On behalf of my husband

[ifonly]

Hi, my husband is australian(I am Singaporean), hardware and software engineer with 15 years of sales experience and has the ability to set up production lines. We are looking to move back to Sg as we have just had a new baby, but all the job sites that we have looked at dont pay much at all. How do we go about looking for a better paying job(maybe expat) in Sg? Would really appreciate it if we can get some help regarding this. Thanks a lot!

[nowaydude]

I am speculating but perhaps those jobs are low paying relative to Australia - - there are huge amounts of locals and expats from India and China with such backgrounds willing to work for relatively lower salaries - it MAY be a field where expat salaries are not abundant. ????

[ifonly]

I am speculating but perhaps those jobs are low paying relative to Australia - - there are huge amounts of locals and expats from India and China with such backgrounds willing to work for relatively lower salaries - it MAY be a field where expat salaries are not abundant. ????

Hi Nowaydude, thanks for the reply. Perhaps you are right, I dont know. We are hoping to move back to Sg if he can get a good paying job there. It's just that so far all the job searches that we have done locally portray really low salary. Is there any recruitment agency or head hunter worth sending the CV in?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Additionally, most HR types would probably question why you don't apply for Singapore PR for your husband seeing that you are a Singaporean Citizen. I doubt that they would be willing to pay expat wages & perks knowing it is easy-peasy to get PR based on family ties.

[ifonly]

Additionally, most HR types would probably question why you don't apply for Singapore PR for your husband seeing that you are a Singaporean Citizen. I doubt that they would be willing to pay expat wages & perks knowing it is easy-peasy to get PR based on family ties.

Hi SMS, thanks for the reply. Reason is, we still want to come back to Oz ultimately. Sg is only for the next few years while baby is still young. Also, if my husband goes to Sg with PR status, then he will be be paid just like any local, and that means a much lower salary, so really, no incentive to move back to Sg then. Perhaps it is better to find a company in Aus that has a vacancy to fill in Sg?

[sundaymorningstaple]

That I fully understand. I was giving you a POV from an HR practitioner's perspective. Why should I hire someone on expat salaries knowing that the applicant is doing so just to get a higher salary & perks when I also know that the spouse is local and the applicant could easily get PR. (I work for the company and not the potential employee so I would have to look at the additional costs as such. Now if the perks were less than 14.5% of the total Base Salary then I might look at it (the Employer recoverable CPF Contribution rate). Otherwise, it's going to cost me/the company more money it doesn't need to spend.

[ifonly]

That I fully understand. I was giving you a POV from an HR practitioner's perspective. Why should I hire someone on expat salaries knowing that the applicant is doing so just to get a higher salary & perks when I also know that the spouse is local and the applicant could easily get PR. (I work for the company and not the potential employee so I would have to look at the additional costs as such. Now if the perks were less than 14.5% of the total Base Salary then I might look at it (the Employer recoverable CPF Contribution rate). Otherwise, it's going to cost me/the company more money it doesn't need to spend.

Point taken. We will just keep looking until we find something, or, stay in Aus, or, keep our fingers crossed that we get an overseas posting. Thanks SMS, you have been most kind.

[Stoven]

ifonly,

I am in the same situation as you with my Singaporean wife wanting to return to Singapore. I have looked at all the salaries which tend to be around 50% less than what I am making in the U.S. as an Engineer.

My decision to move to Singapore makes no financial sense but I am doing it purely for my wife who has been away from family and friends for the past 10 years.

She will be moving back to Singapore by the end of the year with me following a few months later as long as my PR is approved. I should have enough savings to be able to survive with a low paying engineering job for a couple years but if I can't find a higher paying job eventually I'll have to move back to the U.S. At least it will allow my wife to be with her family for a few years and hopefully the international experience will help me in my career.

Steve

[ifonly]

ifonly,

I am in the same situation as you with my Singaporean wife wanting to return to Singapore. I have looked at all the salaries which tend to be around 50% less than what I am making in the U.S. as an Engineer.

My decision to move to Singapore makes no financial sense but I am doing it purely for my wife who has been away from family and friends for the past 10 years.

She will be moving back to Singapore by the end of the year with me following a few months later as long as my PR is approved. I should have enough savings to be able to survive with a low paying engineering job for a couple years but if I can't find a higher paying job eventually I'll have to move back to the U.S. At least it will allow my wife to be with her family for a few years and hopefully the international experience will help me in my career.

