IT emigration: Singapore
After lunch, lounging in a chair, I was reading the Internet, when suddenly a strange, unfamiliar number flashed on my phone. "Hmm, strange" - I thought, - "Who else would I need so suddenly?" Of course, I decided to pick up the phone, you never know ... “Sasha, hello! This is Cyril, remember? And would you like to work in Singapore? ”- the voice of my old friend, whom I had not seen for three years, rang in the receiver. “Why not?” I replied.
As you understand these lines, I am writing already from Singapore. Below is my story with the move, the cost of rent, taxes and living conditions.
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In my case, this question did not arise, due to the fact that my friend invited me. If you decide to search for yourself, then all the work will fall on the shoulders of personnel agencies. The practice adopted in Russia with “respond to a vacancy” is, of course, present, but the chance is significantly reduced. It is also important that only large companies are worth watching, a small startup will not bother with tons of documents on your re-rollout, so for the start of telecom and our banks everything.
In fact, there are several types of permissions , but I hope the majority will not be interested in working with mades, so I’ll list the most basic ones:
Further, a little about each of the documents:
Work permit for medium professionals. There are quite a lot of them and programmers also belong to them.
Work permit for high-class specialists with a good education,
It is important that only the holder of an EP of the first category can qualify for a Personalized Employment Pass.
The most interesting type of document. The most important advantage is the ability to choose the work yourself. In the case of the first two documents, if you are fired / the contract ends, you will have to leave the city for a couple of weeks, but if you are a PEP holder, you will be able to stay and be unemployed for six months. But there are a number of nuances upon receipt. First, if you already work in Singapore, your annual income should exceed 144.000 SGD (at least 12.000 SGD per month). If you do not work in Singapore, then your monthly salary should be no less than 18,000 SGD (about half rubles), which is quite a substantial amount. Also, in addition to the wife and children, having this document you can transport and parents.
In general, there is no serious difference between the types of passes, except that the first two make you a direct slave to the employer, and the last gives you the right to look for work yourself. But it is extremely difficult to get.
You can go to Singapore to study languages ​​and get a tourist visa without any problems. What does this give? First, the opportunity to pull up / practice English, look around and, of course, look for work.
If we talk about prices, then three months of training will cost about 2500 - 3000 SGD, insurance will cost 300 SGD, if you use the services of a language school (then you do not need a deposit) or 1,500 SGD deposits in a bank (only in DBS ), which will be returned after visa validity Of course, you will need to rent housing and eat something, but more on that below.
A small lyrical digression to escape from the main theme. From many acquaintances I heard about the strong competition from the Indians, the reasoning on what to do with this and whether to change the profession and so on. So, for the most part, all the maxims on this subject are groundless. This is clearly understood by working in a large, international company. Most of the Indians are low-skilled IT specialists, and they are given quite specific work. For example, there is such a position as change analyst - “specialist”, responsible for project changes. In my case, this is a girl who changes from brunch to trunk and back. Almost finished the script, which finally will replace it.
I don’t want to say anything bad about the nation. Naturally, there are extremely capable and talented guys, but, as usual, such a minority. If you are at least something, then you will have no problem finding a job.
Not so long ago, Singapore was recognized as the most expensive place to live in the world , but is it? For a number of points, the answer is definitely "yes." Property prices are extremely high. First, it is rather difficult just to get and find an apartment. As usual, you need to turn to the next parasite of our society - a real estate rental agent. The rental price ranges from 70,000 to 90,000 rubles (2500 - 3000 SGD) not in the center of the city. In the center of the cost is easy to pass for 150.000 - 200.000 (6000 - 7000 SGD). And yes, you need to pay for the first and last month, otherwise live on the street. Hmm, do not forget about the security deposit for electricity - 15,000 rubles (500 SGD) and 5,000 rubles (150 SGD) for maintaining housing. And you also have to pay for all sorts of small things (recurring expenses): electricity and water (100-120 SGD per month), repair of air conditioners (30-40 SGD for Conder, once in 3 months), these are your Internet (30 SGD), gas (40 SGD per cylinder) ... Cumulatively small expenses - 15000 - 20000 rubles (500 - 1000 SGD). Fuf, it seems to have listed everything ... But no, stop! I almost forgot, the agentsuddenly also needs to pay - 50% of the rental price in the first month. I was very lucky that my friend agreed that I would stay with him for a couple of months, otherwise I would have had a hard time before my first salary. In total, the initialization operation cost me about 300,000 rubles (9500 SGD). I can’t name the exact figure, because in the sense disorders I stopped to carry out detailed calculations.
