The following is a letter to the Straits Times forum page by Gilbert Goh.
I refer to the article “Migrating Singaporeans” (ST 27 June).
I am currently residing in Sydney Australia and felt that SM Goh Chok Tong’s speech needed a response from those who are living abroad.
Having work and live for the past two years abroad, let me reiterate that it is so much different from working back home.
I worked for about a year in China in 2007-2008 and has found the experience liberating. Though work has to be done, it is not the same as Singapore which is often stressful and taxing. Let me just say that thee is still a life after work when you are abroad. The same could not be same back home. Many laboured long hours at work and suffer the consequences of not spending enough time with their loved ones. Lax labour laws favouing the employers also do not give workers enough say on their job scope.
It is no secret that the lifestyle one leads back home is not very balanced and after a while, one begins to look for a better place to spend his life with. Many I know left Singapore in search of greener pasture both in terms of a more balanced lifestyle and better career opportunities.
It is also well known that our employers are biased against older workers preferring them to be at least below forty years of age. The influx of foreigner workers competing for employment have also given Singaporeans the added incentive to search for work abroad. The job market during past few years has become an employer’s market pushing many more Singaporeans to look at alternatives.
Personally,I was unemployed for close to 1 1/2 years during the Sars period and during that period, I began to earnestly look for an alternate place to work and reside – one that does not discriminate against age. I realise that things will be very diffcult for someone who is above aged 40 years old and not very skilled. My family took the plunge last year when we were offered a 4-year work visa in Australia and have never look back. Many back home envy our so-called second chance at having a life again – abroad.
Though I appreciate SM Goh Chok Tong’s intention to try to help local Singaporeans settle down in their own country after graduation, i am afraid that his efforts will be in vain unless employment opportunities improve especially for those age above 40 years old. We also need to work less and play more.
—–
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
150) smallvice585
” If Singaporeans at home want to have their cake and eat it too, they have to oppose PAP first.”
IF people help to vote in a few more opposition candidates, would it be considered Opposing the PAP? To me , personally, one need not oppose is not opposing when they support opposition. To me, ‘opposing’ is a strong word. For example, people may feel that the situation need to be more balanced FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY. This is positive attitude and to me, LOYAL attitude. Loyal to the nation.
So, if someone supports the PAP, he is not opposing them but
if someone does not oppose them, they can also vote to balance the situation.
juz my 0.99 cent.
@smallvice585
By Town Center, I’m referring to Key Business Districts. In WA’s Context, it would be Perth Central, In NSW, it would be Sydney, or perhaps Paramatrta, and in Victoria, Melbourne. In our own Singapore’s context, it would be Raffles Place, although our definition of town is anywhere from Bugis, to Orchard to Tanjong Pagar.
Furthermore I don’t think your comparision is really that valid. Canary Wharf is within London itself (not greater London), and is pretty much within a 5KM radius of most London “Town Centers”
Also, while I do agree with what you said, not everyone who works in Singapore works in town. There are also different business / industrial areas, which are equally near one’s place. My mum used to work in an office which is 3KM away from our home in Woodlands. I’ve only worked in Tanjong Pagar for 1 year, and I now work in Bukit Batok. Not exactly city.
The reason why I brought up the distance to city issue, is because this is the most common determinator of price. Unlike certain Countries where certain suburbs must be avoided at all cost due to violence, crime, (And thus you have the nice vs not so nice suburbs), Singapore’s estates are generally differentiated by location, which is why a fair comparison would be via distance.
Obviously, this location pricing factor is also applicable to AU. A home within Paramatta City easily hits 1M while outskirts 40KM away in NSW can be 300 – 400K.
@Chia Anne Soo of the horland
Or you can do what I do loh. Spoil my votes. I don’t wanna vote for the Opp because its SDP. No votes of mine should go to CSJ, but I don’t wanna vote for the PAP, hence I spoilt it.
Hi smallvice585 (150),
There is no reason why “Singaporeans stuck under the PAP regime dislikes overseas Singaporeans”. Overseas Singaporeans are just exercising their rights given the opportunities and choices. I would say that the the people they are really unhappy with will be the policy makers.
As what the rest have voiced up, “to oppose PAP first” is no solution unless we have a “credible AND effective alternative party”. For that to happen, perhaps all the Overseas Singaporeans must come back to sg and be united to make it happen??? Otherwise, we would have to hope for a miracle that the present party members suddenly realize AND response to the “cries”of its people and lead them out of “Egypt” to the “land flow with milk and honey”. :D
Am I the only one that cant see this article on the TOC main page or something is wrong with my PC?
