Singapore Expats

We are wanting to relocate and have sons aged 1 and 4. We see the move as long term and will be applying for a landed PR. I have heard you can exclude your children on the application and apply for a study visa. Has anybody any experience with this as we are leaving South Africa due to the political situation, but if we then leave Sing after 10 years, our boys could still be liable to do National Service. Any advice???

Yeah, go to the "Strictly Speaking" Sub-forum in the General Forum and start reading the threads on NS. There are a lot of them. Most has been discussed there ad nauseum.

SMS, you are in HR, do you think this is the best option for relocating? Is it easy enough to find a job without a Landed PR - I'm in advertising and my husband is in Finance/Energy management?? We are leaving South Africa for greener pastures!

flair wrote:SMS, you are in HR, do you think this is the best option for relocating? Is it easy enough to find a job without a Landed PR - I'm in advertising and my husband is in Finance/Energy management?? We are leaving South Africa for greener pastures!

What happens if Singapore is not as green as you believe it is? What then? I ask because I know alot of SA women here that is unhappy.

If you all want my personal opinion, Do Not come to Singapore for Greener Pastures! Come here if you have a job option to make some good money for a couple of years then get the hell out of Dodge. Singapore is not the place to immigrate to. It is a flash in the pan that to me has a max of 40 more years tops. While they are on the top of the heap in S.E. Asia at the moment, it is not sustainable. Not for their want of trying, but they cannot slow down the advance of their neighbours. Eventually, their neighbours will overtake them and with natural resources, will bury Singapore.

And, if you have sons who you allow to become PR's they will have to do NS. Which is not a bad thing. But that's my personal opinion as well. Being a Yank I'd rather my son did it here in aircon comfort rather than in the US and possible in some ill-conceived war that we didn't ask for.

Course you could always keep them on Student passes or keep them in International Schools and on student visas. If you don't have a job beforehand think seriously about it. You might be better off thinking about Australia which also has a large SA Community from what I understand. I know they import gem squash down there anyway!

It would be better if you or your husband do not have a position before arriving here, to land with LPR. Especially if you are planning a grand exodus without any guarantees (not the best way I can assure you) or employment prospects. It would be better to only have one come over and get set up first.

Hi SMS
Thanks for your advice! We used to live in Hong Kong and I miss Asia and my friends who have no plans on leaving. Sadly Safricans moan and groan wherever they go.... Aus is beautiful but too many Aussies (JOKES!).

Perhaps it will be short term, I'm a bit of a nomad, but do dream of settling down. Just have concerns about finding jobs, and the NS issue, but think we will keep them on Student visa's until we decide how long term we will stay. We are applying for a landed PR and holding thumbs and will then do a 6 month stint to try and find jobs. Just hope it all works out - I love Singapore.

Is it easy for Expats to find jobs?

If you like Asia and Singapore in particular I say come. The country has a very driven and well educated workforce that will stand it in good stead for many decades to come.

I recently returned to Singapore and have been very impressed with the changes. Last night I walked the new forest connector trail in the Southern Ridges and was amazed. The canopy walk, bridges, horticulture park and overall aesthetic is wonderful and rivals anything I have in my hometown of Vancouver.

And for someone to suggest that Singapore is toast in 40 years because it doesn't have natural resources is to deny what HK and Switzerland have accomplished for the last century. And, even more importantly, it betrays a fair bit of ignorance about the nature of modern economic development, which depends far more on knowledge and sound governance than commodities.

When was the last time someone said China is toast because it doesn't have a future as a natural resource economy?

chip wrote:
When was the last time someone said China is toast because it doesn't have a future as a natural resource economy?

I don't have a clue. Why don't you find something to cut and paste to tell us like the last time?

Sorry, the sound governance comment just tickled my funny bones when the news today is about fines for demonstrating.

This isn't government, it's autocracy. I'm fine with it if locals are--many too interested in making money to worry about "freedom"--like most of us Expats. Big brother is alive and well in Singapore. Don't get me started on the families and clans who run everything.

Ah but Big Brother is alive and well in many other countries as well. Round up the usual suspects including my country of birth and you can have a non-privacy party! Remember, "1984" was supposed to be a warning, not a manual.

P

I know, it's getting bad everywhere. They've installed video cameras at all major intersections and crossing in my hometown of 40,000 people. I don't even want to think how much that cost!

Ha ha ha, now that's why Singapore will suit me as there is NO governance in SAfrica at the moment. We all chuckled about the new president - on Tuesday Mbeki was fired and on Friday we had a new one. There has been more news about Obama than there has about our own new president. Strong governance beats a lawless society - BELIEVE ME!!