Advice for a 22yo male moving to Singapore.

[Lesus]

Hey folks.

I'm a 22 year old single male thinking of relocating to Singapore. Currently I am an English-born UK resident. I don't have a degree and am worried about finding work. My cousin is moving to Singapore and he said I can stay with them, but I'd rather not be dependent on him and his GF and would like to find my own place to live. They are my main two worries.

What advice can you give me with this situation? Will I easily be able to obtain a visa and work permit? If possible to answer, roughly how much money would I need to move to Singapore?

EDIT: I've looked into what visa I would need and I am a little confused as to what I would have to apply for. Would I have to apply for perminant residance with the SMC company? And then apply for re-entry untill I can apply for citizianship?

[durain]

you can apply for a EPEC from www.contactsingapore.org.sg. with that, you can stay in singapore and look for a job. without a degree, i dont know what job you will find unless what you are doing is some unique skills.

a place to live in singapore has gone sky high, so bear that in mind!

[maneo]

Relocating implies getting a job to earn enough to pay for living here.

You need to have some experience, skill or knowledge to justify why any firm in Singapore should hire you instead of someone who is already here.

If you don't already have it, then you now know what to do first.

[Lesus]

I've looked for EPEC on Contact Singapore, but can't seem to find...

Sorry to be a pain, but have you got a direct link to the info?

[ksl]

I've looked for EPEC on Contact Singapore, but can't seem to find...

Sorry to be a pain, but have you got a direct link to the info?

https://epec.mom.gov.sg/epec/FAQ.jsp

[maneo]

I'm a 22 year old single male thinking of relocating to Singapore. Currently I am an English-born UK resident. I don't have a degree and am worried about finding work.
. . .
What advice can you give me with this situation? Will I easily be able to obtain a visa and work permit? If possible to answer, roughly how much money would I need to move to Singapore?

EDIT: I've looked into what visa I would need and I am a little confused as to what I would have to apply for. Would I have to apply for perminant residance with the SMC company? And then apply for re-entry untill I can apply for citizianship?

In general it would be best for you to find a job before coming to SG.
You would have a better negotiating position for compensation.

As for being "able to obtain a visa and work permit," the "Employment/S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (EP/S SAT)" should give you the reality check you seem to need: http://sat.mom.gov.sg/satcontroller .

It is way too premature for you to be asking about permanent residence.
You need to have been employed and contributing to the Singapore economy to be considered for this.
Currently, your "qualifications" seem only good enough to be a tourist.

Maybe you should check with your foreign ministry for help.

[ksl]

I know of a few young guys from UK with no degree, that have found jobs here, that Singaporeans are not too keen to do, like data input, so if you are good enough with your computer skills, you have cracked it.

My Singaporean friend with no education only O level, refused a job has a crane driver at the docks, paying 1800$ because he wanted 3000$ a month, so his mate took the job, at 2200$, his mate had more brains and more experience and i told him, what do you expect, your ego is bigger than, what you can deliver.

So i also believe if you make the effort to work on local wages, you may get lucky, because they companies in the lower income bracket, want workers that work...that's why they are bringing in foreign worker, and if they are hard working, they will pay more to keep them....What i've noticed at this level of employment, is that you don't need much brains to get a job, so if you have just a few brains cells working you should do well

Not only that, its good for company ego, to get a UK person on the floor, because they can also help with the English, and customer service

What area are you from in the UK? and what have you been doing work wise? Send me a CV...


By the way I did the test for you on the above link the lowest i could think of was labourer, with no education, and you passed for a possible S pass....but let me have your details and i can put my feelers out! You would have much better chance with a company behind you. Wow that was some reality check! Good link to have around! Could it be the government are hoping to increase the British working class talent for a better lifestyle

[sundaymorningstaple]

Unless he can qualify for an "S" pass (which is also doubtful) it is out of the question for him unless he can find a job paying 7K/mo minimum (P1 EP) this VISA doesn't not require a degree as the salary willing paid by an employer speak volumes about the capabilities of the potential employee.

Work Permits can only be granted to Traditional Source personnel of which there are only Asian countries listed. He will have a rough time regardless unless he can actually bring something of value to the table regardless of whether or not an employer wants him. The employer has to justify WHY he has to hire a foreigner if there are sufficient local or traditional source people available.

[ksl]

Unless he can qualify for an "S" pass (which is also doubtful) it is out of the question for him unless he can find a job paying 7K/mo minimum (P1 EP) this VISA doesn't not require a degree as the salary willing paid by an employer speak volumes about the capabilities of the potential employee.

Work Permits can only be granted to Traditional Source personnel of which there are only Asian countries listed. He will have a rough time regardless unless he can actually bring something of value to the table regardless of whether or not an employer wants him. The employer has to justify WHY he has to hire a foreigner if there are sufficient local or traditional source people available.

I could give a 1001 reasons why a UK person would be more beneficial, but the main reason would be to improve hospitality standards in a low income environment.

The typical UK manual workforce is paid around 800 pounds a month before tax, and that's the minimum wage approx 2400$ and he could have 10 years of experience and more.

So for a guy, with little experience, who is very polite and speaks correct English, it is a positive step forward to increase the Singaporean standards, while entering a new phase of the hospitality industry.

