Moving to Singapore - Where to live with a young family?

[ibrough]

Hi all,

I am going to be moving to Singapore in September with my wife and 18 month old son. Im going to be working in Johor Bahru in Malaysia so will need to commute by car every day but would like to make sure that we live in an area that is family friendly and has plenty of things to keep my wife and son entertained. Can anybody suggest any ideal areas are apartment blocks?

It would also be great to get an idea about what there is to do at weekends that would be toddler friendly?

Many thanks,
Ian

[cw1483]

Woodlands is close to JB, but my question is why don't you just live in Malaysia if you work in Malaysia. If your work visa is for Malaysia, how do you plan to get visa for Singapore (I just assumed you are not Singapore citizen or PR or otherwise you'd probably know where best to live).

[sundaymorningstaple]

Unless your wife is a Singaporean, you aren't going to be able to live in Singapore at all as you need a residency visa of some sort to be able to rent housing here. Unless you are on a LTVP to a Singaporean Spouse OR you are working for a Singapore company who is sending you to JB to work, I'd like to know how you plan on accomplishing that.

[ibrough]

Im not too sure on the details but this has all been sorted through my companies HR team.

[zzm9980]

Im not too sure on the details but this has all been sorted through my companies HR team.

Is it a Singapore based company paying you (and reporting your earnings) in Singapore? If not, then it might be illegal what you're doing. Don't trust a local company to have your best interests at heart.

[ibrough]

Thanks for the warning but its a global company so its all above board as we have other expats doing the same thing.

Im keen to understand more about the family side of things like wheres best to be based and what is there to do at weekends to keep a toddler occupied?

Thanks.

[x9200]

Thanks for the warning but its a global company so its all above board as we have other expats doing the same thing.

Im keen to understand more about the family side of things like wheres best to be based and what is there to do at weekends to keep a toddler occupied?

Thanks.

Maybe you could start by browsing this sub-forum:
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/forum47.html

Some topics of potential interest:
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic70165.html
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic83905.html

Where best to be based depends on your situation and this one appears not clear even for yourself so hard to suggest anything.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Your global company wouldn't be the first one to fall foul of the government over work permit issues. And just because other employees are doing it doesn't make it legal. The numbers of illegal workers and illegal setups here would boggle the mind.

Just remember, forewarned is forearmed. We wouldn't be raising alarm bells if it sounded like something that was feasible. Hopefully, you are just in the dark of all the facts and that's probably why it's setting off alarm bells. I'm assuming you are going to be working for an local company with an office in JB and you will be on "temporary" assignment there.

[zzm9980]

And anyway, to answer the original question. Live as close to the Woodlands area as possible for your commute.

[the lynx]

If you are working closer to Tuas area and have a car (and dread the insane jam on Woodlands-JB Causeway bridge), stay at Skudai area and take the Second Link.

May be slightly more expensive in toll charges but it is quicker.

[davidcf]

East side is pretty nice.