SINGAPORE — A South Korean man who recently resigned from his job due to mental health challenges has turned to Reddit to ask about the difficulties foreigners face when trying to secure employment in Singapore. Seeking advice from local residents, he shared details of his professional experience in an attempt to gauge his chances of finding a job in the city-state.
“I’m a backend web developer with three years of experience, and I recently quit my job because of mental health problems,” the user wrote. He explained that his previous salary was around S$3,000 per month after tax, which he noted wasn’t particularly low but was impacted by the unfavorable exchange rate of the Korean won.
The developer listed his technical skills, including proficiency in Python, Django, Docker, React Native, MySQL, and AWS. He expressed interest in moving to Singapore, explaining that although he had also considered Canada and Australia, Singapore seemed like a better fit for various reasons. “I think Singapore is a good country because it uses English, has a clean environment, and doesn’t seem too culturally distant from Korea,” he added.
In his Reddit post, the man shared his goal of securing a job in Singapore by June of the current year. To improve his chances, he’s been diligently working on enhancing his English skills, which he currently rates between B1 and B2 on the proficiency scale. “I’m working hard to push it closer to B2-C1,” he stated, mentioning that he plans to visit Singapore for a month in February to experience the city’s work culture and lifestyle firsthand.
He sought advice from locals, asking: “How hard is it for a foreigner (especially a Korean) to get a developer job in Singapore? Do you have any tips on what strengths I should highlight as a foreigner?”
In response, many Reddit users were quick to highlight the challenges faced by both locals and foreigners in securing jobs. One user shared the experience of their wife, who holds a PhD in neuroscience and has struggled to find work in Singapore for three years despite her qualifications. “Yeah, it’s impossible,” the user wrote. “My wife has a high PhD in neuroscience, a good track record, and works in a sector that has fairly average demand, yet nothing in 3 years.”
Others emphasized the saturation of the web development job market in Singapore. “Web development is heavily saturated right now, so I’d say yes, very difficult,” one comment read.
Several commenters also cautioned the job seeker that the stress of working in Singapore might exacerbate his mental health issues. “The stress here is similar to South Korea, if not worse, due to the very small market size here,” one user warned. “Malaysia or other slower and bigger markets will suit you better.”
However, some were more optimistic and provided suggestions on how the developer could improve his chances of landing a job. One user pointed out that networking within the Korean community in Singapore could be advantageous. “It’s generally easier if you have a network of Korean community living in Singapore willing to refer you to jobs,” they said. “The easiest way for you to get hired is to find a Korean firm that has a branch in Singapore.”
Without such connections, the user advised that the developer would need to excel in his technical skills to the extent that companies would be willing to go through the effort of securing a work pass for him. “You need to be really good at your skill set, to a point where the company is willing to jump through hoops to get you the necessary documents (EP/SP) to be eligible to work in SG.”
In another Reddit post, a contractual worker expressed frustration after her manager hired an external candidate for a vacant full-time position instead of offering it to her. She shared her feelings of being undervalued, stating, “I’m on a 2-year contract with 1 year remaining. I felt so used and not valued as I put in much effort since the start going above and beyond, but now I’m disposable.”
As Singapore continues to navigate a competitive job market, these posts reflect the complexities faced by both locals and foreigners in securing employment, particularly in specialized fields such as tech.
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