Steve

Hi Steve,
Sounds like we are both in the same situation. My husband's only considering moving back to Sg for my sake as we have just had our first baby 6 weeks ago, and I miss my family and friends and would like to be closer to them.
Honestly, if the pay in Sg is quite that low for someone who has been an engineer with lots of experience and skills for over 20 years, then I would not subject my husband to that. I'd much rather visit my family and friends once a year, stay for a few weeks and come back to be with my husband. At least here in Aus, he is paid a reasonable sum.
There are lots to consider when thinking about moving back to Sg, and one of the reason is I can easily go back to my job, which is rather good paying and always in demand. That can help to supplement the income. It is only for this reason that we are still considering.
Good luck with everything and I hope we will be able to find something in Sg in the near future.

[Stoven]

ifonly,

I am guessing that if you return to Singapore your mother can help raise your child while you continue to work but while in Australia you would have to raise your child on your own.

I think this is one of the main reasons my wife doesn't want to have kids yet. Maybe returning to Singapore will finally allow my wife and I to start a family since her mother will be there to help her like she did with her sisters. I've been eager to have a kid lately since my brothers and sister have been having children. I already have three nieces and two nephews but no kids of my own after being married for 6 years.

Hopefully you are able to move back. I wouldn't want my wife to be on her own with her first child. If you can't move back, is it possible to have your mother move to Australia temporarily to help out?

[ifonly]

You are right, Steve. I would definitely have more help if we move back to Sg since I have my family there. But, unfortunately, my mother passed away a few years ago so there is no way of helping us. You see, my husband's family is in Melbourne, while we live in Brisbane, that means we really have no one to help us at all.
Although our baby boy is the most gorgeous and adorable thing, some days he is still too much for us to handle. Your wife is very lucky to have you and her mother to help out.
Having a baby is a big step in life. On days when the little thing plays up, you will wish that you can give him back, but most of the time, we enjoy him, especially when he looks at us and smiles. It makes the lack of sleep and other discomfort worthwhile.
Would still love to be able to find a good paying job in Sg so that we can be there for a few years since two salaries is better than one! We will stay positive and continue to look around for a way back to Sg.

[Miss Swan]

Hi, my husband is australian(I am Singaporean), hardware and software engineer with 15 years of sales experience and has the ability to set up production lines. We are looking to move back to Sg as we have just had a new baby, but all the job sites that we have looked at dont pay much at all. How do we go about looking for a better paying job(maybe expat) in Sg? Would really appreciate it if we can get some help regarding this. Thanks a lot!

Hi ifonly, my sympathies to your situation... First, are you an Australian citizen or a Permanent Resident who's still holding SG citizenship? And what's the salary range you're expecting? I'm not sure about the salary packages now as I've been away from Singapore for 3 years...entirely out of touch with most things lol. But anyways, have you tried approaching recruitment agencies or headhunters? Which industry are you looking at? I could try asking around for you if I have friends in that industry.

~Miss Swan

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi, my husband is australian(I am Singaporean), hardware and software engineer with 15 years of sales experience and has the ability to set up production lines. We are looking to move back to Sg as we have just had a new baby, but all the job sites that we have looked at dont pay much at all. How do we go about looking for a better paying job(maybe expat) in Sg? Would really appreciate it if we can get some help regarding this. Thanks a lot!

Hi ifonly, my sympathies to your situation... First, are you an Australian citizen or a Permanent Resident who's still holding SG citizenship? And what's the salary range you're expecting? I'm not sure about the salary packages now as I've been away from Singapore for 3 years...entirely out of touch with most things lol. But anyways, have you tried approaching recruitment agencies or headhunters? Which industry are you looking at? I could try asking around for you if I have friends in that industry.

~Miss Swan

[Miss Swan]

Whoops sorry about that!
Guess that's what happens you try to multi-task...

[ifonly]

Hi ifonly, my sympathies to your situation... First, are you an Australian citizen or a Permanent Resident who's still holding SG citizenship? And what's the salary range you're expecting? I'm not sure about the salary packages now as I've been away from Singapore for 3 years...entirely out of touch with most things lol. But anyways, have you tried approaching recruitment agencies or headhunters? Which industry are you looking at? I could try asking around for you if I have friends in that industry.

~Miss Swan[/quote]

Hi Miss Swan,
Thanks for the message. I am Australian PR with Sg citizenship. We are looking at SGD 8000 or more as this is what my husband is getting in Aus at the moment. I am also out of touch with most things in Sg just like you as I have been away longer than you. That's why I have no idea what recruitment agencues or headhunters to approach. My husband has project management experience in the electronics field, more than 10 years of software and hardware experience as well as sales engineering. He also has experience setting up production and assembly lines in Sg for GPS related products for the MNC that he contracted in Aus. Basically he knows most of the stuff like RF, GPS, embedded software, etc... We would really appreciate it if you can help. Thanks a million!