With one of the lowest unemployment rates on the planet (around 2%) Singapore has one of the healthiest job markets possible. That being said, getting a job as a foreigner or expat in Singapore is challenging in many cases, as with most places. You will likely be competing with dozens, maybe hundreds of talented job applicants and you will need to gain every advantage you can possibly seize.
Raffles Place- where many professionals looking for a job in Singapore will end up working
Tips for finding work in Singapore
The importance of networking in Singapore - as mentioned in Gateway’s Before You Leave feature, networking is central to many candidates looking to work in Singapore. If you’re serious about this, then join your Chamber of Commerce and scope out as many networking opportunities as possible. Also, keep in touch with current progressions and interact with recruiters through our LinkedIn Group.
Go direct – make contact with any companies you’re interested in. Seek out people working there, whether it’s via Linkedin, Twitter or personal contacts. Message them and ask about available opportunities. Our Industry Snapshots section can help you connect with employers who are hiring in various sectors.
Visit Gateway Global Careers to view some of the latest jobs on offer in Singapore, and connect directly with top employers here.
Register with as many relevant recruitment agencies as possible - chances are you’ll need to have an internal interview with the agency so they can ascertain what it is you’re looking for.
If you haven’t arrived in Singapore yet, it would be beneficial for you to read our Before You Leave job-hunter’s guide.
Applying for work in Singapore
A lot of jobs in Singapore are advertised for ‘Singaporeans or PRs’ only. This means they’re only open to locals or those with Permanent Resident status so it’s not worth applying. Where this isn’t mentioned it’s safe to assume foreigners are welcome.
Around 25% of the population in Singapore comprises foreign workers and expats.
State your position clearly – explain that you’re a foreign job-seeker, newly relocated but highlight job experience overseas, this is welcomed in Singapore. Make clear as well what sort of pass you’re on, whether it’ s a dependent pass, long term or short term visit pass. Potential employers will want to know this so it’s worth putting in your application.
Job interviews – the process in Singapore is much like anywhere else in the world. Shortlist – interview – second interview (occasionally third) – offer.
The job offer
Unlike most other countries, salaries for jobs in Singapore are offered in monthly amounts, rather than annual. Because of tax differences it’ll be difficult to compare back to salaries in your home country but it’s safe to say the tax is favourable (see our tax section).Some companies offer salary estimates for various industries but take the information with a pinch of salt, it’s hard to know who is getting paid what unless you know what peers are earning or someone here has told you what the average is for you age/experience/relevant industry. If you get the chance ask a recruitment consultant, they’ll be able to give some steer on this.
The Employment Pass
Once you’ve accepted your new job in Singapore, the job offer will still be conditional, based on the successful issue of an employment pass. This can take anything from a few days to a couple of weeks to come though so you may need to sit tight for a start date. For more information on visas, check out our visa section.
Booming Job Sectors in Singapore
If you work in R&D, digital media, advertising and creative, recruitment, publishing, engineering, banking and finance, you’ll find plenty of job adverts in Singapore. Check out our latest industry snapshots.
Restrictions on working in Singapore for foreigners
Getting a job in Singapore as an expat is slightly more difficult than it used to be following tougher government restrictions on foreign talent recruitment. In a nutshell, quotas imposed on employers by the Ministry of Manpower mean a company will have to justify to the MOM the need to employ you over a local. But in most cases there isn’t a problem and if you have the skills and experience you’ll be highly employable regardless of your native country.
Finally, don’t expect overnight success. Job-hunting anywhere in the world is hard work and can consume your days. Expect the job search to last for at least three months. Don’t be too choosy about what jobs you apply for, send off for as much as possible and see what comes back.
I went through that process a while ago and I wish I had an article like that to refer to! Some great advice there! I agree with the author, just be persistent and it will pay off!
Thank you! That is a very helpful informative article! I’m currently in the middle of looking for a job and it is great to know that other people out there have gone through the same things successfully!
Cheers
Liz
Hi, This is very informative. I went through the same thing, It is very difficult to find a job these days.Unfortunately , I am back to square one. I hope I can find one soon.
Cheers,
Cher
It really is a tough market to crack remotely. Agents don’t get back to you or proactively email job specs.
At a loss as to whether to just take the plunge and go there and then look or continue looking from London, pestering agents on email and applying to banks directly?!
Due to the increasing number of expats and citizens in Singapore, finding a job is getting hard. Job seekers like me should be well prepared when applying for a job, to impress the company that we are applying to.
Should we apply a visit pass first before starting job search?
This article is spot on. I plunged into Singapore 2 months ago with no job, no contacts and no ‘full-time’ work experience. Risky? Yes, but it certainly paid off. Over 7 weeks I had 69 coffee/beer dates, went to 5 networking events (should have been more) and made hundreds of emails and calls. The end result – 7 offers at MNC’s in Singapore. I start work next week.
My advice is do everything this article says – but focus most of your time on networking.
