O. R. SalahudeenThis is how to live and work in Singapore specially designed for anyone interested in living and working in South-East Asia.
City-State of Singapore remains one of the sought-after places in the world by professionals looking for a desirable destination with good quality of life, peace of mind, low-income tax, and where the safety of life is guaranteed. That’s why we at facts36.com are here to explain to you how to live and work in Singapore. An amazing country by all standards.
HOW TO LIVE AND WORK IN SINGAPORE
In discussing how to live and work in Singapore it’s pertinent to ask the important question, ‘are you welcome here? The answer is, yes. Unlike in some other countries or territories where immigrants are subjected to harsh and inhumane treatment, immigrants are welcome in Singapore because Singaporeans are no racist, the prerequisites of living and working here are your qualification if you’re qualified and you meet the eligibility criteria to work you’re good to come.
There are two options you can explore in your desire to live and work in Singapore.
1. THE DIRECT EMPLOYMENT OPTION
2. STUDY TO STAY OPTION
THE DIRECT EMPLOYMENT APPROACH
In order to relocate to Singapore, it’s possible to search and apply for employment directly from your current country of residence. In fact, it’s unwise to travel with a visiting visa and expect to secure a work permit.
1. Possibility of getting a job: If you’re qualified it’s possible to get a job in Singapore currently due to the fact that many industries are doing very well and vacancies are available in various categories.
2. Find out about your eligibility to work: Before you start to search for a job the foremost thing to do is to check your eligibility to work in Singapore. The avenue to do this is through the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore. This is called Self Assessment Tool for Employment. It can be obtained through their Web page ‘online self-assessment tool’ It contains all you need to measure your eligibility as a prerequisite for applying for a job.
Search for job: After the eligibility procedure, you can commence job searching. Searching for a job becomes simple if you’re ready to use these three options:
1. Get professional job recruiters or agents to do it for you: This approach remains the most viable, in that the professionals will collect your curriculum vitae and study it to know the area where you’re the best fit in. Secondly, they’re in a better position to know the current happening and employment position in Singapore. Furthermore, they can easily arrange, brief, and coach you on the mode of interview.
2. Employ online tools to search: Searching for a job online is a modern way of getting employment if you’re a highly-skilled professional such as an IT expert, software developer, or engineers and other areas that the Singapore industries are currently experiencing a shortage. You can check some of these websites for assistance: jobs.com.sg, eFinancialCareers, best jobs, monster, job Central, job street, etc.
This does it alone approach may be cheaper but it has a lot of drawbacks.
3. Get a relative legally residing in Singapore to process employment for you by check the internal company’s vacancies and do the necessary paperwork that can get you there without much stress. This is the easiest way of getting a job if the person you’re using is reliable.
HOW TO LIVE AND WORK IN SINGAPORE
APPLY FOR WORK VISA
If you’re able to scale the hurdle of getting a job offer, the next step is to apply for a work visa:
There are two general work visas that is open to migrants workers:
1. S PASS: This type of visa is most popular for migrants workers. It’s generally obtained by mid-level professionals earning about 2,200 Singapore currency per month, and who have passed the mandatory assessment.
2. EMPLOYMENT PASS: This type of visa issued to high skilled workers earning about 3,300 Singapore currency per month.
HOW TO APPLY FOR WORK SINGAPORE WORK VISA
If you’re a professional and have a job offer from a country in Singapore, it’s advisable you let the country apply on your behalf.
These are the requirements for a work visa:
1. Your International passport with more than 6 months validity.
2. Original job offer from a company in Singapore.
3. All the credentials used in processing the job application.
4. Photocopy of the data page of your passport.
5. Photocopies of the company’s business registration.
6. Two recently acquired passport sized photographs with white background.
7. Evidence of flight booking.
8. Evidence of health clearance certificate.
9. Evidence of Basic travelling allowance.
Please note that apart from the basic requirements your employer needs to be properly registered with the Singapore immigration department.
For further information on important things needed from the employer, you may visit the Singapore Government website.
After the compilation and collation of all the required documents, you may submit them at the nearest Singapore Embassy, or process it online using the appropriate link.
HOW TO LIVE AND WORK IN SINGAPORE – THE STUDY TO STAY APPROACH
This approach entails investing in the right education which you believed can enable you to secure employment easily after graduation in Singapore.
Unlike in some other countries such as the United Kingdom where an international must exit the country after graduation, the Singapore system allows an international student who studied in the country to stay and work provided you do it the right way.
The study to stay approach involves: Commence the processing right from your current country of residence, by:
1. Search for an accredited Singapore Institute of Higher Learning.
2. Process an admission to a University located in Singapore.
3. Obtain acceptance of an offer of admission from the university.
4. Pay the required fees.
5. Process and obtain a student visa to study in Singapore.
6. Study and obtain a degree in your area of specialization
OBTAIN LONG TERM SOCIAL VISIT PASS
After graduation, you’re at liberty to apply for a long-term social visit pass which authorised you to continue to stay in the country for a period of one year. This automatically qualifies you to search for a job.
The advantage of study in Singapore including passing the eligibility procedure of the long-term social visit pass.
Furthermore, the employment pass is available to all foreign students regardless of their nationalities, provided they’re eligible.
Because you studied in Singapore you’re familiar with the system and knowing where to search for a job will be very easy due to your understanding of the terrain.
GETTING A WORK PERMIT
Due to the facts that you can not get a work permit without a job offer, the only approach is to be sure you complete your studies successfully and towards the tail end apply for the Long Term Social Visit Pass which will authorise you to stay for a period of one year.
Please note that it’s advisable to apply well ahead before your student’s pass expires.
These are the standard requirements for applying for Long term social visit pass.
1. A dully filled Immigration Form (Form 14),
2. One recently acquired passport-sized photograph. (To be attached to the Form 14)
3. All credentials acquired in Singapore.
4. Your International passport with more than 6 months validity (Attach the photocopy of the data page of the passport)
5. Your current student’s pass.
6. Proof of disembarkation card when you arrived in Singapore.
7. Payment of application fee of SG$30
All the above-mentioned documents must be submitted to allow the authority between 6-7 weeks for application processing.
GETTING A JOB
Getting a job may not be difficult because:
1. You studied in Singapore,
2. There are a lot of industries currently performing well in Singapore and ready to employ. Area such as Manufacturing, Medical and healthcare, Information technology, Buildings and building maintenance, Road construction, and maintenance, etcetera.
When you secure a job offer, your employer will surely process a work permit for you.
THE LONG TERM VISIT PASS IS NOT RENEWABLE
Please bear in mind that the long-term visit pass is non-renewable, therefore it’s advisable you utilise your time well and be sure you secure employment before its expiration.
CONCLUSION ON HOW TO LIVE AND WORK IN SINGAPORE
In taking a decision on how to live and work in Singapore you are guaranteed to live in a safe country and where you will not experience many discriminations and the salary is very good.
However, you have to take note that Singapore is one of the countries that doesn’t operate dual citizenship, therefore, if you decide to take Singaporean citizenship be ready to do away with the citizenship of your country of origin.
That’s all for now on How to live and work in Singapore.
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