Moving to Singapore
Discussion
Hello expat chaps, bit of an intro from me:
My wife and I will be moving from London to Singapore in June/July depending on solicitors and various other bits and bobs. I'll be opening an office there for the company I currently work for so my EP will be sorted, wifey will be on a DP but will be looking for work as soon as she lands.
She is working as a senior marketing manager with 8 years b2b experience and fancies doing some contract work, I have a feeling that won't be possible as I believe she would need each company she contracts for to sponsor the EP, does anyone have any info on that?
Currently I'm looking at office space in Raffles Place/Robertson Rd and condos near East Coast Park, can't wait to get out there permanently!
Are there any regular expat PH beer meets where you welcome lonely newcomers? I could do with some pointers of where to find cheap(er) beers than I've found so far!
My wife and I will be moving from London to Singapore in June/July depending on solicitors and various other bits and bobs. I'll be opening an office there for the company I currently work for so my EP will be sorted, wifey will be on a DP but will be looking for work as soon as she lands.
She is working as a senior marketing manager with 8 years b2b experience and fancies doing some contract work, I have a feeling that won't be possible as I believe she would need each company she contracts for to sponsor the EP, does anyone have any info on that?
Currently I'm looking at office space in Raffles Place/Robertson Rd and condos near East Coast Park, can't wait to get out there permanently!
Are there any regular expat PH beer meets where you welcome lonely newcomers? I could do with some pointers of where to find cheap(er) beers than I've found so far!
We are not so good at actually getting together for meets, more like nailing jelly to a wall, although when in town I can usually be found in an assortment of watering holes!
Make sure that you are getting a good rate, it is becoming incredibly expensive here now for everything from Food and booze, to fuel, utilities, taxi's electrical goods etc etc.
Beer wise, if in the City then you are paying a standard issue $10 - 15 a beer, although there are happy hours and specials to follow around, a bucket of 6 Corona's at The Cellar in Far East Square is $40, Prince of Wales on Boat Quay is about $8, Brewerkz does a scaled beer price, something like 50% off at lunchtime! Can get wine by the glass at Wine Connection on Robertson Quay for $7. Otherwise get out of town to the local bars, or the hawker centres where a can costs about $5
For SWMBO, firstly contract work doesn't really exist here, or is rather obscure niche, and you will need to make your own residency to do this - not possible from her status as a DP. Employment laws and quotas have been changed around a lot to try and control the influx of "foreign talent" here, so she will need to find a job paying at least $144k a year to generate the EP. (This is good for you, but may not be exactly what she had in mind
)
Looking at your garage, you will cry when you see the cost of equivalent here, and again new market calming measures mean you have to put 50% cash down on any finance ....
Drop us a line when you rock up, I am based just next to Raffles Place on Church Street.
Make sure that you are getting a good rate, it is becoming incredibly expensive here now for everything from Food and booze, to fuel, utilities, taxi's electrical goods etc etc.
Beer wise, if in the City then you are paying a standard issue $10 - 15 a beer, although there are happy hours and specials to follow around, a bucket of 6 Corona's at The Cellar in Far East Square is $40, Prince of Wales on Boat Quay is about $8, Brewerkz does a scaled beer price, something like 50% off at lunchtime! Can get wine by the glass at Wine Connection on Robertson Quay for $7. Otherwise get out of town to the local bars, or the hawker centres where a can costs about $5
For SWMBO, firstly contract work doesn't really exist here, or is rather obscure niche, and you will need to make your own residency to do this - not possible from her status as a DP. Employment laws and quotas have been changed around a lot to try and control the influx of "foreign talent" here, so she will need to find a job paying at least $144k a year to generate the EP. (This is good for you, but may not be exactly what she had in mind
) Looking at your garage, you will cry when you see the cost of equivalent here, and again new market calming measures mean you have to put 50% cash down on any finance ....
Drop us a line when you rock up, I am based just next to Raffles Place on Church Street.
Thanks for the good info John.
We've already started selling the cars, Porsche went a few weeks back, I have 2 buyers lined up for the Audi when we come to sell it and the BMW track car was due to be sold so the other guys who I co-own it with can carry on with that. I'm kind of looking forward to not having a car for a while, as weird as it will be!
