How realistic is the option of moving to singapore?

[geheimnis]

Hello Everyone,

Absolute newbie, please be easy

My husband and I are considering to relocate somewhere else on the planet. And singapore is one option that sounds refreshing. I have been going through the forums and I sense a lot of tension between applicants and this "MOM" ...

But anyways, to tell my situation. I am a Pakistani national, but have been living in the Netherlands for about 4 years now and have a valid 5-year residence permit. I did my Masters here in NL and am a graphic/advertising designer and editor by profession.

My husband is Dutch and is an environmental engineer who is working as a consultant in a semi-governmental organisation.

The reason we want to relocate is that we are terribly bored here and I have not been able to get fully adjusted with dutch-land. I would really like to get back into Asia.

By the time we are moving .. we'll be 3.

I have been through the dutch immigration system, and i feel it can't get worse. But then, i have no idea about singapore's system. And perhaps that is what i am trying to achieve here. If someone would be so kind to break it down into something understandable.

• 1. what is the immigration process?
  2. how tough is it?
  3. can singapore really be an option worth considering for particularly us (with our work field)?
  4. what are the possibilities of us moving together after one of us has secured a job?
  5. we do want a relatively good lifestyle, but for me, most important would be my child's care and education.
  6. it would be great if someone could put down in numbers a minimum annual income per person to live a lifestyle that caters for: good child-care and a car. As for housing, we're not difficult with that at all. But anything that has 2 bedrooms and is in a decent location.
  7. keeping in mind that we would be a two-income household, is this all realistic?

any good immigration stories from elsewhere on the planet?

[beppi]

You post, in a Singapore expat forum, a poll that asks if you should move to Dubai, Australia, Canada???
You can't be serious about wanting real answers here, are you?

In general you have better chances of adjusting to a new place if the pull factor ("I want to go there") is stronger than the push ("I need to get out of here"). Successful migration requires flexibility and an ability to adjust to less-than-perfect conditions, which you obviously didn't show enough of in NL.

Regarding Singapore (I haven't been to the above three countries, but lived in six others):
- Immigation processes are simple and straightforward. Singapore is the opposite of buerocratic!
- Whether you can get a job depends on the industry you're in, which you should probably know better than me. All else depends on finding a job.
- If one of you finds a job and gets an EP, the other can follow on DP.
- Singapore child care and education are definitely the best in the region, if not all of Asia. Whether it's better or worse than in Western countries is hotly debated on this forum and elsewhere. (I think better.)
- Minimum annual income can range from S$35k to S$200k, depending on what you consider a reasonable lifestyle. Child care/education ranges from free to S$3000/month, rent from S$2000-10000/month, cars are damn expensive (same as rent) but you don't need one.

[geheimnis]

lol ... i get what you mean by posting about other countries in a forum for singapore. But the fact is that moving there is MY preference, as opposed to my husband's. It would be my first choice, therefore I am trying my luck with searching and researching in this forum.

If it were entirely in my hand, i'd land in singapore tonight. LOL ...

What six other countries have you been in?

Thanks a lot for your response though

[zzm9980]

Honestly, my opinion is you would have a hard time finding a good position for yourself in either Singapore or Dubai. The 'creative types' aren't truly valued in Asian (when it comes to paycheck) nearly as much as they are in the western world. So Canada or Australia. Sources on this: Some close friends in the US are Graphics Designers, two from Taiwan, came to US for school, said Taiwan/HK/China are terrible for their profession. Also, nine years ago I worked at an offline editing company with offices around the world. None in Asia, intentionally.

I suspect your husband may be able to get a decent position here though.

[geheimnis]

The 'creative types' aren't truly valued in Asian (when it comes to paycheck) nearly as much as they are in the western world.

Hmmm ... I was somewhat afraid of that ... but then again, it's not going too well here either. I've seen more jobs on far-eastern job boards than dutch ones. Plus, with my industry, it'll take me a decade at least to reach the language proficiency required to be able to get a respectable "dutch" job.

[beppi]

I've lived in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Germany.
I count "lived in" from a year onwards, and had projects of 3 - 12 months in at least 10 other countries.
Is this a competition?

(Can I count myself as "creative type", too? My job of building high-tech factories requires lots of inventive chaos management skills ...)

[geheimnis]

I've lived in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Germany.
I count "lived in" from a year onwards, and had projects of 3 - 12 months in at least 10 other countries.
Is this a competition?

(Can I count myself as "creative type", too? My job of building high-tech factories requires lots of inventive chaos management skills ...)

haha .. give me 140 years to catch up ... but no, building high-tech factories is not being a "creative type" ... we are the poor souls of this earth

But I have to say, i envy your adventurous life! Well-done!

[Mad Scientist]

You posted on the other poster as though you have lived here before and tick us off for being immature about the cost of living
Here you are asking the people of the paddock on living expenses in SG

I can compare with Beeps if I may
I have lived in Dubai, Hamburg, Hungary, Japan,Singapore, Indonesia, OZ , India, Saudi and NZ ......... All this at minimum 1 yr....JR8 can fill up his resume to

[geheimnis]

You posted on the other poster as though you have lived here before and tick us off for being immature about the cost of living
Here you are asking the people of the paddock on living expenses in SG

I can compare with Beeps if I may
I have lived in Dubai, Hamburg, Hungary, Japan,Singapore, Indonesia, OZ , India, Saudi and NZ ......... All this at minimum 1 yr....JR8 can fill up his resume to

well excuse me for being surprised