Singapore Expats

From what I've read in many posts, is that, foreigners who come from a western country are much more likely to get a job than those from, let's say other parts of Asia, but what is more important, the applicant's nationality, or their race?

I ask this question because I am from The Netherlands, but I am of Asian decent. Also, I am a Permanent Pesident of Australia. So where would I stand?

I find it surprising that I have to ask such a question, because I thought Singapore was supposed to be a diverse and sophisticated country, which is open to everyone, so I am kind of dumb-founded that this is even an issue, but since it is, I just want some clarification...

Cheers

Singapore is a diverse and sophisticated country, and although criteria might -look- like they are race or nationality based, it really is much more complex... education, experience, skill sets, values, culture and ability to assimilate.

Certainly Singapore has worked hard to attract talent from developed countrues... aka, the 'west' but that is gradually changing as other Asian countries, for example, become more developed.

So if you are a {fill in race or nationality here} with a poor education, little or no earning power, no technical experience, no finance or business acumen, you probably won't get in.

Yeah, but of your 6 'complexities' you mentioned, the last three will play a bigger role if the first three are all equal. Hate to say it, but it's true. SE may disagree with me, but .......

you forgot colour!

i thought this was about the forms lol theres only five races: singaporean, caucasian, malay, indian , and others. so all the others tough luck.

'singaporean' isnt a race, dear...

its on their forms. i know singaporean isnt a race. its a nationality but i noticed this in their forms and got confused when i was filling it out.

Different set of fields on the forms. One asks for Nationality the other asks for Race.

I did come across a couple of online systems which had a mix of nationalities and race provided under the race field. So I chose Australian. I would hate to attribute our poor antipodean english onto those from the Caucasus mountains!

Elloo guys !!

Happy new year to all specially the SMS and SE

Well trying your luck there will get you the right answer, you never try you never know... i took my chances and tried it.. it never worked no matter how much i tried and seens MOM's officer

but somehow i understood it wasn't meant for me to work there in that year...

what i remember from the MOM officer she told me they never look at nationality nor race so definitly your skills and experience before everythg and then your qualification and the other things

My advise go and try and should it never work take it as a holiday

KHT

sg is really primative and backward in their understanding of race / religion and nationality as they don't accomodate anything for "square pegs and round holes" and the prejudice isn't even hidden unlike western countries

Just read the current press articles on having to register your race at birth

'nuff said.

I have to agree that race probably does play some part. I do think that being white, and English, was a big thing for them.

Not actually in any sort of racist way - Singapore's one of the most culturually liberal countries on the planet.

I think they just have preconceptions about certain nationalities and groups. They possibly think that a white English person, with a degree, working for an English company, is possibly better qualified than a Chinese person, with the exact same degree, working for a similar level company.

I think they just have a bit of an admiration for certain nationalities. And you know, it's like that anywhere.

If my company ever gets a Maths grad from China applying, they just immediately assume they are some genius.

You know - chinese, maths, choosing to work in England? He must be pretty special.

ceej1979 wrote:I think they just have preconceptions about certain nationalities and groups. They possibly think that a white English person, with a degree, working for an English company, is possibly better qualified than a Chinese person, with the exact same degree, working for a similar level company.

I think they just have a bit of an admiration for certain nationalities.

Ha. It's all about face -- local companies like having a token ang moh they can trot out to potential clients and investors. "Wah lao, this company is so successful that they can hire a super-expensive foreign talent!" And if they can do so while paying you a local salary, all the better

In my first job in Singapore, where I was the only ang moh in the office, I was often brought along to any fire-fighting meetings where my boss had to placate angry clients. Not because I had anything to do with the issue or necessarily knew anything about how to solve it... but because the clients felt more respected when a white Expert(tm) showed up, as opposed to some local guy.

JP is 100% correct on this. I've been "the" token Ang Mo in the last two companies I've worked for (the current being the 2nd. (That encompasses 13 years. I'm always trotted out, be to MA dinners, PA dinners, any client or supplier for that matter who comes in.