154) inix
A little bird told me in next election there will be a third box to tick in the ballot paper
“none of the above”
156) Gilbert Goh
I can see the article. Is AU gahmen blocking your internet access : )
155) creducator
///”. For that to happen, perhaps all the Overseas Singaporeans must come back to sg and be united to make it happen////
Give some credit to the 99% who are staying put in SG lah.
152) Chia Anne Soo of the horland
Good perspective.
Your 99 cents has since been revalued uopward
148) curious on July 3rd, 2009 11.23 pm Thanks for sharing, Gilbert and inix.
///For those who have migrated, I just wonder whether there is any worry that their sons or daughters will become more liberal or marry a guai loe (ang moh) in future.////
I suppose those who have migrated to western countries would have put thoughts into that
it permananetly alters your future generations to a point of no return
and also sacrifices one’s “home ground advantage” and to be able to accept to be a second class citizen for life, a racial minority, and live in a non Asian culture.
Some one asked this question ” If you cannot compete and survive at home, will you do better in another land?”
159) KopitiamApek,
“Give some credit to the 99% who are staying put in SG lah.” — see the answers at http://civicadvocator.net/politics-of-fear :)
@KopitiamApek
When one migrates, a key nono would be for them to see themselves as the outsider, whoose culture is more “superior” or whatsoever per say.
When I lived in France, I did what the French did. Short of speaking good French, I try to assimilate in, and this is the only way that you can fit in. A common Chinese problem would be for Chinese to form “Chinatowns” in which are little enclaves where people live their own livestyles.
IMO, this is what makes people more scornful about. Fundamentally, we can remain chinese culturally, but we need to integrate to the host country as well.
Hi Creducator #150,
Opposing PAP is more than just electing Opposition Politician into parliament. If I am only refering to electing Opposition into Parliament, I would not have used the words “opposing PAP”.
KoitiamApek
Ya I cant see the article at my end:(
Some one asked this question ” If you cannot compete and survive at home, will you do better in another land?” It all boils down to supply and demand. The labour market in Singapore and abroad are different. In countries such as the UK, specialised labour such as plumbers and electricians are in shortage and they are highly valued. In Singapore, nobody gives a hoot about these jobs. In Singapore, a military career is ranked at the bottom while a military career is considered highly prestigious in countries such as the USA, UK and the European Union. Different labour benchmark doesn’t necessarily mean lower benchmark.
Thanks Gilbert and Inix for contributing to our understanding of the issue!
I gather from the discussion that Australia may not be cheaper than Singapore, but there are the non-monetary benefits that can push people.
But just want to check about the job opportunities there too. In Singapore (as you can tell from the other comments), the biggest problem is PMET unemployment. This is an unintended feature of our social mobility where now everyone clustered in the PMET category, which outstrips the supply of PMET jobs.
How about Australia? Do they have a lot of white-collar jobs for Singaporeans to take up? Or do we have to downgrade job expectations? From what many people have said- Australia is looking for nurses, plumbers, hair-dresser etc. But white-collar jobs?
My limited knowledge is Australia’s economy is more dependent on agricultural, mining sectors and domestic services- which may not be the jobs that Singaporeans are looking at.
(p.s.- Gilbert- I can’t see it on the main page too. If it helps that you are not alone! ;)
Just want to also point out something interesting:
Some commenter, on other threads, deride foreign workers and foreign talent for stealing jobs away from Singaporeans, making it more competitive for the local Singaporeans.
In this thread, they extol the idea of migration to Australia- not considering the idea that if they do that, they THEMSELVES will be foreign talent, stealing local Australian jobs and making Australian schools more competitive. And at the same time, be treated with the same hostility by the local population.
Globalization is a double-edged sword. You got to take it as a package.
Those who think Chinese/Indians taking Singaporean jobs is bad, but Singaporeans taking Australian jobs is ok, should have some sense of perspective. It’s all the same thing, from different angles.
@smallvice585
Can’t say about UK, but don’t think that the Military is considered a “Respected” job in EU / US. Especially if you’re talking about foot and rank soldiers where most of the time, the Military is a get-out-of-poverty ticket.
But I’m not disagreeing with you though. Chemical Engineering for example, can’t get you anywhere in SG. But its worth big bucks in UK. Personal Fitness, isn’t worth much in SG, but draws pretty decently in AU.
I guess fundamentally, its about career coaching. Are you in an industry which eventually will be phased out, or is in sunset already? Industries like Electronics, Manufacturing, is and will eventually be sunset, and its hightime people move when they still can before they get the cull
Unemployed PMETs in their 40s and 50s, I don’t think emigration to seek better jobs is a reliable solution. It is simplistic to think you can do better elsewhere.