Of course, there are budget options. Firstly, this is HDB apartments, without swimming pools and gyms. More about them in the historical box. The second option is to rent a room. It will cost approximately 25.000 - 35.000 rubles (1000 - 1500 SGD).
The most budget option - hostel. I think in 15.000 - 20.000 rubles you can meet.
I almost forgot, you can live in a tent for free, in a beautiful park. I hope you understood me correctly
With the prices of transport and food everything is quite good. A trip to a restaurant costs from SGD 20 and up, but there is a very democratic option - food court. Standard portion costs from 3 to 5 SGD (80 - 120 rubles). Very pleased with the variety of juices - from the banal orange to the exotic, for example, dragon fruit. Juice costs about 1 - 3 SGD.
Taxes are quite humane, if you are in the country for less than a year, then the tax will be 15%, otherwise, about 10%.
I had about 100,000 rubles with me, which was easily enough for the first month (about a third remained). But I did not need to rent a house. I think, given the hostel, this amount would be enough without any problems.
Everything is very well thought out. There are practically no old buildings, the road is simply at the highest level, there are no traffic jams and exhaust gases. A lot of greenery and shady places, so even on a hot day, walking along the street is quite pleasant.
There are plenty of bike paths and parking lots in the city, but it is not always comfortable to ride a bike, especially when in the office dress code.
The question of kindergartens and schools did not arise for me, due to the fact that I do not have children yet, but, as I understand it, there are no problems. There is a differentiation of schools in core subjects (for example, the second language of instruction, the first is necessarily English). Higher education is extremely high quality and affordable for citizens or for residents.
Separately, I want to highlight the concept of the garden city. Singapore is literally immersed in greenery. Plantings are thought out in such a way as to minimize your exposure to the sun or shelter from rain. You understand the importance of this by visiting Indonesia, for example, where such little things are not taken care of and where a T-shirt soaks in half an hour later in the sun.
Everything here is also very attractive - the journey is not expensive and varies from the time of day. For example, from 5 to 7:30 in the subway (fully automated) you can ride for free. At rush hour, the price is higher, so the fight against congestion is stimulated.
In general, the impression is extremely positive. Of course, there are things that are clearly not enough - companies to drink beer, colleagues of my age (everyone is already over 30) and a native language, but there are a number of advantages that produce a very positive impression:
High quality of life
According to the latest data, there are two hundred twenty five thousand millionaires in the three and a half million city, in other words, approximately every sixteenth millionaire. What entails a high standard of living. Most apartments with a pool and a gym, a good transportation system, air conditioning everywhere and protection systems from heavy rain.
Zero level tolerance
The principle is very simple - everyone is equal before the law. There are no exceptions. Singapore is a small city, so any excitement, demonstration or scandal can shake the reputation, which will inevitably lead to an outflow of investors and loss of trust.
The fight against corruption in a country where bribery up to a certain point was a kind of tradition (as in China) deserves a separate story, I will only quote a quote from former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew:
Tolerance and politeness
The city is multi-ethnic - Indians, Chinese, Malays, Filipinos, Europeans, Australians ... You can list the nations cooking in the local cauldron for a long time. Naturally, without tolerance and education, the unity of the nation would not have been possible. The principle of tolerance and politeness is imbued with everything around, you can safely go to the post office without fearing to stumble upon the wall of rudeness and bureaucracy. But there is another side to the coin - you have to put up with a number of non-typical circumstances. For example, to restrain sneezing or belching is somehow not accepted, which sometimes causes strong resonance.
