To migrate or not?

[Coolkidsrock2]

Singapore passport not difficult to stay as PR in UK.


One of the consideration not mentioned here is the high tax rate. It is not difficult to hit their highest tax bracket. On a net basis, the take home pay may be lower. Will also need to take into consideration the cost of education there. The PRs I know in Australia send their kids to private schools.

Someone I know sponsored the maid there. Salary is 2000 per month, 44 hours week. There are part-time cleaners but not exactly cheap either. So got to do everything personally.

The grass may or may not be greener. Different expectations, experience for different people. Keep your house and Singapore passport.

[Irrelevant]

On one hand, we castigate foreigners for being opportunistic (in using Singapore as a stepping stone). On the other hand, we encourage Singaporeans to be opportunistic too?

[sinoboy]

Irrelevant:

On one hand, we castigate foreigners for being opportunistic (in using Singapore as a stepping stone). On the other hand, we encourage Singaporeans to be opportunistic too?

These are people who have the ability and means to migrate. They are discussing options. Options open to the people who used Singapore as stepping stone. Most in Singapore have no choice. Yes I am encouraged by talks of migration despite the horror stories of those \"who were there and back\". But in reality many locals like me who received a local education as opposed to those who studied in UK, Auz, NZ, US, with kids in normal schools and not top schools with overseas uni potential and with little resources with HDB and not D10,11,12 don't have the options open to us. So right now I can only feel depressed at my inability to be opportunistic. :sad:

[sinoboy]

[ deleted ]

[BeContented]

Irrelevant:

On one hand, we castigate foreigners for being opportunistic (in using Singapore as a stepping stone). On the other hand, we encourage Singaporeans to be opportunistic too?

Agree with you. :sad:

[pirate]

sinoboy:

These are people who have the ability and means to migrate. They are discussing options. Options open to the people who used Singapore as stepping stone. Most in Singapore have no choice. Yes I am encouraged by talks of migration despite the horror stories of those \"who were there and back\". But in reality many locals like me who received a local education as opposed to those who studied in UK, Auz, NZ, US, with kids in normal schools and not top schools with overseas uni potential and with little resources with HDB and not D10,11,12 don't have the options open to us. So right now I can only feel depressed at my inability to be opportunistic. :sad:

Sure you can. There is a scheme in the US where you join the military, serve a couple of years in places like Iraq or Afghanistan, and they give you US citizenship. Interested?

Or you can just overstay in the US. Spend a few years there working as undocumented menial labour, and wait for the amnesty they grant illegal immigrants every few years. Making a baby while you are there, who automatically becomes a US citizen, helps. They really do not like deporting the parents of US citizens over there.

Or just become a qualified nurse. Or get one of your kids to become one. Don't need to go to top school in D10, 11, 12 one. Poly can already. He/she can sponsor you after a few years there.



Yeah. I am being sarcastic. But the point is there are always options. What makes people think that foreigners who emigrate to Singapore have it easy? There are always sacrifices.

[Just relax]

U will find SCs who are happy to have migrated and those who have found life difficult. But if u have been a born and bred SC I think migrating is not easy because the lifestyle in Singapore is very different. if u are a person who is impatient to get things fixed such as air-con breakdown, or want hi-speed Internet access, or enjoy going for late night supper, or want to walk around neighborhood in shorts and t-shirt (for girls I mean), or want to take public transport without fear of being mugged, or want children to go to schools where there is a decent education system, or do not want to wait 2 weeks to see poly clinic doctor or 3 months for surgery, or do not want to look around you when standing at ATM, or want to go to 7-11 at 3.00 am, or watch a midnight show and walk out of cinema not bothered about being mugged, or can drive and park in town without paying $8-10 per hour, or can afford to eat out at nice restaurant at least 1-2 times a month and not 1-2times a year, can buy coffee and kaya toast at $3.00 instead of $7.00, can take home 90% of pay home instead of 60% only, can afford to go on cheap holidays to M'sia, Thailand, Indonesia etc. or spend holiday at home.


