Singapore Expats

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:10 pm

NYY1 wrote: ↑

Wed, 17 May 2023 8:16 am

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Wed, 17 May 2023 8:04 am

The International Schools are in a panic. Most of them don't pay enough and they cannot use S PAss or LOC.

I suspected this was behind one of your comments above (even if not impacting your household, general knowledge of the situation). The fact that the first step (EP Qualifying Salary) is nominal and not tied to industry pay levels could really be a squeeze in some situations.

Partially. We have the wherewithal that my wife doesn't need to work but she'd prefer to. I'm a PR and can sponsor her for a LTVP so no issue staying on. What will happen is that the Int'l schools will get rid of older teachers and raise intuiton. So parents will pay more for less quality teaching.

Following up on the other reply (S Pass), isn't your wife eligible for LOC via LTVP? I don't think this is a restricted occupation, and the LOC for LTVP still exists (vs. LOC for DP, which was stopped).

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:19 pm

Wd40 wrote: ↑

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:17 pm

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Wed, 17 May 2023 8:04 am

The International Schools are in a panic. Most of them don't pay enough and they cannot use S PAss or LOC.

The indian intl school my daughter goes to pay peanuts to their teachers, most are trailing spouses. From what I understand, they just apply for work permit after the LoCs were stopped. So, I think the WP category now includes teachers too along with the household help, construction workers etc

Good grief. I didn't know that was possible. I think you mean SPass?

No I heard it is work permit.

Wd40 wrote: ↑

Tue, 16 May 2023 11:43 pm

My renewal is coming up early next year and as per the SAT tool, I am eligible for S pass
I am in financial services, age 44 and salary slightly below 11k a month.

I dont understand why should age be a factor?

The SAT tool said I am eligible for EP, my salary is 10k and my age is 39. Maybe nationality and education matters for applications after September.

jstdk wrote: ↑

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 2:26 pm

Wd40 wrote: ↑

Tue, 16 May 2023 11:43 pm

My renewal is coming up early next year and as per the SAT tool, I am eligible for S pass
I am in financial services, age 44 and salary slightly below 11k a month.

I dont understand why should age be a factor?

The SAT tool said I am eligible for EP, my salary is 10k and my age is 39. Maybe nationality and education matters for applications after September.

Sept is going to be a shit show.

jstdk wrote: ↑

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 2:26 pm

Wd40 wrote: ↑

Tue, 16 May 2023 11:43 pm

My renewal is coming up early next year and as per the SAT tool, I am eligible for S pass
I am in financial services, age 44 and salary slightly below 11k a month.

I dont understand why should age be a factor?

The SAT tool said I am eligible for EP, my salary is 10k and my age is 39. Maybe nationality and education matters for applications after September.

You are probably not working in financial services and you are not yet 40.

Exactly. As WD40 implies Singapore is killing off older expats. Probably some draconian attempt to fix their TFR issue.

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 7:58 am

Exactly. As WD40 implies Singapore is killing off older expats. Probably some draconian attempt to fix their TFR issue.

Very likely, I don't take it as a victory. PR already rejected twice, so already soft planning a move to Dubai in the next 24 months. Dubai feels very much like Singapore in 2004, when PR's were handed out like water bottles.

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 7:58 am

Exactly. As WD40 implies Singapore is killing off older expats. Probably some draconian attempt to fix their TFR issue.

True, but when I fill out the tool and put my age as 45 with 10k salary (date October this year), it still says eligible for EP, so age+salary is likely not the whole story.

I think it heavily depends on industry/position. I pushed it even further to 56 with 10k and PhD level of education and it's still EP. SG gov would need to be myopic to reject candidates with such experience if there is (for example) no SC/PR to fill the gap.

I don't think the tool is updated to the Sep requirements. Hence why I expect a shit show when companies go to renew or apply for EP post Sept 2023.

It asks when the renewal/application is going to take place. Not sure if this was always the case.

the salary benchmarks have been updated: https://www.mom.gov.sg/-/media/mom/docu ... hmarks.pdf

I think it's a highly dynamic situation. I would not trust the tool right now. I suspect we are now in a state of permanent flux and I think that is by design.

jalanjalan wrote: ↑

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:58 pm

the salary benchmarks have been updated: https://www.mom.gov.sg/-/media/mom/docu ... hmarks.pdf

Wow! Just look at Banking and Financial services age 45 $17700 for 65th percentile!

I think banks should just hive off their IT departments into a seperate pte ltd company and register it as information technology provider.

Wd40 wrote: ↑

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 10:48 pm

jalanjalan wrote: ↑

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:58 pm

the salary benchmarks have been updated: https://www.mom.gov.sg/-/media/mom/docu ... hmarks.pdf

Wow! Just look at Banking and Financial services age 45 $17700 for 65th percentile!

I think banks should just hive off their IT departments into a seperate pte ltd company and register it as information technology provider.

Even the salary thresholds for the IT industry are very steep. I worked at Citibank's IT company for many years and we had about 7000 Indian developers that earn below the required levels for 20 Compass points. Since they also do not have top-100 level education, this will be an exodus.

On the positive side, I entered Singapore just after the financial crisis in 2008/2009 when they laid off too many people, companies/gov lowered the thresholds to get in. I was hired by Citi based on a 20 minutes phone call while they normally had 4+ rounds of interviews. I am sure that Compass can become an opportunity (over time) for well-educated professionals from certain jurisdictions when they realize that they went too far and the big firms are packing for Hong Kong.