Everything is close and near
An hour to Malaysia, thirty minutes to Indonesia, two hours to Vietnam, four hours to Nepal. I think these facts are enough. I love to travel and it is extremely important for me to have a place to study at my side. For half a year I was able to visit ten countries.
Security
Do you like to walk in gloomy places with a wad of money in your hands and a brand new iPhone (which, by the way, won't surprise anyone here. A woman who cleans my apartment has a cooler phone than me)? Then this is the place for you. Security is at an extremely high level, tracking cameras are everywhere, so the probability of a crime being committed is minimal. Of course, there are exceptions , but they are extremely rare. Visitors need work that they quickly lose when they break the law, and Singaporeans simply don’t need your money.
I hope my experience was useful and the article turned out to be interesting, ready to answer all the questions in the comments or personal messages.
Some interesting resources on the topic:
1. The site of the Ministry of Labor - everything is explained very clearly and intelligibly, respond to online requests
2. The history of Singapore from the hands of the prime minister. It is very interesting about the formation of the state, relations with neighbors and the author’s personal view on world problems.
3. The site of the national archive - a bunch of old photos, films and eyewitness accounts
As you understand these lines, I am writing already from Singapore. Below is my story with the move, the cost of rent, taxes and living conditions.
')
How to search for a job?
In my case, this question did not arise, due to the fact that my friend invited me. If you decide to search for yourself, then all the work will fall on the shoulders of personnel agencies. The practice adopted in Russia with “respond to a vacancy” is, of course, present, but the chance is significantly reduced. It is also important that only large companies are worth watching, a small startup will not bother with tons of documents on your re-rollout, so for the start of telecom and our banks everything.
List of required documents
- Notarized copies of the diploma with translation
- Notarized and translated tax payment certificate
- A couple of recommendations from previous jobs and HR contacts
- Passport scans (all pages)
- A bunch of electronic forms
Types of visas (work permits)
In fact, there are several types of permissions , but I hope the majority will not be interested in working with mades, so I’ll list the most basic ones:
Further, a little about each of the documents:
S Pass (SP)
Work permit for medium professionals. There are quite a lot of them and programmers also belong to them.
Employment Pass (EP)
Work permit for high-class specialists with a good education,
It is important that only the holder of an EP of the first category can qualify for a Personalized Employment Pass.
Personalized Employment Pass (PEP)
The most interesting type of document. The most important advantage is the ability to choose the work yourself. In the case of the first two documents, if you are fired / the contract ends, you will have to leave the city for a couple of weeks, but if you are a PEP holder, you will be able to stay and be unemployed for six months. But there are a number of nuances upon receipt. First, if you already work in Singapore, your annual income should exceed 144.000 SGD (at least 12.000 SGD per month). If you do not work in Singapore, then your monthly salary should be no less than 18,000 SGD (about half rubles), which is quite a substantial amount. Also, in addition to the wife and children, having this document you can transport and parents.
In general, there is no serious difference between the types of passes, except that the first two make you a direct slave to the employer, and the last gives you the right to look for work yourself. But it is extremely difficult to get.
Great workaround!
You can go to Singapore to study languages ​​and get a tourist visa without any problems. What does this give? First, the opportunity to pull up / practice English, look around and, of course, look for work.
If we talk about prices, then three months of training will cost about 2500 - 3000 SGD, insurance will cost 300 SGD, if you use the services of a language school (then you do not need a deposit) or 1,500 SGD deposits in a bank (only in DBS ), which will be returned after visa validity Of course, you will need to rent housing and eat something, but more on that below.
