As Singapore job market tightens and employment passes stricter, expats are feeling the squeeze

As the city state confronts its worst recession and the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the government has sought to promote local hiring

Singapore has further tightened regulations around employment visas, increasing the threshold for minimum monthly salary

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Uncertain job prospects, online commentary and stricter conditions risk making Singapore a less welcoming destination. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 1:29pm, 27 Aug 2020Updated: 9:24pm, 27 Aug 2020

Singapore has long been the city of choice for Western expats wanting an easy entrée into Asia. Clean, efficient, with low tax rates, it’s often seen as rivalling Hong Kong, especially with that city hit by street protests and unrest over China’s new national security law.

Yet just when Singapore should be a magnet for global talent, some recruiters say the barriers to entry are mounting. The city state’s is facing the worst recession in its history, forcing a rethink for some firms on expansion and hiring plans. Alongside soaring unemployment has come a spike in rhetoric against foreigners, seen by some Singaporeans as taking jobs from locals.

An experienced nurse from New Zealand is finding out how tough it can be. She seemed, on paper at least, the ideal expat – arriving with her partner right before the coronavirus pandemic. But 11 months and more 200 failed applications later, she says she’s on the verge of going home, unable to land a work pass.

She was told by companies that they have a quota and the quota is met, she said, asking not to be identified for fear of jeopardising her partner’s work permit. When attempts to volunteer at hospitals were similarly rejected, she said she felt like she didn’t belong.

The uncertain job prospects, online commentary and stricter conditions risk making Singapore a less welcoming destination just as the city state needs foreign investment the most. And as workplaces clamp down on hiring it could further limit the options for expats who have long seen a stint in Asia as an important and lucrative experience.

The Singapore government has added to their angst by taking steps to promote local hiring, raising concern that it will come at the expense of expats.

Earlier this month, it put 47 companies on a watch list for suspected discriminatory hiring practices. The list includes banks, fund managers and consulting firms that may have preselected foreigners for jobs or not given Singaporeans a fair chance. This adds to the 240 companies already under scrutiny. The names of the firms weren’t disclosed.