DP holders will need a Work Pass to work in SG

[Wd40]

I am more worried that they are going to do something about EP holders' taxation. To recover the loss of reserves, they may consider differential taxation on EP holders. EP holders anyways make a lot of money right, let them pay higher, could be the logic.

[malcontent]

They don’t specifically mention LTVPs... so am I right to say the LTVP+ thing is still in tact?

[malcontent]

I am more worried that they are going to do something about EP holders' taxation. To recover the loss of reserves, they may consider differential taxation on EP holders. EP holders anyways make a lot of money right, let them pay higher, could be the logic.

That would end up being a de-facto tax on businesses in most cases - because most expats brought in by these companies are tax equalized. I don’t think Singapore wants to risk raising costs on some of the biggest employers of locals on the island.

[malcontent]

I am guessing a huge category of expats has disappeared from Singapore. These were the mid range expats with salaries around 3.5k-7.5k who had families here, expats lifes here. Now a few of them have moved on to get PR, so no longer interested in expat matters and a majority have just left Singapore, due to difficulty in having their passes renewed for themselves or their dependents. So a big vaccum in the mid range.

I think expats on local terms have always been and will always be in the minority. It goes back to what I always say - people only come here for love or money. If neither one is a draw, it’s time to skip town.

I seem to be the really odd one out still in Singapore, with salary that has gone slightly higher than the mid range, but not high enough to have a great expat life nor did I get PR. Is there anyone else here like me? Salary in 100k range, spouse and daughter in Singapore. Renting a full HDB and daughter going to a low end International School. Stayed for more than a decade in Singapore. Yet, cannot call it home, and still live here like a long term tourist. Anybody?

I have a feeling you are a minority within a minority! In my case, I’m still on EP after decades, my son is on DP and going to an international school, whereas my wife is a PR and my daughter is also a PR going to local school. It’s like one foot in and one foot out. I mostly take public transport, while the wife drives. We rotate between Asian and Western food, hawkers and nicer restaurants. We didn’t plan it that way, it’s just sort of the way the cookie crumbled. With both of us working, we can afford about half of what I would call a great expat life.

[PNGMK]

Actually Mal my employer has pushed a lot of expats onto localized terms in the last few years (with a transition period). A typical GME rotation is 2 to 3 years and if they are needed longer then they are expected to integrate into local terms - however the salary is usually good enough for a car, housing and schooling (but not clubs, flights home, good insurance, multiple maids, landed property, grooming and stable fees, personal valet and the box at the opera etc like you no doubt enjoy ).

[malcontent]

Actually Mal my employer has pushed a lot of expats onto localized terms in the last few years (with a transition period). A typical GME rotation is 2 to 3 years and if they are needed longer then they are expected to integrate into local terms - however the salary is usually good enough for a car, housing and schooling (but not clubs, flights home, good insurance, multiple maids, landed property, grooming and stable fees, personal valet and the box at the opera etc like you no doubt enjoy ).

My employer used to have a largish group of quasi-expats on partial packages. Then about 10 years ago, depending on their situation and the needs of the company, they were given either full expat terms with a path to return to their home country or a multi-year path of benefits reductions down to eventual full localization.

As for my situation, I was hired on local terms right from the beginning in 1997 and that hasn’t changed for the duration of my employment. I’ve not enjoyed a single scrap of expat package benefits, except for the time I was sent to the U.S. on a 6 month assignment where I got the standard Singapore employee benefits... expat in my home country!