Historical background: education
Singapore universities are now steadily staying in the tops of world rankings, but, of course, this was not always the case. The first problem was language. The teaching was conducted in Chinese, and not even in its most common dialect. The second is a total education and industry system. The importance of education in the history of Singapore is difficult to overestimate. The city needed to attract investment, which is difficult to do without having skilled local workers.
The first problem was solved easily and naturally - education in all higher educational institutions was translated into English. In schools, the native language was the second. Naturally, this program caused discontent among the local ethnic majority - the Chinese. In particular, independent investors (the owners of the tiger balm corporation, named after one of the poorest parks in the city) funded the ChineseOrthodox University, Nanyang Politehnikal. The venture ended in complete failure, education fell into a fucking shit depreciated due to the fact that it was difficult for students without knowledge of English to find a job and communicate with specialists in their environment. Professors lost their enthusiasm, and students lost their knowledge. The government intervened, retested professors, and translated the learning process into English.
In 2013, the National University of Singapore ranked twenty-fourth in the world ranking.
The first problem was solved easily and naturally - education in all higher educational institutions was translated into English. In schools, the native language was the second. Naturally, this program caused discontent among the local ethnic majority - the Chinese. In particular, independent investors (the owners of the tiger balm corporation, named after one of the poorest parks in the city) funded the Chinese
In 2013, the National University of Singapore ranked twenty-fourth in the world ranking.
Should I fear the Indians?
A small lyrical digression to escape from the main theme. From many acquaintances I heard about the strong competition from the Indians, the reasoning on what to do with this and whether to change the profession and so on. So, for the most part, all the maxims on this subject are groundless. This is clearly understood by working in a large, international company. Most of the Indians are low-skilled IT specialists, and they are given quite specific work. For example, there is such a position as change analyst - “specialist”, responsible for project changes. In my case, this is a girl who changes from brunch to trunk and back. Almost finished the script, which finally will replace it.
I don’t want to say anything bad about the nation. Naturally, there are extremely capable and talented guys, but, as usual, such a minority. If you are at least something, then you will have no problem finding a job.
And what about the prices and taxes?
Not so long ago, Singapore was recognized as the most expensive place to live in the world , but is it? For a number of points, the answer is definitely "yes." Property prices are extremely high. First, it is rather difficult just to get and find an apartment. As usual, you need to turn to the next parasite of our society - a real estate rental agent. The rental price ranges from 70,000 to 90,000 rubles (2500 - 3000 SGD) not in the center of the city. In the center of the cost is easy to pass for 150.000 - 200.000 (6000 - 7000 SGD). And yes, you need to pay for the first and last month, otherwise live on the street. Hmm, do not forget about the security deposit for electricity - 15,000 rubles (500 SGD) and 5,000 rubles (150 SGD) for maintaining housing. And you also have to pay for all sorts of small things (recurring expenses): electricity and water (100-120 SGD per month), repair of air conditioners (30-40 SGD for Conder, once in 3 months), these are your Internet (30 SGD), gas (40 SGD per cylinder) ... Cumulatively small expenses - 15000 - 20000 rubles (500 - 1000 SGD). Fuf, it seems to have listed everything ... But no, stop! I almost forgot, the agent
Of course, there are budget options. Firstly, this is HDB apartments, without swimming pools and gyms. More about them in the historical box. The second option is to rent a room. It will cost approximately 25.000 - 35.000 rubles (1000 - 1500 SGD).
The most budget option - hostel. I think in 15.000 - 20.000 rubles you can meet.
I almost forgot, you can live in a tent for free, in a beautiful park. I hope you understood me correctly
With the prices of transport and food everything is quite good. A trip to a restaurant costs from SGD 20 and up, but there is a very democratic option - food court. Standard portion costs from 3 to 5 SGD (80 - 120 rubles). Very pleased with the variety of juices - from the banal orange to the exotic, for example, dragon fruit. Juice costs about 1 - 3 SGD.
Taxes are quite humane, if you are in the country for less than a year, then the tax will be 15%, otherwise, about 10%.
