDoes wrote: My aunt asked me several months ago whether there would likely be work out here for her friend's son, in the field of 'ethical hacking' but I just had to say exactly the same thing, look somewhere else.
Actually that very specific skillset (assuming he has it, and isn't just a generic IT Sec guy who *thinks* he does) is in demand and would get him a salary in PEP range. That's assuming he wants to live in Singapore for some reason. Can get more doing the same thing elsewhere.

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Post by JR8 » Fri, 23 May 2014 1:20 pm

zzm9980 wrote:
ScoobyDoes wrote: My aunt asked me several months ago whether there would likely be work out here for her friend's son, in the field of 'ethical hacking' but I just had to say exactly the same thing, look somewhere else.
Actually that very specific skillset (assuming he has it, and isn't just a generic IT Sec guy who *thinks* he does) is in demand and would get him a salary in PEP range. That's assuming he wants to live in Singapore for some reason. Can get more doing the same thing elsewhere.
My first thought is this job-skill can be a bit 'wannabe' and modish. Hence my first question is what other blue-chips has he worked for in this role? After all, he will need to demonstrate such to get a visa to work here.

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Post by Beeroclock » Fri, 23 May 2014 1:44 pm

I never knew such a thing existed as "ethical hacking"... my learning for the day !

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ScoobyDoes
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Post by ScoobyDoes » Fri, 23 May 2014 2:21 pm

JR8 wrote:
zzm9980 wrote: Actually that very specific skillset (assuming he has it, and isn't just a generic IT Sec guy who *thinks* he does) is in demand and would get him a salary in PEP range. That's assuming he wants to live in Singapore for some reason. Can get more doing the same thing elsewhere.
My first thought is this job-skill can be a bit 'wannabe' and modish. Hence my first question is what other blue-chips has he worked for in this role? After all, he will need to demonstrate such to get a visa to work here.
To answer both points.....

1) He was only wanting to move to Singapore most probably because a) he thought I could help and b) he thought it would be easier than finding work in the UK. I'm not prepared to stick my neck on the line in Singapore's current work environment for somebody I don't know.

2) JR8....fresh grad.... nuff said.


I believe there is enough security/ethical hacking guys around that we wouldn't really need anymore, and not at European prices?
'When Lewis Hamilton wins a race he has to thank Vodafone whereas in my day I used to chase the crumpet. I know which era I'd rather race in.'

SIR Stirling Moss OBE

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rajagainstthemachine
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Post by rajagainstthemachine » Fri, 23 May 2014 2:38 pm

ScoobyDoes wrote:Singapore has to be one of the worst places on the planet for a European to come to for testing the waters without any kind of work placement.

It's not called the most expensive city in the world for nothing, and living in JB won't do much to cut expense. As JR8 said, the dog on its own is a problem. It can't just float around the world as it pleases bypassing quarantine time and costs. I think in Europe there is the 'Pet Passport' or something like that (?), making in much easier for animals to travel around.....but this is certainly not Europe.

My aunt asked me several months ago whether there would likely be work out here for her friend's son, in the field of 'ethical hacking' but I just had to say exactly the same thing, look somewhere else.

IT guys are crawling out the woodwork like the ants, geckos and cockroaches we get at home. They are cheap, usually from China or India when based in Singapore, but with regards the Microsoft Service Team working on my systems, they are based actually in China and do everything remotely.

You stand a better chance as a Microbiologist/Biomedical Scientist but you either come out by yourself for a few weeks to research the local market OR have something in place before traveling.
are you calling me an ant gecko or a cockroach? :-|
To get there early is on time and showing up on time is late

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ScoobyDoes
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Post by ScoobyDoes » Fri, 23 May 2014 3:18 pm

rajagainstthemachine wrote: are you calling me an ant gecko or a cockroach? :-|

Which would you prefer? I kill them all so there is no favouritism from my side. :P
'When Lewis Hamilton wins a race he has to thank Vodafone whereas in my day I used to chase the crumpet. I know which era I'd rather race in.'

SIR Stirling Moss OBE

beppi
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Post by beppi » Fri, 23 May 2014 5:17 pm

ScoobyDoes wrote:
rajagainstthemachine wrote: are you calling me an ant gecko or a cockroach? :-|
Which would you prefer? I kill them all so there is no favouritism from my side. :P
Although it will derail the topic of this discussion, I have to intervene:
Geckos are not pests, but our friends, since they eat the other two (and mosquitoes too, which should probably in your list). They are also rather cute - something that can probably not be said about rajagainstthemachine ...

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rajagainstthemachine
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Post by rajagainstthemachine » Fri, 23 May 2014 6:56 pm

ScoobyDoes wrote:
rajagainstthemachine wrote: are you calling me an ant gecko or a cockroach? :-|

Which would you prefer? I kill them all so there is no favouritism from my side. :P
sez the termite... :P and beppi many girls find me cute...
To get there early is on time and showing up on time is late

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rajagainstthemachine
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Post by rajagainstthemachine » Fri, 23 May 2014 7:07 pm

Back on thread topic.. JB is pretty much out of question,its a shady run down and desolate in places, god knows what kind of trouble a family out of Ireland can find themselves in out there.

if you are keen on landing a job here, start by applying to several companies in your profession be it IT or life sciences.. Send out resumes even if these companies aren't recruiting or advertising any open positions.
companies here are in no hurry to hire and the whole process can take months of dilly dallying before even making a formal offer letter.
very often they just want to run some interviews to show that their HR dept actually works!
you did mention that your spouse works in Microsoft, why not ask Microsoft to engineer a move to Singapore?
that my 2 cents worth.
To get there early is on time and showing up on time is late

beppi
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Post by beppi » Fri, 23 May 2014 7:18 pm

rajagainstthemachine wrote:
ScoobyDoes wrote:
rajagainstthemachine wrote: are you calling me an ant gecko or a cockroach? :-|

Which would you prefer? I kill them all so there is no favouritism from my side. :P
sez the termite... :P and beppi many girls find me cute...
Oh, in that case I must apologize.
Please do not send your picture to my wife!

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