Want a Job in Singapore? 8 Simple Steps You Should Know

Singapore is famous for its minimal cost of living, low taxation, warm and welcoming climate. Many of us already know that Singapore is notoriously safe and welcoming. Well known as the hub to Asia, living and getting a job in Singapore is a dream of many people.

Since the job market in the Asian city is steadily growing. Major industries are getting expanded in Singapore, causing a huge increase in expats and locals founding startups. But as soon as we plan to find a job in Singapore, a few questions always cross our mind:

• How easy is it for people living outside of Singapore, to get a job here?
• How does one go about looking for jobs in Singapore and what is the visa process?

This guide little guide with 8 easy steps will walk you through the process of finding a job in Singapore:

1. Check your eligibility to work in Singapore

Before getting into the process of job search, it’s good to make sure that you’re eligible to work in Singapore. Based on your qualifications, there are a few different kinds of permits available. The Ministry of Manpower in Singapore has published an online self assessment tool, SmArT, to check your likelihood of eligibility.

While the SmArT assessment can let you know about a fair idea about your eligibility, you shouldn’t take it as a guarantee that you are fully eligible. A few factors, like permit quotas and your personal background aren’t taken into consideration with the online assessment. Also, it is important to keep in mind you cannot just apply for a work visa without a job in hand and a salary offer that would meet a minimum requirement. Once that step is cleared, applying for your Singapore visa is the next step for you to take.

2. Choose a thriving industry

No doubt Singapore is host to many markets, but there are some industries which are stronger than others. Since the beginning, Singapore has been a welcoming for finance professionals, especially profiles in audit and securities.

While the financial job market is as strong as ever, new industries are seeing a rise in the Southern Asian city. Requirement for IT workers, digital marketers and compliance specialists are also rising. Tech and ecommerce is also blossoming as there is a huge push in hiring UI and UX designers, as well as hospitality, service, computer science and tourism. Other widespread roles in Singapore include talent management and HR leadership.

3. Understand common employment practices

Before you rigorously start looking for a job in Singapore, it’s a good idea to check whether the most common employment practices are a good fit for your lifestyle and preferences or not.

With information about salaries, working hours, leaves of absence, holidays, contracts and much more, the Ministry of Manpower has a prepared an exhaustive list of employment resources to help you understand how will working in Singapore be like.

4. Search Online

Online searching is one of the best ideas to look for open positions in Singapore. There are many job portals which will help you in get access to the open job positions in the Singapore. The following sites are some of the most popular ones and used by Singapore job searchers.

1. Best Jobs covers a huge archive of job posts from many industries
2. Monster contains listings across every industry in Singapore
3. Jobs.com.sg uses a single search to help finding listings on other job sites
4. eFinancialCareers has job openings in Singapore’s biggest market -especially in finance
5. Jobs Central includes a large number of listings in a lot of industries
6. Job Street where you can create a personal profile of yours and submitt your CV so that employers from Singalore can find you

5. Meet with an employment agency

Even with most openings online, there are a lot of advantages to work along with a recruitment agency to find  a job in Singapore. Recruitment agency will help you work on your CV, cover letter and interview preparations. They will advice you about your industry and potential employer, including tips about the company’s history and culture.

But doing your own search is always important and choosing the agency carefully is the key. Below are some of the trusted agency in the city.

• 3C Synergy for jobs in construction, oil and gas
• Aegis for jobs across industries
• American Association Career Resource Center specialises in helping expats find jobs
• Career Hub Consultants for jobs in finance, science, tech, engineering and hospitality etc.
• Spencer Stuart places candidates in jobs across a range of industries

6. Meet people

Networking is crucial when looking for jobs anywhere and is no less important in Singapore. If you get a chance to visit the city during your job search, below are some of the great groups to meet in order to get to know people who are already working in Singapore.

• Startup Grind Singapore to get involved with the city’s vibrant startup community
• The Hub for networking events and great tips and articles
• TiE Singapore to meet aspiring entrepreneurs and mentors
• Any of the many business and professional gatherings listed on Meetup

If going to Singapore in person is not on your mind during a job search, then reaching out to other professionals on LinkedIn is also a good idea.

7. Apply for your work visa

Getting a job offer is a huge achievement, but it cannot be considered the final step in the hiring process. Next, you will need to apply for a Singapore work visa.

Luckily, Singapore is a cosmopolitan city that’s home people who have come from multiple regions, and is typically welcoming of foreigners seeking visas. In order to obtain one, you’ll need a job offer, to pay a registration fee and to submit your application. You can apply for your visa online and it will be processed within 7 days after initiation.

Before you apply for a job in Singapore, it’s important to know what type of visa you’re eligible for. The common visa types are as follows:

• Employment Pass for working professionals earning at least 3300 Singapore Dollar (SGD) per month, typically in senior positions with their company
• EntrePass for entrepreneurs looking to start their business in Singapore
• Personalized Employment Pass only given to high earners already having an employment pass, but provides huge flexibility in employment terms and eligible industries
• S Pass the most common visa type for typical foreign workers, provided to mid-tier professionals earning at least 2200 SGD per month, and who have passed the mandatory assessment

8. Get ready to move

Once your job offer letter and visa is in our hand, it’s time to move! You may be thinking how to go about converting your money to Singapore Dollars. If you plan to open a bank account in Singapore or know someone with an account in the city, you can use TransferWise to convert money to and from Singapore.

There’s a small transparent fee which will be applicable, and the real exchange rate is applied to convert from one currency to another – you can find the same on Google as well. In addition to that, TransferWise receives and sends money via local bank transfers instead of internationally, which eliminated the need of international transfer fees and hence you save more money.

Being a multicultural hub, adapting to life in Singapore can prove much easier when compared to other Asian cities. The majority of people speak English and there are a plenty of excellent cuisines available. Finding a house as per  your budget preference isn’t a pain that it can be in other business hubs like New York and London.

Good luck!