Historical background: HDB apartments
At the time of independence, most of the population lived in squalid, self-made shacks scattered throughout the island. One of the goals of Lee Kwan-Yu was the opportunity for each resident of the city to provide separate housing. The idea was simple - citizens would treat their own housing much better than rented, which, in the long term, would improve the well-being of the population.
The solution was found - the city began to build low-cost apartments that citizens had to buy in a long-term loan at a meager percentage (in fact, a mortgage at 2%, it still exists).
Such a policy has led to the fact that 95% of the population have private housing and the prices for the flights take off just sky high.
At the time of independence, most of the population lived in squalid, self-made shacks scattered throughout the island. One of the goals of Lee Kwan-Yu was the opportunity for each resident of the city to provide separate housing. The idea was simple - citizens would treat their own housing much better than rented, which, in the long term, would improve the well-being of the population.
The solution was found - the city began to build low-cost apartments that citizens had to buy in a long-term loan at a meager percentage (in fact, a mortgage at 2%, it still exists).
Such a policy has led to the fact that 95% of the population have private housing and the prices for the flights take off just sky high.
So how much to take, in the end?
I had about 100,000 rubles with me, which was easily enough for the first month (about a third remained). But I did not need to rent a house. I think, given the hostel, this amount would be enough without any problems.
Infrastructure
Everything is very well thought out. There are practically no old buildings, the road is simply at the highest level, there are no traffic jams and exhaust gases. A lot of greenery and shady places, so even on a hot day, walking along the street is quite pleasant.
There are plenty of bike paths and parking lots in the city, but it is not always comfortable to ride a bike, especially when in the office dress code.
The question of kindergartens and schools did not arise for me, due to the fact that I do not have children yet, but, as I understand it, there are no problems. There is a differentiation of schools in core subjects (for example, the second language of instruction, the first is necessarily English). Higher education is extremely high quality and affordable for citizens or for residents.
Separately, I want to highlight the concept of the garden city. Singapore is literally immersed in greenery. Plantings are thought out in such a way as to minimize your exposure to the sun or shelter from rain. You understand the importance of this by visiting Indonesia, for example, where such little things are not taken care of and where a T-shirt soaks in half an hour later in the sun.
Public transport
Everything here is also very attractive - the journey is not expensive and varies from the time of day. For example, from 5 to 7:30 in the subway (fully automated) you can ride for free. At rush hour, the price is higher, so the fight against congestion is stimulated.
Historical background: road
A serious problem of any modern city is the organization of traffic flows. If a hundred years ago there was difficulty in collecting manure, now it’s traffic jams and exhaust gases (Moscow is half the trouble, but I don’t understand how they live in Beijing).
Singapore faced a similar problem. We decided it quickly enough.
Firstly, all individual transport was strictly limited. Serious taxes on the importation of cars and the auction of rights to own a car significantly restrained the ardor ofyoung “managers” from the first salary of citizens to the purchase of personal vehicles. Now the price of a license for 10 years reaches 100,000 SGD (about 3,000,000 rubles). The number of licenses is limited and is calculated every year, depending on the capacity of the road network.
Secondly, public transport is cheap and convenient. An extensive network of automatic metro (without a driver), comfortable buses, good roads ... All this for a maximum of 100 SGD (3000 rubles) per month. By the way, the shareholders of the transport system are ordinary workers, but this is a separate topic for conversation.
Thirdly, cheap and high-quality taxi. For 25-30 SGD (700 - 1000 rubles), you can safely pass from one end of the city to another. If you want apathos of comfort, you can go on Chrysler or white Mesredes. In St. Petersburg, a similar service cost 1500 rubles for local and 3500 for foreigners, which is sad.
Singapore faced a similar problem. We decided it quickly enough.