My situation may be different as I came to Singapore as a well qualified graduate (Law and Commerce degrees). I worked very heavily throughout my studies but on paper I was still pegged at a graduate level. I quickly realized that networking was absolutely essential for me. Recruitment agencies would not talk to me due to lack of experience and HR departments would throw my application in the ‘too hard basket’ as I was a foreigner competing with local grads. Networking also allows you to punch above your weight when job hunting (I ended up getting a highly sought after job that required 2-5 years post-study work exp).
For what it’s worth, here is what I can add:
First, before you leave your home country do everything you can to find a contact in Singapore. List and engage all the people you know at home who could potentially have contacts in Singapore. Don’t worry about the relevance of the contact to your field, just make contact with anyone you can (a friend from home put me in touch with a boat sales broker who then put me in touch with a partner at a law firm).
Once you arrive, engage all possible contacts (I started with only 4 – none of these linked me to a job) and get them to refer you to other people. Start building a list – email everyone after you meet them and follow up your emails every 3-4 working days if necessary. If this takes too long get on the phone and chase up. Be prepared, you may have to go through 10 people or so before you find a relevant person looking to hire. Just make sure you deliver a good impression to everyone you meet.
Next, make sure you put every networking event you can find into you calendar. These are very difficult initially – building the confidence to randomly chat to people is not easy. As mentioned above, start with your country Chamber – you will find plenty of friendly people willing to help. Join expat forums and attend their social events. These expand your network and they are also a good way to make new friends! In hindsight, I should have been going to these every week. I landed a job offer from a contact at one of these events 6 weeks later.
Finally, make sure your execution is perfect. Get a local number and order name cards as soon as you arrive. This small effort does impress people and it is essential if you meet someone important when you are out. Go to lengths to increase your appearance. I had a one page CV (shorter is better for networking as it can easily be skimmed) printed in nice textured paper inside a matching envelope – with a printed address label stating the contacts name and position. I know this sounds excessive but the feedback I had was amazing. I also took a diary and a nice pen with me to every meeting – this is helpful when your contact starts name dropping (you can follow up and ask to be put in touch with ‘x’ person). If you don’t use it (most of the time you won’t), at least it makes you look organized. A quick note for guys – no one wears a suit jacket here because its so hot – I would only wear one for a formal interview.
If I were to do this over again I would not even bother submitting job applications online (although I appreciate it was harder for me as a grad). I would maybe (for my own peace of mind) do this in my downtime. The HR process is longer for formal applications (time is money if you are taking the plunge into Singapore) and you have a lot more competition. Meeting someone for coffee is also easier than formal interview (usually no tricky questions are asked) and it is far more effective!
I could not put it any better than this article – if you do the above it is only a matter of time.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
Hi Jerome this is a very good response of you as I find it very useful for myself. I am also a recent fresh graduate from a university in the UK, got back to my home country already and now thinking of whether to go to Singapore for a job or do ACCA.
Can you make it more clear about which field is easier for foreigners ? My defree is in Business Admin and English Language
Should I go to Singapore to find a job ? as you said it is much harder to do it from outside or should I continuing the education ?
Hi , I am s/w engineer having 2.5 yrs exp in development and working in pune, india itself.
please contact me +91 9028811528
Hi Jerome,
I am currently working with SNG & Partners, India (Winner of the best Banking & Finance Law Company of the Year, 2011) in the Mumbai office, as an Associate. My role involves drafting, vetting, and standardization of documents relating to various banking transactions and research. Apart from the above I am also handling the retainer ship of a Citibank Pan India (Cards – division) on behalf of the Company.
Having topped in the II year of Law, I claim a strong academic background.
The exposure gained while working as an Associate in “SNG & Partners” gives me the experience to undertake work relating to Banking Advisory as well as Loan Documentation.
I am very keen in taking my experience to the next level by finding a perfect opening in Singapore with an MNC. I would welcome any suggestions from your end in the sphere of banking & finance,
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards
Sourabh Jayaswal
Hi Sourabh . I want ur advice . I have done BIT (3 years IT course in india) from last 4 years im in private banking sector . Can i get a banking job in singapore and how . Plz help me .
Hi, Jerome are you somehow a Filipino? I am planning to go there to find a job and i dont know anyone there so would you please help me or recommend me a site where everyone can meet up? By the way this is my twitter account #21bb_ella and most probably i am looking a job as an admin or secretarial jobs.
Many thanks and hoping for your reply very soon.
Hi Jeremy,
Your story is quite inspirational. I would like to ask a few nity-gritty details about how to execute the networking process, which I must confess is a new endeavor for me.
