Singapore is celebrated for its favorable tax rates, affordable living expenses, and pleasant climate. Often hailed as the Asian hub, Singapore is esteemed for its hospitality and safety, making it a favored destination for many seeking to live and work in a vibrant urban environment.
Thankfully, Singapore’s job market is experiencing steady growth, with an increasing number of both residents and foreigners establishing businesses and expanding industries. While opportunities for employment exist for foreigners in Singapore, navigating the process can seem daunting. Where does one even start?
Verify whether you are qualified to work in Singapore
Before embarking on your job search in Singapore, it’s essential to determine your eligibility for employment. Depending on your qualifications, there are various types of work permits available. To assess your likelihood of qualifying, Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower offers an online self-assessment tool.
It’s crucial to understand that while the assessment can provide insight, it doesn’t guarantee acceptance. Factors such as permit quotas and individual background aren’t factored into the online evaluation. Nonetheless, it may help streamline your process.
Keep in mind that in most cases, you cannot apply for a work permit without a job offer that meets certain criteria and is already secured. Except for the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP), your employer is not involved in any pass type. Therefore, one of your final steps will be to apply for a work visa specific to Singapore.
Select a prosperous sector of the economy
Singapore boasts a plethora of thriving market sectors, with certain industries standing out for their robustness. Finance professionals, particularly those in audit and securities, have long found a welcoming environment in Singapore.
The city-state of Southeast Asia is witnessing a rapid surge in new enterprises, alongside a buoyant job market in financial services. There’s a growing demand for digital marketers, IT specialists, and compliance experts.
Presently, some of the most prosperous industries include artificial intelligence, healthcare, software and technology, banking and finance, and software development. Manufacturing, biotechnology, analytics, and data science domains are also experiencing strong demand. Additionally, roles in tourism, hospitality, and mental healthcare are common in Singapore.
Apart from exploring sought-after job opportunities, it’s beneficial to research the typical salaries for specific roles in Singapore. This insight can help gauge whether a prospective career aligns with your expectations. Moreover, streamlining processes and aiming directly for interviews can be advantageous. Employers value candidates who demonstrate familiarity with sector salary norms.
Recognise standard employment procedures
Before committing to work in Singapore, it’s essential to ensure that the prevalent working norms align with your lifestyle preferences.
You can find comprehensive information on this aspect on the Ministry of Manpower’s website, which features a highly organized and valuable section covering various employment aspects. This wealth of resources includes details on skill development, leaves of absence, holidays, working hours, contracts, and more, offering valuable insights into what working life in Singapore entails.
Search online for a job in Singapore
Online job boards are among the greatest sites to search for available employment in Singapore. While there are many online tools to help you in your search, some of the largest and most popular ones for Singaporean job seekers are included below:
- Monster: A worldwide job portal with more than two decades of expertise. Monster has listings in every Singaporean market.
- The Singaporean government maintains the MyCareersFuture website, which guarantees dependability and security. It offers career guidance in addition to entry-level and advanced positions.
- JobsDB is a tool that lets job searchers look through offers from numerous websites.
- Indeed Singapore is the localised version of the highly user-friendly global meta-aggregator.
- LinkedIn, the world’s most well-known professional network, is widely used in Singapore. Every day, fresh job posts are available; you can filter them according to your preferences.
Consult with a hiring agency
Exploring the services of a recruitment firm can offer numerous advantages for your job search in Singapore, despite the prevalence of online job postings. A recruiter can provide valuable assistance with refining your resume, crafting compelling cover letters, and preparing for interviews.
Moreover, they offer insights into the company’s history and culture, as well as a deeper understanding of your industry and potential employers.
While it’s essential to research and choose a reputable agency tailored to your needs and field, the following agency has garnered positive feedback and is esteemed as a trusted firm in the region.
- 3C Synergy is an oil and gas company that specialises in construction jobs.
- Manpower is needed in many different areas, such as engineering, information technology, customer service, and sales and marketing.
- Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a multinational employment firm that provides positions in banking, technology, project consulting, finance, and C-suite and senior management.
- The combination of Kelly Services and PERSOL Holdings is known as PERSOLKELLY.
- Randstad is an organisation that provides a broad range of specialisations, with a concentration on cybersecurity, UI/UX design, accounting and finance, sales and marketing, and many other areas.
Make a work visa application
Although receiving a job offer is a great achievement, the hiring process continues beyond that. The next step is to apply for and be granted a work visa for Singapore.
Fortunately, Singapore is a global city with a large expat population that generally welcomes visitors from other countries who need a visa. You must submit your application, pay the registration money, and receive a job offer in order to be eligible for one. In just seven days, you can apply online for a visa and have it completed. Additionally, you can examine all of the different work visa categories here to see which one best fits your situation.
It’s critical to understand the kind of visa you qualify for before making an application. Several of them exist, based on your qualifications and skill set. They can be categorised into three groups: trainees and students, skilled and semi-skilled workers, and professionals.
The Professionals category passes are outlined below, along with the appropriate candidates for each:
- For foreign professionals, executives, and managers making at least $5,000 Singapore Dollars (SGD) per month, there is an employment pass available.
- EntrePass is a resource for international business owners wishing to establish a company in Singapore.
- Only high earners who currently possess an employment pass are eligible for the Personalised Employment Pass, which offers extreme freedom in terms of job terms and qualifying industries.
- Top talent in the fields of business, science and technology, sports, academia, and the arts and culture is eligible for the Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass.
Get ready to make the move!
Once your visas and currency exchange are sorted, you’ll be all set to relocate to Singapore! Known for its cosmopolitan vibe and reputation for safety and hospitality, Singapore offers a smooth transition into daily life compared to many other Asian cities.
With a diverse array of cuisines available and English widely spoken, adapting to life in Singapore is made easier. Unlike other major corporate hubs like New York and London, Singapore doesn’t face as severe a housing shortage, providing more options for settling in comfortably.