Canadian moving to Singapore

[Magic pill]

Hi All,

I am a personal fitness trainer here in Vancouver, BC, Canada. I am planning to work in Singapore, I will be leaving here in May or June and looking for a job when I get there. Could anyone give me a little insight on how popular personal trainers are there? If you have any info about that fitness industry in Singapore I would apreciate the response. Thank you

[Strong Eagle]

Your biggest hurdle will be to convince a business in Singapore to agree to hire you so that you can get an employment pass. And this may be difficult as there are lots of people in Singapore who can and are personal trainers. The Ministry of Manpower may not see your occupation as one which warrants the employ of expats.

Now, if you are talking about starting a business, then MOM may be more interested, especially if you are bringing capital with you and have a business plan that hires locals.

[Magic pill]

Thanks for the feedback. I have considered starting my own business there... I would have to get there fisrt before I make that sort of commitment. I am a believer that I can make anything work so... I will find a way. Anyone have any ideas??

[Baron Greenback]

Starting your own business is a good idea - but as you know it carries risk.

Have a look at the ministry of Manpower website for an insight into the process. Singapore is a porcess driven society when it comes to these things. You will need a business plan & S$3k in the bank.

Singapore has a policy that look favourably on hiring foreign talent & as SE mentioned make sure your plan mentions the business growning & the need to create new jobs.

Premises will be a big outlay for you, maybe you should look at the prospect of being a personal trainer who does house calls? Then you provide a high end service to rich expats & minimise your costs.

Remember that when you arrive here you have a 1 month tourist visa (I may be wrong perhaps it is 3 if you come from Canada), so you don't have a great deal of time to get everythinhg sorted.

Best of luck

[Magic pill]

I make house calls here and that was what I was hoping to do there as well. I'd like to work with expats at their homes or condos. I have heard that there is a big market for that. So I guess I have to register a business in order to do that, am I right? Or maybe I will find a gym to sponsor me...

[Baron Greenback]

If you have some time before you move - contact some gyms by email & see if they can help you out. Your biggest hurdle is your visa. If you can find a gym who will give you an EP (empolyment pass)- that is your work visa then no problem - this may be unlikely though, but worth a try. Maybe talk to some of the large hotels as well as the gyms

Option 2 start your own business - that means you get your own EP.