Singapore Expats

Hi,

I'm a 30 year old male primary school teacher with 3 years experience classroom teaching and more recently on accelerate to headship program.

I am seriously considering a move to Singapore but I keep hearing different stories of what to expect re salary and package. I am told that accommodation is free and a 10k tax free lump sum is payable at end of contract. Has anyone made this move and can you explain the package?

Many thanks

A primary school teacher's starting pay (right after university) is about S$2400/month (with 13 or even 14 month's pay per year). With many years of experience, this can go up to about S$5000/month. Ask the Ministry of Education (MoE) for details.

Are you talking about the private school teaching market? If so, it varies with the school. I've not heard of a $10k end of bonus amount, but it's not impossible to think such a thing exists--especially here in SG. Not sure of the housing either--best to interview and get a sample contract from the school.

Some contracts will pay you a gratuity at the end to help encourage you to serve your full contract and not to break it and leave early.

An example would be an International Fellow position at Ngee Ann Poly...

Contract Details:

The period of contract is normally for one year with possibility for renewal. The salary of Visiting Lecturers will be dependant on the qualifications and experience of the candidates. International Fellows will be paid an annual gross salary of $31,800 per annum. On satisfactory completion of the whole contract, they will receive a gratuity of 25% of the last monthly instalment for each completed month of service or part there of.

[quote="Saylesie"]Hi,

I'm a 30 year old male primary school teacher with 3 years experience classroom teaching and more recently on accelerate to headship program.

I am seriously considering a move to Singapore but I keep hearing different stories of what to expect re salary and package. I am told that accommodation is free and a 10k tax free lump sum is payable at end of contract. Has anyone made this move and can you explain the package?

Many thanks[/quote]

Where do you get the 10K+ free accommodation package?

This sounds more like the Middle East than Singapore (the phrase "tax free" is definitely Middle East). The $10k "bonus" is a cumulative number. The bonus is not paid out at the end of every year, but only when you leave the school, no matter how often you renew your contract - and this is only if you stay the full teaching year. This means that the longer you stay, the more money you risk if you leave early (and may be an unavoidable reason), so while it is intended as incentive to stay longer, it actually isn't.

PS. Why would you give up an accelerated program just to move to Singapore. You'll be at the bottom of the rung here.

The Ministry of Education pays awfully, in the region of what Beppi quoted. A qualified, experienced teacher should not touch that kind of offer.

Packages range hugely between schools but will generally include a housing supplement, flights, shipping, medical insurance and many do offer a gratuity. My old school paid 10% of the annual salary as a gratuity, but I've heard that other schools pay 20%.

Thanks for the info. I took a post at Tanglin trust school. 6800 sgd per month. Return flights, medical, rent free flat, 13 months pay per year plus train allowance. This is with 10% end of contract gratuity. Does this sound like enough to live on for a single lad?

Yep, can live on that quite easily and sock away a considerable amount of it as your biggest expense is already covered.

Sounds like a sweet deal to me. If you were working to the rule of thumb of a 1/3rd of salary on housing (package ex housing), then that package (inc housing) works out to the equivalent of six figures.

And in my opinion a single guy can seriously rock 'n roll on that package

Excellent! Bring on the rock and roll lifestyle then!! Hopefully save a bit too! I'm also looking for young people to hang out with. I wNt to get into scuba diving. I like a party at the weekends!!