Do your employers pay for your children's education fees?

[tedronwalker]

Dear all,

According to http://www.expatforum.com/singapore/edu ... apore.html, "the vast majority of employers will at the very least contribute a large portion of education fees for those in International Schools".

Is this true for your case? I live in London and think of ways to move to Singapore. However, the education fees is a major issue for us.

My sincere thanks,

[JR8]

What did they reply when you asked the question on your forum?




p.s. Or are you just spamming the link?

[tedronwalker]

I don't understand your question. This is a genuine query, not a spam.

Regards,

[JR8]

OIC, sorry about that.

You're picking up an FAQ kind of question, from another discussion website.
I had imagined that if you were considering the veracity of something over there, that you'd start discussing it over there.

Well, if not I'd suggest the following (loosely):

If you have a skillset that is something available from potential expats who don't have children wanting to go into expat schools, why would you as an employer wish to offer it to someone older with children demanding this?

i.e. say for IT job-X

Candidate a) Single guy, 28, from the sub-continent. No children yet. Requires competitive salary and some benefits.

Candidate b) Married, 32, US/Euro etc., competive salary + three children [$30kp.a. each in posh-school] + a condo in D9-11.

As you can see the pastiche of a proposition, it is entirely different. Or in other words, you've got to be going up the 'offering something special' scale to be getting things like school-fees paid.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it certainly does, But what I'm saying is it depends on the rarity and value of your skills; the the overall profile of the people who possess them.

I hope that makes my point a little clearer. If not fire away...

[tedronwalker]

Hi JR8,

Thanks a lot for your kindness. It is very clear and persuasive.

May I ask another question? Normally in the job ad, would an employer in Singapore promise the education fee payment? Or, as I guess, they would keep it for the interview?

Regards,

[JR8]

Hi JR8,
Thanks a lot for your kindness. It is very clear and persuasive.
May I ask another question? Normally in the job ad, would an employer in Singapore promise the education fee payment? Or, as I guess, they would keep it for the interview?
Regards,

The best thing I can do, is say that I'm not the best qualified to comment on this kind of thing, as I switched from employed to self-employed a long time ago.

I don't think a job-ad would be quite so forthright to offer 'school fees', more likely something like 'usual benefits'... which leaves it wide open for them.

But as suggested those in the IT sphere of things here (I'm from a trading/middle-office background rather than IT), might/should comment in due course. So let's wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Let's take it from there and good luck to you!

[tedronwalker]

Thanks again. I'm not in the IT field. Rather I am looking for a job as a researcher/analyst to help clients manage their exposure to business/political risks in the region.

Regards,

[JR8]

OIC, and oops.

So you wouldn't be doing an internal transfer with an existing employer based elsewhere? That's fair enough, just it makes a big difference to the pitch/approach (IMHO). And also the way you'd look at lining up your work visa.

If you clarify the above, and perhaps your expected job-title in this role (as -pls excuse my ignorance - I'm having some difficulty squaring up quite what you do), then let's leave it to the employer/HR/consultant pros here tomorrow, to pick up on.

TTFN.

[tedronwalker]

Hi,

No, I'm looking for a job with a new employer. It will be hard, but still I'm trying to find more information.

My sincere thanks,

[beppi]

I'd add another category to the two JR8 mentioned before:
Candidate c) Suitably qualified local, requires competitive salary and no special benefits, also no paperwork for visa, etc. and can start on short notice.

In most cases, companies look for c) and take a) only if c) not available. If a) and c) not available, then they may consider b) (i.e. you).

Very occasionally (and only for senior or niche skill jobs) have I seen ads offering "Expat benefits" (without further details, so it can range from a comprehensive package as you dream of, to just a yearly trip home). 95% of ads, however, say "only citizens and PRs need apply" and you would be wasting your time applying for those.

Expat packages are getting rarer, and since you are searching (rather than an employer wanting to relocate you), you are not in a good negotiating position. I can only recommend you to be very flexible with your requirements and have very good reasons why an employer would pay you anything more than a similarly qualified local - after all, it is you who needs to convince the employer that it's in their own interest to hire you!

[ScoobyDoes]

Expat packages are getting rarer, and since you are searching (rather than an employer wanting to relocate you), you are not in a good negotiating position. I can only recommend you to be very flexible with your requirements and have very good reasons why an employer would pay you anything more than a similarly qualified local - after all, it is you who needs to convince the employer that it's in their own interest to hire you!

+1

Packages are, in short, ONLY available on a transfer. Anything else is as rare as a purple tiger. That's not to say a purple tiger doesn't exist but a) few have seen one and b) if they have, it has been a coloured version of a normal one.