HELP I AM STRESSING OUT

[mrsamclaughlan]

Hi,

I am stressing out. After our recent (5th) visit to singapore, myself and husband and our daughter who is just due to finish her first year in primary school at the end of june. Would like to relocate to Singapore.

The UK sadly has nothing going for it, i've not been working since November as the positon i was in was made redundant. I've applied for all the jobs under the possible sun/moon and stars and had no reply, however when i applied for jobs in SG, i got an overwhelming response so we are considering a move over there

However i am unclear about how much the basic salaray i would need to achieve to get onto an employment pass as some sites say $3500 some others say $4000 - so thats one thing i am confused about.

My daughter will need to get into a school, i understand that you have to pay for education - which schools are the local ones that, i know are a little cheaper but from my parents understanding they still give out a better education than the UK - which local school is the best? and do they offer an after school programme as my husband will most likely be working until whenever we are to.

Where is also the best place to get an apartment? - we'd like to stay somewhere local near an MRT. Also somewhere thats easy enough to travel to and from schools.

Answers and piece of mind please?

[mrsamclaughlan]

also if anyone is looking for a restaurant manager or an office manager please get in touch

[JR8]

Please allow me to throw out some thoughts re: your situation.

- Can you clarify why you visit SG? Is it as a transit point between EU and Oz/NZ, due to where the grandparents live or similar?
- Are you the main bread-winner?
- The employment pass is not only a matter of being qualified for a job with X salary. It is a bit more complicated. In essence the employer has to explain to MOM why/how you have talents/experience that are not available from a Singaporean. The thinking being that Singapore does not want transient foreigners doing locals out of jobs that the latter are capable of doing themselves.
- Be cautious of promises from employment agents, they have a worse reputation for being cowboys, than estate agents in the UK have. They’ll tell you precisely what they think you want to hear, if there is even the slightest whiff of making $10 from you.
- schools is another matter altogether. You’d be put into a ballot and get last dibs. You could live on the east coast, and your daughter ends up offered one place, and that’s on the west coast. It sucks, but that’s how it works in local (non ‘international’ schools).
- Sorry I didn’t quite catch what you said about your husband working. Could you clarify?
- Where to live and schools? It’s difficult, at least in year one in-country, as you need a place to live. But – as above – you won’t know where your daughter will go to school. You might get lucky and get her into a local school. If not you might find yourself having to move (after a year?) to make her school-commute less onerous.

In some ways you are in a reversed position. Many new posters here ask ‘These are my circumstances, this is my offer, is it ok?’ Whereas you’re asking ‘This is what my work-profile can maybe command, how can I move to SG?’


Good luck to you, I hope this apple-tree-shaking helps you develop your plan!

[ecureilx]

...

You missed this part

however when i applied for jobs in SG, i got an overwhelming response so we are considering a move over there

[AngMoG]

Hi,
However i am unclear about how much the basic salaray i would need to achieve to get onto an employment pass as some sites say $3500 some others say $4000 - so thats one thing i am confused about.

That depends on whether your husband has a job here, and what visa he is on here. Your daughter would need a dependant pass or long term visit pass, and for that, you need to earn at least $4,000. In general, with a kid, you will both need to be working here to make ends meet, especially if that is what you will earn. Note that even if you have a job offer, it is by no means certain that you get the EP approved.

My daughter will need to get into a school, i understand that you have to pay for education - which schools are the local ones that, i know are a little cheaper

After recent rule changes, children that are neither PR nor Singaporean need to pay at least $500 per month at public schools, up to $1,000. (Not sure what it depends on, check the MoE pages.) Private schools are more. Take that into account. (I'll dig up the source if necessary, it was a news article a couple of months ago.)

Where is also the best place to get an apartment?

Check the relevant subforum, and take a look at .. Most recently, even the small HDBs seem to now start at $2,000+, $2,500+ if it's closer to an MRT / to the center. condos will cost a lot more.

[JR8]

...

You missed this part

however when i applied for jobs in SG, i got an overwhelming response so we are considering a move over there

Sorry, I can't tell if you are joking or not (and not for the first time!).

I wrote:
----------------
- Be cautious of promises from employment agents, they have a worse reputation for being cowboys, than estate agents in the UK have. They’ll tell you precisely what they think you want to hear, if there is even the slightest whiff of making $10 from you.
----------------


The issues and avenues are complex enough for the OP: Probably better not to make it yet more opaque for all involved, eh?

[ecureilx]

...

You missed this part

however when i applied for jobs in SG, i got an overwhelming response so we are considering a move over there

Sorry, I can't tell if you are joking or not (and not for the first time!).

I wrote:
----------------
- Be cautious of promises from employment agents, they have a worse reputation for being cowboys, than estate agents in the UK have. They’ll tell you precisely what they think you want to hear, if there is even the slightest whiff of making $10 from you.
----------------


The issues and avenues are complex enough for the OP: Probably better not to make it yet more opaque for all involved, eh?

Well, what I meant was spelt out by you ..

When she said A lot of responses .. that's what me too felt ..