Jobs in Singapore

I have been to several job fairs, job interviews and talked to some friends in some local companies in Singapore. There seems to be a distrubing trend -- Lowly paid foreign workers.

Singapore seems to have a much higher standard of living compared to the surrounding countries, and some of these people are lured by the high pay, but do not consider the expensive transportation and relatively expensive food and housing. 

I've heard from several friends first hand now, HUGE pay cut of 30% or more, then as people quit, many Filipino and Chinese Nationals take their place at 50% of their pay. I don't understand why a lot of these companies want to exploit their workers so badly. I believe 50% of salary will make these workers 50% motivated and effective. There will never be quality work and and good service. Mr Xxx works for a private school in Singapore. After taking a 40% paycut, many of his colleagues left. Mr Xxx now has to do their jobs and when he finally cannot handle the work of 6 of this colleagues that left, 3 Filipino are hired and they cannot communicate with the mainland Chinese. Mr Xxx now have to answer phone calls as the Filipinos cannot understand Chinese. The company is still profitable and has not seen any drop in student intakes.

Miss Yyy is from China and she is working in Singapore doing accounting and secretarial service. The company is owned by a Chinese National who is now a PR and somehow, ALL the staff that are  hired in the company are from China. It seems to be a convenient excuse that Singapore WILL NOT work for such a low pay and they CAN NOT find a Singaporean that will do the job. Miss Yyy just wants to be a PR and wants to find a Singaporean husband here and does not mind $1500 per month which is at least $500 lower than what a person with her experience should get in Singapore. 

There is a BIG issue now as foreign workers are driving the wages down, for jobs that normally a Singaporean will take. As the recession continues, the Ministry of Manpower seems to "Keep one eye closed" and still allow these errand employers hire foreigners and not following the quota. Many of these companies use "Phantom Workers" -- Housewives and old people who are not working, and giving them minimal income to make them "employees" even though they do not show up for work.

I have been to 3 interviews now that have Indian managers. I was very disappointed especially I know one of the fellow people going to the interview. I believe that there is serious racism involved, and whenever there is an Indian Manager, there is a dispropotinate amount of Indians going for the interview. I was surprised that for 1 position, I was offered $4000 for the job and my friend who was Indian was offered $8000 for the same position. I have at least 4 more years of experience and I have even 5 years of experience working for a company in the US. Eventually, I found out that there was another interview with the UK Director and I was subsequently not called back even when they offered to pay only half of what they offered someone else for the same position.

I have a tenant that is from China and she says that her company did cut 30% of her salary and now her department in the company is 100% imported from China. The amount of customers however did not reduce. She was living in a private apartment with some facilities and have to move into a government flat after the pay cut. She also had other added responsibilities.

I am disappointed with the government who seemed to have many of these departments such as "Workforce Development Agency -- WDA", "Ministry of Manpower -- MOM", etc. But they have not really addressed the main issue: TO CREATE JOBS FOR SINGAPOREANS. Many jobs created seemed to go to the new foreign workers, who seemed to come into Singapore easily and can obtain jobs and get working visa, while in Singapore on a vacation. Though I am for free trade, without proper immigration controls, driving down wages for the middle and lower management but still maintaining a high standard of living will create social problems. 

I like having skilled foreign workers coming to Singapore to help Singapore grow, and have a belonging to become a Singaporean or a Permanent Resident, but the lower paid workers are very transient and they are here to make money for a few years and return to their countries. They do not feel any belonging and tend to not care about their surroundings or integrating with society. The managers and professionals that come to Singapore from overseas tend to see Singapore as a "stepping stone" to work here for a few years before going to the UK or USA later.

I hope things will change soon as the economy is getting worse, and something needs to be done now before everything is lost.

--Iron Bowl