Only good positive role models can be thought of has a positive contribution to productivity and the economy, so that Singaporeans can be employed...I think it would be very positive factor, to take a few native English labourers, or manual workers from the tourist industry in UK...none or very few, of which are educated, but survive on customer care, many Brits don't do the work anymore, because of bad pay, so Polish and other estern block countries get the work, that leaves many experienced manual workers of better quality, than Asian Countries can provide, when looking at labour for 1200$.

If a UK guy is prepared to take that on, and he proves his worth, and quality, I'm sure it wouldn't be long before he would be managing the lower income workforce and recieving the expected rewards.

I don't think it's impossible to get a job here in Singapore, otherwise on the test link, when i entered British, and labourer, with no education, it should have replied, not qualified for S pass, but it didn't.

Strange, but it would be interesting to put it to the test, by sponsoring one, for a low income position.

What i have noticed at my wifes place, is that, they have difficulty keeping Singaporean employees, they are not very motivated, so the company employs also Malaysian and mainland Chinese, this also has a negative impact, because you get the peer pressure, from the one's that click together, there is no quality of service, because like you say, pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

So the UK manual force have always had peanuts, and have benefited, by employers providing course upgrading, through the unions, or colleges, still with 5 years or 10 years experience, you wouldn't get more than the minimum wage, so you do actually score a good quality, better qualified, polite employees, with sound experience, for very little pay, that can contribute to productivity and increase profits for expansion.

With the main emphasis on improving industry standards, it could be interesting to test the situation, because the main failings in the low income brackets are the ability to converse, in English and on a level of extending accounts, with clients that are interested....A non graduate in UK, would prove himself or not get the position, it's that simple, and for good employees, that are worth keeping, they are rewarded on their own merits.

Convincing the authorities, would be the main barrier, but if one doesn't try, one doesn't succeed.

[kwokhua]

Well, in Singapore, as long as you do not apply for Civil Service jobs, which I doubt you will, you do not have to worry about whether you possess a degree. Alright? There are also plenty of opportunities, namely business opportunities. Singapore is like an international hub and therefore it is full of opportunities.

So, fret not. I am sure you will succeed.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Actually, it has been put to the test. I did two years ago with an American who was married to a Malay girl and was expecting a baby. He, unfortunately, did not even have a high school diploma but as he was here, with his wife and a baby due in less than 3 months (he & wife living with her parents). We tried every which way but Sunday including enlisting the help of a number of MP's as well. Couldn't budge 'em.

The problem would be that it would set a precedence and then you would have something that you (ksl) are going on about at every chance you get (and Plavt as well). Once you open the floodgates, 10's of thousands of Eastern European would flock here just like they did to the UK! Ring a bell?

As it is now, the few eastern europeans here have degrees and decent jobs (except for the white russian hookers that is - they might have degrees as well, I don't know).

The on line test mechanism is only a tool. It is not a guarantee, If I said that once I said it a dozen times on here. There are lost of internal points given to the application that as outsiders, we are not privy to.

As I work in a very low paying industry that is basically manual and outdoors (the Pest Control industry) we also have difficulties getting and keeping help especially Singaporean & now Malaysians as well (Malaysians are getting just about as undependable as Singaporeans now) We are now sourcing from Burma & India and have gotten special dispensation for Nepal (which is also not on the traditional source list but is a Asian Country - hence the dispensation) we literally had to jump through hoops to do that. We are also recruiting from PRC with is no good as they don't speak any English at all (at the level we hire) so cannot be enrolled courses.

One other thing to think about is the local feelings. They already think Expats are taking their jobs. Now you espouse letting menial workers from western countries take over those jobs as well? Frankly, not a good idea and also not a viable one as well.

The other thing is..... Will a westerner live like the local/asian worker? living in a dormitory with a 1000 other workers? Doubtful. Only way they can survive here on the salaries being paid.

Oh, and kwokhua, you are a lost ball in high weeds. This is a 22 year old kid not a guy who is 30 and made something of himself already. You are spouting pipedreams.

[maneo]

As it is now, the few eastern europeans here have degrees and decent jobs (except for the white russian hookers that is - they might have degrees as well, I don't know).

From what I hear, the best "escorts" have advanced degrees.
Guess they earned their way through their studies.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Did you see the papers about the Malay girl who went to Oxford at 13? I believe? Ended up getting married at 19 divorced a year later and now at 23 she is a hooker as well (as you said, working her way through school - I believe she is doing a masters at the moment) One has to wonder what she is mastering at?

[madura]

I'm just wondering whether someone from the UK would have problems socialising with his colleagues if he was on a low income job. Many of these jobs are still filled by workers who prefer to speak in their mother tongue (be in mandarin, malay, or any other of the regional languages).

Second point... flying home would be costly too isn't it? Unless he can do without it.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Flying home depends on the individual. I went 11 straight years from 1984 to 1995 before flying home in '96. Even now I only do it every couple of years unless another hurricane tears up the place like Isabella did three and a half years ago.

Valid point on the language issue though. Most of that level do NOT speak any English and at best PURE Singlish (not durain speak!)