Is there a way to communicate offline? I can be reached at lurie [at] ucla [dot] edu
hi sir jerome i need badly an advice..im planning to go in sg this february2013, i dont have a relatives living there..but I really want to take a risk to get a work at sg. i have a 3 years working experience in admin/clerical works here in philippines. please help me.rain_021606@yahoo.com
Jerome, Thank you fr useful piece of advise. However, finding job in Singapore is not only about finding emplpyer who wishes to give you job but also about singaporean government which must give you employment pass which is given to people who are needed on the job market and have rare skills. I wonder how your emplyer managed to prove that if you were on the graduate level.
what if I only know one person and don’t have the degrees you do? Any advice?
I would like to network with you , what is your email address , pat camp@blueyonder.co.uk
thanks for fantastic advise.
Dear Jerome,
I am flying to Singapore the end of this month. I am an ACA from ICAEW and an ACCA currently working for Ernst & Young, Saudi Arabia. Any assistance shall be highly appreciated.
Best,
M.Faraz Ali
Hello!
My name is Penny. I’m a fresh law graduate, from Greece, as well, and I would like to thank you for your informative article Jerome!
I’m moving to Singapore beggining of November and I would like to know how i can contact you to help me, if possible, find a job in Singapore or apply for a Masters degree in NUS. I have one year experience as a trainee lawyer. I’m really confused, I tried applying online but my lack of experience and young age isn’t helping me. Any help or information is welcome, I have no contacts in Singapore and I’m moving with my boyfriend (he was offered a job in Singapore from a Greek company that has an appendix there).
Thanks in Advance
Penny
Thanks Jerome for this interesting and motivating introduction to the Singapore jobs market.
I feel myself a bit in the same situation as I am graduated (in international management) and have an experience of 8 years in a purchaser/negociator position in the retail sector. On paper, it doesn’t really bring an added value compared to local people, I guess.
The second inconvenient, as a French speaking guy, would be my level of English which I consider fairly sufficient, but probably not in a professional environment.
My idea would then be to go to Singapore and to start searching as from my arrival, whatever the time it will take. However, I would fix up a period of 5 months max.
If anyone could submit me informations or tips, it would be great!
Thanks,
Dimitri
Great article! And thanks everyone for great input!
I am currently looking at moving to Singapore too and I am quite excited about it, especially after reading about practical tips and to hear that its actually possible to find something when you are there, if you work hard!
Hello Everyone,
I regularly post articles on my website, to help with specific aspects of finding a job in Singapore quickly. In case you’re interested here is the link – http://www.sandboxadvisors.com/insights/category/transition-job-search-strategy/
All the best!
Hello Amit . I have done BIT (3 years IT course) from India. I have 4 years private banking experience . Can i get a bank job in singapore or plz advice sum other job in singapore . I want to contact plzzzzzz tell me how to contact u u………..
Thankx
Good day
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Hi Terri,
I am Hari and i worked for 12 years in singapore in offshore and onshore. As a project Engineer for almost 8 years of good hands on experience with leading of any packages related to Structure and pipng.Recently i left singapore for good and looking for an oppurtunity again. If you can asist me on this, then pls keep in touch with me at my mail Id masoom_hareesh@yahoo.com
Best Regards
Hari Prasad
Hi Terri,
I am a teacher here in the Philippines. I have been in the service for 8 years. I am planning to apply in Singapore as a teacher. can you please assist me about this. u can contact me at my email add : thalynpantoja@gmail.com. thanks in advance.
Hi I am an Australian Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of work experience and looking to find an accountancy job in Singapore. I was hoping to secure a job before going to Singapore and do not know how to get a work visa or or find a job that will get one for me. If anyone can help, please let reply/contact me.
Hi Terry,
I am Chartered Accountant with two years of experience. I am planning to relocate to Singapore. It would be great if you can let me know of any openings. My email Id is joe.shereen@gmail.com
hi,
i am looking for job overseas, i am an engineering graduate, specialization in Electronics and instrumentation. I have over one years of experience and currently looking for immediate joining.I am a pass out of 2011 batch.
Email ID:navidsharieff@yahoo.com
Regards,
Navid.
Great article and follow up comments. Jerome – if you are ever stuck it looks like you would get a job on this website going by some of the replies to your message!
How much does one need to pay if finding a job in Singapore using a consultancy or recruitment firm?
Dear All,
If you could provide me with some contacts in SG for jobs seeking please.
Thank you.
Such a great information Jerome! thank you
Hi Terri,
I am Vina, I have 2 years experiences in banking (Treasury Operations) and now I am looking for overseas experience in Singapore. I am kind of interest with your offer as Business Administration and Management Planning. Where should I drop-off my CV? Thanks in advance for your assistant. Pls inform the add at my e-mail: budiarti.vina@gmail.com
Regards,
Vina
i think no jobs in singapore for foreigners i was looking for jobs for past 1month still i cant get anything.. everybody asking for singaporeans,PR only so my advice is look a job in home country itself..
Yes I’m also have a one month trying to find job here in sg but up to now it’s not so easy . I have one month left or else I will go back o my hometown.
Im a sped teacher and i already apply online in singapore and most of the companies looking for singaporean or PR but i still submit my resume. it is possible that i can still look for a job in singapore?