We've already started selling the cars, Porsche went a few weeks back, I have 2 buyers lined up for the Audi when we come to sell it and the BMW track car was due to be sold so the other guys who I co-own it with can carry on with that. I'm kind of looking forward to not having a car for a while, as weird as it will be!
HI All,
I am moving to Singapore myself in November. It would be good to be able to meet up with people with a common interest.
I'm now past the shock associated with not having a car there (the Porsche will go in storage here), so I have decided to get myself a Harley to satiate my petrolhead thirst.
For housing, I'll be looking at Robertson Quay or thereabout. I was there in March on a scouting trip.
Same situation as the OP for wife status. I believe she will struggle to be able to work/find work. Let's see.
I am moving to Singapore myself in November. It would be good to be able to meet up with people with a common interest.
I'm now past the shock associated with not having a car there (the Porsche will go in storage here), so I have decided to get myself a Harley to satiate my petrolhead thirst.
For housing, I'll be looking at Robertson Quay or thereabout. I was there in March on a scouting trip.
Same situation as the OP for wife status. I believe she will struggle to be able to work/find work. Let's see.
Employment wise, it's getting harder and harder to secure an employment pass in SG (unless you are a PR or it's an internal transfer) so your respective partners will struggle with work unless they have specialist skills (medical, teacher etc) or are career people themselves.
With the bike, if you don't already, make sure you have your full bike license before you leave the UK, as it is a pain in the ass to get in SG!! (takes a year)
Quite a big harley scene in SG though, with a very active HOG club that does road trips all they way to Thailand, Myanmar etc. also there is the Handle Bar in Sembawang that is a popular hangout of theirs
With the bike, if you don't already, make sure you have your full bike license before you leave the UK, as it is a pain in the ass to get in SG!! (takes a year)
Quite a big harley scene in SG though, with a very active HOG club that does road trips all they way to Thailand, Myanmar etc. also there is the Handle Bar in Sembawang that is a popular hangout of theirs
XJSJohn said:
Employment wise, it's getting harder and harder to secure an employment pass in SG (unless you are a PR or it's an internal transfer) so your respective partners will struggle with work unless they have specialist skills (medical, teacher etc) or are career people themselves.
With the bike, if you don't already, make sure you have your full bike license before you leave the UK, as it is a pain in the ass to get in SG!! (takes a year)
Quite a big harley scene in SG though, with a very active HOG club that does road trips all they way to Thailand, Myanmar etc. also there is the Handle Bar in Sembawang that is a popular hangout of theirs
Thanks, very good info.With the bike, if you don't already, make sure you have your full bike license before you leave the UK, as it is a pain in the ass to get in SG!! (takes a year)
Quite a big harley scene in SG though, with a very active HOG club that does road trips all they way to Thailand, Myanmar etc. also there is the Handle Bar in Sembawang that is a popular hangout of theirs
I have a full bike license and I was advised mine will be converted to 2b(I believe) no problem.
I know a few people who have used their car allowance in Sing to buy a bike, used it there and then shipped them back to the UK so they can't be much more than the UK. track days at Sepang are good 150rm. the Harley boys are OK meet with them most years for the ride up to Phucket bike week.
Last weekend in June, Malaysian Super Series at Sepang, Practice all day saturday, sunday racing all day, Aisan Touring Cars, Asian Classic Cars, Porsche Cup etc, good day out, XSJ, Nick and Deadlock have been in the past, I'll be staying at the Pan Pacific KLIA, 300Rm a night, and running two cars (I hope) so let me know and I can arrange a few pit passes.
Be carfull about asking price and selling price, as I say I know people,who have bought to ship back to the UK. When I looked at a 916 a few years ago I got it down to 8000Sing, from around 12 starting, certainly in Malyasia at the moment cars are going for 50 to 70% of the asking price, when I sold my ZXR 9 last year I dropped the price by 1500sing and I was not in a hurry to sell. My rue is never buy enything unless the seller is deperate, I've bought 4 cars from people 'going home' which is always a good deal..
I'd be looking much newer (2-3 years maybe) and my job would be a 2 year secondment in the first instance. I now have two weeks to decide whether to apply for it or not! I would get accommodation in Ang Mo Kio as part of the deal. Any views on that as a place to live.
Hope it's not too smokey!
Hope it's not too smokey!
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