Firstly, all individual transport was strictly limited. Serious taxes on the importation of cars and the auction of rights to own a car significantly restrained the ardor of
Secondly, public transport is cheap and convenient. An extensive network of automatic metro (without a driver), comfortable buses, good roads ... All this for a maximum of 100 SGD (3000 rubles) per month. By the way, the shareholders of the transport system are ordinary workers, but this is a separate topic for conversation.
Thirdly, cheap and high-quality taxi. For 25-30 SGD (700 - 1000 rubles), you can safely pass from one end of the city to another. If you want a
And how does it feel?
In general, the impression is extremely positive. Of course, there are things that are clearly not enough - companies to drink beer, colleagues of my age (everyone is already over 30) and a native language, but there are a number of advantages that produce a very positive impression:
High quality of life
According to the latest data, there are two hundred twenty five thousand millionaires in the three and a half million city, in other words, approximately every sixteenth millionaire. What entails a high standard of living. Most apartments with a pool and a gym, a good transportation system, air conditioning everywhere and protection systems from heavy rain.
Zero level tolerance
The principle is very simple - everyone is equal before the law. There are no exceptions. Singapore is a small city, so any excitement, demonstration or scandal can shake the reputation, which will inevitably lead to an outflow of investors and loss of trust.
The fight against corruption in a country where bribery up to a certain point was a kind of tradition (as in China) deserves a separate story, I will only quote a quote from former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew:
Start by planting three of your friends. You know exactly what, and they know what.
Historical background: the fight against corruption
The problem was extremely urgent. Naturally, bribery and corruption do not make the country attractive for investors, and the question of attracting them took the red line in the early stages of the development of the city of the state. The cure for bribery, as usual, turned out to be simple, effective and very cruel - the death penalty and severe criminal punishment (by the way, cane sticks punishments are still in force). The important point is that any laws can be passed, but it is important to make them work. To solve this problem, first-class judges were invited with adequate salaries according to world standards. The police have also been reformed. Only after that the powerful court machine began to gather its course.
After several severe years, the famous Zero Level Tolerance became one of the pillars of this country. Now Singapore ranks fifth in the corruption perception index (Russia - 159).
After several severe years, the famous Zero Level Tolerance became one of the pillars of this country. Now Singapore ranks fifth in the corruption perception index (Russia - 159).
Tolerance and politeness
The city is multi-ethnic - Indians, Chinese, Malays, Filipinos, Europeans, Australians ... You can list the nations cooking in the local cauldron for a long time. Naturally, without tolerance and education, the unity of the nation would not have been possible. The principle of tolerance and politeness is imbued with everything around, you can safely go to the post office without fearing to stumble upon the wall of rudeness and bureaucracy. But there is another side to the coin - you have to put up with a number of non-typical circumstances. For example, to restrain sneezing or belching is somehow not accepted, which sometimes causes strong resonance.
Everything is close and near
An hour to Malaysia, thirty minutes to Indonesia, two hours to Vietnam, four hours to Nepal. I think these facts are enough. I love to travel and it is extremely important for me to have a place to study at my side. For half a year I was able to visit ten countries.
Security
Do you like to walk in gloomy places with a wad of money in your hands and a brand new iPhone (which, by the way, won't surprise anyone here. A woman who cleans my apartment has a cooler phone than me)? Then this is the place for you. Security is at an extremely high level, tracking cameras are everywhere, so the probability of a crime being committed is minimal. Of course, there are exceptions , but they are extremely rare. Visitors need work that they quickly lose when they break the law, and Singaporeans simply don’t need your money.
I hope my experience was useful and the article turned out to be interesting, ready to answer all the questions in the comments or personal messages.
Some interesting resources on the topic:
1. The site of the Ministry of Labor - everything is explained very clearly and intelligibly, respond to online requests
2. The history of Singapore from the hands of the prime minister. It is very interesting about the formation of the state, relations with neighbors and the author’s personal view on world problems.
3. The site of the national archive - a bunch of old photos, films and eyewitness accounts
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/285634/
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