SINGAPORE: A foreigner took to Reddit to ask locals, “Is it very difficult to get a job in Singapore as a foreigner?” To help others gauge whether it would be challenging for him to land a job in the country, he shared details about his professional background.
“I’m a 3 years experienced backend web developer from South Korea, and I recently quit my job since I was having mental health problems,” he said.
“I received about S$3K a month after tax from my previous job. Generally, it isn’t that low, [but the] current value of the Korean won is not good. I’m good at Python, Django (DRF), docker, React Native, MySQL, and AW,” he added.
When explaining why he chose Singapore as the next destination for his career, he noted that he had also considered countries like Canada and Australia. However, Singapore stood out as a more suitable option due to several factors.
He said, “I think that Singapore is a good country because it uses English, has a clean environment, and doesn’t seem too culturally distant from Korea.”
He also revealed his aspirations to land a job in Singapore by June of the current year. To achieve this, he’s been working hard to improve his English skills, which he describes as currently sitting between B1 and B2 levels.
“I’m working hard to push it closer to B2-C1,” he said. Additionally, he plans to visit Singapore for a month in February to get a firsthand feel of the city’s work culture and lifestyle.
Seeking insights from locals, he asked: “How hard is it for a foreigner (especially a Korean) to get a developer job in Singapore? Do you have any tips on what strengths I should highlight as a foreigner?”
“It’s generally easier if you have a network of Korean community…”
In the discussion thread, many quickly pointed out that if locals already face challenges in finding jobs, it will be even more difficult for foreigners.
One user shared, “Yeah, it’s impossible. My wife has a high PhD in neuroscience, a good track record, and works in a sector that has fairly average demand, yet nothing in 3 years. I have many other similar examples.”
Another added, “Web development is heavily saturated right now, so I’d say yes, very difficult.”
A few also cautioned the foreigner that his mental health might get worse in Singapore. One user wrote, “The stress here is similar to South Korea, if not worse, due to the very small market size here. Malaysia or other slower and bigger markets will suit you better.”
However, others were more optimistic and offered advice on how the foreigner could improve his chances of landing a job in Singapore.
One user said, “It’s generally easier if you have a network of Korean community living in Singapore willing to refer you to jobs. The easiest way for you to get hired is to find a Korean firm that has a branch in Singapore.
Without connections, you need to be really good at your skill set, to a point where the company is willing to jump through hoops to get you the necessary documents (EP/SP) to be eligible to work in SG.”
In other news, a contractual worker shared her frustration on Reddit after her manager hired someone externally for a vacant full-time position instead of offering it to her.
In her post on Reddit’s Ask Singapore forum, she wrote, “I’m on a 2-year contract with 1 year remaining. I felt so used and not valued as I put in much effort since the start going above and beyond, but now I’m disposable.”
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