Let me think about it :? :scratchhead:

[Attolia]

Just relax:

U will find SCs who are happy to have migrated and those who have found life difficult. But if u have been a born and bred SC I think migrating is not easy because the lifestyle in Singapore is very different. if u are a person who is impatient to get things fixed such as air-con breakdown, or want hi-speed Internet access, or enjoy going for late night supper, or want to walk around neighborhood in shorts and t-shirt (for girls I mean), or want to take public transport without fear of being mugged, or want children to go to schools where there is a decent education system, or do not want to wait 2 weeks to see poly clinic doctor or 3 months for surgery, or do not want to look around you when standing at ATM, or want to go to 7-11 at 3.00 am, or watch a midnight show and walk out of cinema not bothered about being mugged, or can drive and park in town without paying $8-10 per hour, or can afford to eat out at nice restaurant at least 1-2 times a month and not 1-2times a year, can buy coffee and kaya toast at $3.00 instead of $7.00, can take home 90% of pay home instead of 60% only, can afford to go on cheap holidays to M'sia, Thailand, Indonesia etc. or spend holiday at home.


Let me think about it :? :scratchhead:

Well, it's all relative, isn't it? There are pros and cons to everything, and life is what you make of it. I think that those who cling to their own ways of doing things and refuse to change and adapt will find it hard, but if you embrace the changes and go with the flow, life will be much easier. I was born in Singapore, but came to NZ when I was a kid. We've met a lot of Singaporean families over the years, some who are lovely, and some who constantly extol Singapore's greatness and how the Singapore way of doing things is the right way, and I often just think, 'Well, why are you here?' There are only a handful in that category, but they are around.

I think Singapore is a nice enough country, but for me personally, I prefer a country that's not boiling hot 365 days a year, filled to the brim with people, where you can look out your window and see open fields and greenery and lots of trees, where children go to school at 8.30 and finish at 3, spend about half an hour on homework (if there is any) and then go outside to the park, to ride bikes, and just to play with friends until dinnertime, and then play some more until it's bedtime. I prefer an education system where the kids don't necessarily learn as much or at as high a level, but have more fun and enjoy learning a lot more along the way. I also eat out on average once a week, sometimes more, despite having a hefty mortgage, but I also grow my own fruits and veggies. (Just harvested some courgettes today, actually. They look good!) I enjoy being able to take (and being encouraged to to do so by my company) my 20 days of annual leave a year and going on long trips. Yes, NZ isn't as convenient as Asia for short overseas jaunts, but there is plenty to do without leaving the country.

And, yes, the shops close at 5 and you can't go shopping till 11 (as is the most common complaint I've heard), but after a full day at work, all I want to do is have a quiet night at home

And, yes, public transport sucks here. It truly is dreadful. But I guess you can't have everything.

[janet88]

It’s not easy to uproot and leave. Even the thought of selling my flat and staying elsewhere is not easy.


The safety here is the main reason why we do not consider migrating…big house, cheap cars overseas is no pull factor. I dread to think of reading news about young kids being gunned down by some crazy fella and then turned the gun on himself. Or else how drugs are so easily available.
Here, impatient citizens like us get things done FAST. Yes, medical costs are rising but still have option to go for subsidized treatment via polyclinic way…just don’t complain about long waiting time. Can’t possibly have the best of both worlds. Hubby does wish he can work 4 days a week…yes, lesser pay but get to enjoy a quality weekend with kids.

[vinegar]

Attolia,

i agree wf ur POV. It’ll be to harvest ur own vege,isn’t it?

We travel to australia twice per yr n we still not bored of australia.

Agree with u that it is not easy to find food after 5pm.A plate of fried rice costs abt AUS$15.Parking in a shopping centre can easily costs AUS$15 per hour.

My hb is applying for AUS PR,he’ll hv to sit for english test in a few months time.We know the chances of getting the PR is difficult(coz he is just an engineer n without a job in Aus).But we still give it a try coz SG life is too stressful for us.

We’ve thought of migrating to NZ coz of the recent natural disaster(flood,bush fire,etc) happen in australia.But hb said it would be tougher to get a job in NZ knowing that most new zealander r now moving to australia to look for job.

we don’t hv much time to waste coz my son will turn 11 in 2yrs time.financial security is not prob to us coz we could rent out our property.The only concern i’ve is if we retain our SG citizenship to secure our property,he has to come bk to serve NS.