Wd40 wrote:This is common in Europe as well, isn't it? I believe in UK, you must 1st give preference to UK candidates and then to EU candidates and finally rest of the world.
No, it is not common in Europe at all and most of the anecdotal evidence is completely outdated or misunderstood:
The free movement of workers is one of the four basic freedoms the EU stands for:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of ... or_workers
So today do EU member not discriminate between their own workers and other EU members. It is illegal to do so and compared to job ads in Singapore where it is pretty clear what ethnicity an employer wants to hire is it indeed also in practice less of a discussion point.
Flip side is that if some populists feel the need to make some token law to show that they do something do they typically make laws restricting NON-EU foreigners. Because that is the only thing left they can decide on a national level.
So in the last decade has it become easier for me as an European to move to any other neighbouring country, but more difficult for say an American to get a job in parts of the EU. 99% of the discussions you will find are around countries with low cost labour entering step by step the EU and therefore entering the free labour market. A lot of fear mongering and very little substance. Like certain opposition websites in Singapore...