All this whining makes me sick.

[nakatago]

Most importantly, their main goal being to get re-elected in 2016

ALL HAIL MEGATRON!

[ScoobyDoes]

The locals have been crying a lot, saying salaries in other developed countries are a lot higher and also they have minimum wage, so now may be salaries here will rise to those kind of levels like in the rest of the developed world.

That could only from locals with no idea what they are talking about. Fine, let them earn the same as those in the so called developed world but they have to appreciate the same taxes as well.

GST wouldn't be 7% anymore, it would be 20%. Income taxes wouldn't be zero or single digit but also 20% or higher. You can forget Chicken Rice for $2.50 a plate too.

The only people in this country that would benefit from a Minimum Wage are those foreign workers in those low paid jobs locals don't want anymore. This is the problem with everybody trying to better themselves, eventually there will be nobody left on earth to do 'those jobs.'

[Callput]

The locals have been crying a lot, saying salaries in other developed countries are a lot higher and also they have minimum wage, so now may be salaries here will rise to those kind of levels like in the rest of the developed world.

That could only from locals with no idea what they are talking about. Fine, let them earn the same as those in the so called developed world but they have to appreciate the same taxes as well.

GST wouldn't be 7% anymore, it would be 20%. Income taxes wouldn't be zero or single digit but also 20% or higher. You can forget Chicken Rice for $2.50 a plate too.

The only people in this country that would benefit from a Minimum Wage are those foreign workers in those low paid jobs locals don't want anymore. This is the problem with everybody trying to better themselves, eventually there will be nobody left on earth to do 'those jobs.'

Yeah. I guess, no more cheap hawker food, cook yourself and eat or pay ridiculous prices. I think no where else in the world its cheaper to eat outside than to cook yourself, even in developing countries, leave alone developed. So 2.5$ for chicken rice was abnormal in the first place.

[the lynx]

The locals have been crying a lot, saying salaries in other developed countries are a lot higher and also they have minimum wage, so now may be salaries here will rise to those kind of levels like in the rest of the developed world.

That could only from locals with no idea what they are talking about. Fine, let them earn the same as those in the so called developed world but they have to appreciate the same taxes as well.

GST wouldn't be 7% anymore, it would be 20%. Income taxes wouldn't be zero or single digit but also 20% or higher. You can forget Chicken Rice for $2.50 a plate too.

The only people in this country that would benefit from a Minimum Wage are those foreign workers in those low paid jobs locals don't want anymore. This is the problem with everybody trying to better themselves, eventually there will be nobody left on earth to do 'those jobs.'

[v4jr4]

If they cannot get the help locally due to shortage of suitably qualified persons, they have to look externally. If the salary requirements are set too high, then the local SME may well not be able to afford that kind of strain on their bottom line, so, at the end of the day, due to the lack of the depth of their pockets comparatively speaking, they may well have to either move or close up shop.

But, surely, they'd just apply for a P 1 or 2 pass in that situation.

Some companies, however, have problems with scaling.

And I'm kinda curious if some small companies which depend on cheap FTs are in the edge of dying.

[Callput]

While reading the comments posted by locals in one of the online newspaper articles, I came across an interesting point, The poster mentioned
"After this bit of tightening, its now out in the open that local businesses were hiring foreigners on the basis of cost, until now businesses were not ready to accept that cost was the reason, they have been telling that its lack of local talent".

Now that its out in the open. This crying by businesses is making them more harm than good. I expect the tightening to get worse, if anything.

[offshoreoildude]

Get a life; go try and immigrate to China or Thailand or Malaysia and see how easy that is.

You have your own experiences of living and working there? From three you list, I've lived and worked in two very easily plus HK in addition so I don't see any problems being able to work regionwide.

I have colleagues that moved from here to the third in your list and also found/find it easy.

I think SG is tightening rules on PEP just at the wrong time and this target is not where the local concern is anyway. Even by the government's own admission the number of affecting people could be quite small, but more important is the impact it might have on local business.

I've worked in all plus more. In not one of these countries would I have got PR as I do in Singapore.

[ScoobyDoes]

I've worked in all plus more. In not one of these countries would I have got PR as I do in Singapore.

I got PR in Hong Kong easily, refused in Singapore so go figure. Let's face it, though, didn't you start this thread on foreigner restrictions in general (emplyment visas of one kind or another) and not specifically PR/REP which have not been openly effected too much recently (weeks/months) in comparison.

While reading the comments posted by locals in one of the online newspaper articles, I came across an interesting point, The poster mentioned
"After this bit of tightening, its now out in the open that local businesses were hiring foreigners on the basis of cost, until now businesses were not ready to accept that cost was the reason, they have been telling that its lack of local talent".

Chicken and Egg.

Which came first, Singaporeans refusing to do that kind of work for that level of pay because they have been told 'You're better than that' OR pay kept low because business knows it can hire staff (albeit foreign) for that price?

The first reason is not specifically a Singapore problem. Korea is facing exactly the same issue, far too many graduates and not enough grafters.

The UK has been facing problems too as parents have been telling their kids for years 'you're great' or 'you're really smart' or 'you could be a doctor or the next Prime Minister' etc. when it's not remotely true or honest because namby pampy charities and people who think themselves clever or important have been saying that telling them anything remotely realistic could hurt their self esteem blah, blah, blah. Personally I think it is more hurtful not being honest, saying to them, 'Really you're just average and you'll have to be a grafter....... like your dad.'

These issues in the UK and much of Europe will head this way too if current attitudes continue. Until it changes, there will always be foreigners required here to actually get things done, at all levels.

[v4jr4]

While reading the comments posted by locals in one of the online newspaper articles, I came across an interesting point, The poster mentioned
"After this bit of tightening, its now out in the open that local businesses were hiring foreigners on the basis of cost, until now businesses were not ready to accept that cost was the reason, they have been telling that its lack of local talent".

Chicken and Egg.

Which came first, Singaporeans refusing to do that kind of work for that level of pay because they have been told 'You're better than that' OR pay kept low because business knows it can hire staff (albeit foreign) for that price?

The first reason is not specifically a Singapore problem. Korea is facing exactly the same issue, far too many graduates and not enough grafters.

I guess this cherry picking attitudes comes in a bundle together with "demands", like "how come they pay you low salary ah? You're from uni leh, not poly."

[movingtospore]

The locals have been crying a lot, saying salaries in other developed countries are a lot higher and also they have minimum wage, so now may be salaries here will rise to those kind of levels like in the rest of the developed world.

That could only from locals with no idea what they are talking about. Fine, let them earn the same as those in the so called developed world but they have to appreciate the same taxes as well.

GST wouldn't be 7% anymore, it would be 20%. Income taxes wouldn't be zero or single digit but also 20% or higher. You can forget Chicken Rice for $2.50 a plate too.

The only people in this country that would benefit from a Minimum Wage are those foreign workers in those low paid jobs locals don't want anymore. This is the problem with everybody trying to better themselves, eventually there will be nobody left on earth to do 'those jobs.'

Exactly. They also need to develop a robust SME sector that can create a vibrant local economy as the MNCs walk away.

OSOD, I think what people are complaining about the blatant hostility towards foreigners and the schizophrenic policy changes. It's going to sink this place.