The Reason Why Foreigners Come to Singapore?

Why do foreigners come to Singapore? When I was a foreigner living in Singapore, I could not explain it, but there was something that made me want to move there. Of course, I did not know what that something was at the time, but I knew something was changing for me. Singapore is slowly changing, and the change seemed to be good for me. At that time, I did not know why, but I felt the change would be for the better for me, and so, I could feel the difference in my life as an ex-pat.

One reason that why foreigners come to Singapore is to be with people who have a similar lifestyle to them and to enjoy their ex-pat life. So, to be in this kind of community, expats should have good friends, and I believe this is true for Singaporeans and foreigners alike.

Singapore is an Asian country located at the tip of the Malaysian nation in one of the most growing regions in the world in terms of economic progress. Singapore has a population of roughly 5.7 million people and close to 1.5 millions of these are foreign immigrants who came for work and other purposes. Also, the world bank puts Singapore as one of the wealthiest nations in Asia; in fact, only japan betters the per capita income ratio of Singapore. Trade is the country’s economic backbone accounting for most of the prosperous phases of growth witnessed in the last three decades.

Statistics that indicate future sustainability of the nation in terms of the labor market are not that positive. For instance, the average growth rate in Singapore’s populations is just slightly above 0.8%. Whereas the average birth rate per 1,000 persons is 8.65. These values are comparatively one of the lowest in the world. 

Singaporeans and foreign immigrants

In view of the above statistic, it is apparent that Singapore cannot sustain itself in the labor market. Therefore, foreign nationals come in handy to perform those duties they cannot do. The largest foreign working population is Chinese. In the recent report by the Asia Pacific Migration Network, there has been a lot of chattering that the Chinese foreign nationals in Singapore are facing poor working conditions. It was further reported that the Chinese workers often underwent inhuman treatment in the hands of their Singaporean bosses.

The report further asserts that the welfare of the workers is highly endangered since their movement, conduct and behavior are closely monitored by their bosses. Their employment status is also threatened since their bosses can easily terminate their working contracts and send them back to China if they so wish. It, however, beats logic since the country enjoys the best is not the second-best per capita income, but the Singaporean nationals think the immigrants have come to their country and are competing with them for scarce resources and opportunities.

The situation facing the Chinese nations is however not so much common with other immigrants from other nations. Regardless of the country’s population density being made up of almost 70% of the members from the Chinese origin, the Singaporeans seem to favor those people from Malaysia more than they do for the Chinese. 

It is true that with a high per capita income, the local persons are likely to ignore the low paying casual works and favor the high paying jobs. In the early 1990s, the working population was highly made up of Singaporeans. They accounted for at least 86% of the working population. This figure has considerably reduced as the latest statistics prove that at least 36% of the working population is represented by the immigrants. This is more than a 100% increase on the previous statistics.

According to the report, Singaporean employees often confiscate the passports of migrant workers immediately when they sign a work contract. They are subjected to poor living conditions as well as deplorable working environment and there have been cases of denying them medical services. On paper, Singapore has great laws that protect both the local and migrant working population. However, these scattered cases of discrimination among the majority Chinese population which accounts for at least 200,000 migrant workers, gives contradicting information on the grassroots level.

Some of these cases are however being blamed on China for not having strong laws that control the export of labor to the neighboring countries. Also, calls about revoking the powers of the employers over the workers’ passports have been made to try and reduce their brutal and unfair treatment of the Chinese nationals as well as other scattered cases of discrimination that have often been reported on the local media platforms in the country.

Singapore’s social space

A country which is highly endowed like Singapore ought to have some of the best of lifestyles and social backgrounds, it doesn’t disappoint a bit. The safety levels in Singapore is one of the best seen in the region. One tourist was marveled at how two young girls were on the rod waiting for a bus to school without someone to see them off. According to the person, this had been witnessed only in japan before. This shows how the security apparatus in the country are on the lookout. Besides, with a self-sufficient economy, you will expect little or no problems with disruptors.

Singapore is a headquarters of some of the world’s fortune 500 companies.  It is also a financial hub of the region. This shows how the country is full of business opportunities. The government has also created an environment where the Singaporeans can startup businesses easily by getting startup finances at affordable rates.  As foreigners, you can get integrated into the system very fast with chances to work in multiple fields in the economy.

In Singapore, the system is based on merit. With a decent degree in the local university and a job, you can afford the country’s middle-class life with not so much of a struggle. The transport system is efficient offering multiple options including a private transport system. Also, foreigners can easily get themselves into freelancing which is fast taking traction in Singapore. Freelancing options are many; with most of the services being digitized, you can market even much faster.

With all the great things life in Singapore has to offer, there seems to be one common denominator. The services in Singapore are very pricey. Getting into a public or private school, getting healthcare, transportation, security, etc. are all expensive to get. At some point it will happen to us; you’re in a situation that will need money. In case you are in a tight situation visit loanAdvisor to compare the best online loan rates.

The bottom line

Singapore is a great seasonless Asian country with above-average services to offer. The country is mostly warm with high temperatures. However, it receives a lot of rainfall. The country has mixed reactions about the migrants into the nation. Most of the population seems to hold a negative view about the ballooning Chinese migrant number into the country. A soft spot is however reserved for the Malaysian neighbors. In conclusion, depending on the country of destination, the local national is likely to treat you well or badly, but the general quality of life for both national and foreigners is higher in comparison to other countries.