Singapore Expats

Hi all,

My wife received a job offer for a primary years teacher position at a reputable International School, and it seemed quite low:

$3,200 SGD per month, plus $3,600 "variable pay" at the end of the year. No housing allowance, no flights home, no other perks/benefits.

She has a Bachelor's degree, TEFL certificate, and 3 years of teaching experience at a private school in the USA. She expects to receive her teaching credential within the next 2 months. She's living with me in Singapore on a Dependent's Pass.

Is the offer she received anywhere close to reasonable? It's lower than the threshold for an EP – could the school get her an S Pass? What salary would you recommend she counteroffer with?

Many thanks!

I'd expect she's being offered a local hire deal because she's Singapore with you already. The school business's use this as a way to save money. She should be getting around 4.5k based on my knowledge thou. As you say she needs an EP unless they have some other plan in mind (for example an allowance for accommodation?). There are very few benefits for local hire IS teachers but some do get medical insurance, 419K or pension top ups and there's no harm in asking for accommodation assistance. Remember the alternative for the school is hiring an actual expat so there's no harm in pushing for more. Make sure she isn't signing something with a claw back or penalty for early departure as well. There are many reasons she may need to quit.

https://www.moe.gov.sg/careers/teach/sa ... -1-(geo-1)

So they are offering her local salary of a new grad with PGDE. Seems fair given her low experience and lack of credentials