Applying from overseas

[Global Player]

Dear all,

I'm sure there are some people in the forum who joined a company in Singapore after fully applying from overseas. I mean applying for a local job, clearly stating your place of residence in the application documents (either US or EU) and having no work permit for Singapore.

Assuming in most of the cases this applies to senior level positions. It would be great if you could share some information:

1) How many telephone interviews did you have before they invited you to a face2face meeting in Singapore?
2) Has the flight/hotel for the physical meeting been refunded?
3) How long took the whole process from first HR response until your first working day?
4) Some company facts: count of employees / branch of industry

Thanks for your help!

Global Player

[winger7]

sorry i dont have an answer for u but im just as interested in finding out myself, im young and have barely any work experience...would u happen to have lots of working experience?

[maneo]

Are you doing a survey?

[Global Player]

@winger7: yes I have >15 years of experience and targeting a senior management position. I don't think they will call someone for an interview from overseas for a non management job (unless niche fields)

@maneo: No, not a survey, just personal interest.

[irvine]

Hi, I can perhaps answer half of your questions.

I applied online (jobstreet) for my current job in early July, got email invite for interview (f2f) the following week. Came for two F2F interviews, got the job offer by end July. My first working day was Sept 1. I'm in a mid level but niche position.

The only thing paid for me was the medical exam that was required for EP. But again, I was working in a neighboring country, thus it was easier access to Singapore. No hotel/flight was refunded.

So, if your potential employer did not inform upfront that hotel/flight would be refunded, you may want to be prepared to pay yourself. Alternatively, you could suggest a video-conferencing interview with them.

[winger7]

i wanna move to singapore really badly myself and i barely have any work experience...i only have a year's customer service experience and i live in hong kong, even if i manage to hold on for another year with this job i'll still only have 2 years...any chance firms will hire ppl like me from abroad? i have a uni degree too and speak 3 languages if that helps but im still a junior so...any chance?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Honestly? Very doubtfully as it's not hard for Local citizens to fill those type of positions therefore you have little to offer the country. The fact that you have a degree doesn't mean too much unless the employer (your sponsor) can justify to the Ministry of Manpower just why it needs to hire a foreigner instead of a local.

[winger7]

true i understand...i heard foreign workers make up a large portion of the workforce over there and it seems to me that theyre either cheaper labour or people working in more senior positions? ie either construction workers or people in management with 10 or 15 yrs experience if im not mistaken

[jesse.armand]

That's not always the case.

Of course people with lots of experiences or cheap labor with the right skills will have an advantage.

But, I know some people who could get a less than senior position job, without a lot of hassle, while they are here under Social Visit Pass or applied from overseas.

Besides, even those with only less than expertise skills (according to my standards) could get a job in a niche field.

I don't know whether they are so damn lucky, or something is overlooked, or it's just myself looking at a wrong point of view. I would say it will depend on the employer, and the demand in that area.

One thing to note:
Years of experiences doesn't really determine your value / ability to do the job in the field (of course it depends on which field), but it does affects your salary and first impression.