The most important thing is you must save enough to retire. If Singapore is too expensive, then go overseas to stretch it out for a cheaper and better quality of life. And for the rest of your life.
I think this is the better approach to go overseas. To retire rather than work, that is.
164) inix
///A common Chinese problem would be for Chinese to form “Chinatowns” in which are little enclaves where people live their own livestyles.///
Maybe the phenomena is not perculiar to Chinese. All the angmos hangout in Holland V, the Filipinas in Lucky Plaza, etc.
169) RW
Very good “helicopter” point of view.
One’s view of the world depends on where you are looking at it from.
Are we soon to be citizens of the borderless world.
170) inix
///Are you in an industry which eventually will be phased out, or is in sunset already? ///
That is reality of the globalised employment market. By being acutely tuned on the global trends, one will be able to anticipate and do the necessary adjustments and plan ahead as best as one can and not caught by surprised and thus mitigate the pain of being redundant when the wrath of such market shifts hits the industry.
101) TrueBlood Singaporean
///Sometime I see those PMETS in E2i, I really pity them some are retrenched VP, manager wtih children and no one want to employed them!///
I am not generalising, but titles are sometimes just that. A VP or manager or any fancy tiltles in a company may be called something else in another.
It is the job worth that matters, and the skills one have which is what the potential employer is looking for.
If a young grad happily landed on a first job and is given the title of VP, and he assumes that all his subsequent job titles must be VP or higher, he may get himself into a sticky situation. Many companies are now “customising” the job titles to sound nice and important to able to attract young applicants who wanted that. It actually erodes the value of titles when they are used so liberally.
171) retire, not work overseas
Like running the same treadmill of life albeit in a different land, ya?
@KopitiamApek #172
Not true in the sense. Getting together is one thing, but congregating and forming a separate community is another issue. You don’t really see Pinoys staying in a “Pinoytown” in each country do you?
In fact, Chinatown is a pretty common thing all around the globe. I think that speaks volumes. As for Ang Mos, expats do have a tendancy to stay together. Even when I was in Ho Chi Min, I was staying in Phu Mei Hung, which was an expat area. Plenty of Singaporeans, Koreans and Ang Mos there, but not really due to Ang Mo town… U get the drift lah
hi RW
I guess its the same here or everywhere, you apply your skills and experience to apply for job position and also alot depends on who you know not what you know abroad.
If a friend pulls some string for you, it is possible that you will have a easier time at the interview.
I am sure that Australia is not as hung up as Singapore in terms of paper qualifications.
Relevant work experience, performance in interivew, some friend introduction are all important elements of getting the right job.
of course, if you have the paper qualification, it makes getting the right job easier.
Hope this help.
175) inix
I can think of Ang Mo Kio as a apt place for the angmo if the want to form a commuinty : )
Went to check out the Women’s Wing of PAP at http://ww.pap.org.sg but found their website outdated (last updated on 13 January 2007 event).
Hmn…. I would expect PAP to be to very current regarding their political news and activities, specially with the recent headlines on women in PAP politics.
inix Re # 143, just as living in landed property is not an issue for you, so too mortgage is not an issue for me because I managed to purchase my GW house in Melbourne outright with my CPF funds. So harping on how much it costs to service a mortgage in Australia has zero relevance for me and other Singaporean migrants who are brave enough to burn the bridges. I do admire your loyalty to Singapore, though even though it is plain for all to see that the country belongs not to the citizens but the E-Lee-tes.
Maxmillan
Congrats on your wisdom to burn your bridges and jump ship. I think many more SIngaporeans will do that with so many negative news filtering out of the state.
Indeed it is true that Singapore is getting tougher to hang on despite all our No 1 ranking. The ranking frankly does not benefit the local people but more for international prestige. What good does a ranking do for the locals when the surbey is done mostly through expats? They have sky high salary and live in Tanglin or Holland Village. They also have a chance to relocate back to Paris or London if they want to.
Much needs to be done before people are convinced to return home.
Sad but true…
@Maximillan
I’m not loyal to Singapore. Its just that I’m only loyal to my family. If I’m an Australian PR, I see no fundamental difference between holding the Aussie Passport / the SG Passport. Both get me to places where I want to go.
As for CPF Money, I’m not concerned as I wouldn’t want to sell my SG property anyway, so even if I go, I’ll buy a new property instead of burning my bridges completely.
@Maximillan
Furthermore, I don’t think I was harping on Property Prices alone leh. In my posts, I made comparisions vs property, mortages, cost of living, education, healthcare and quality of life.
My fundamental concerns are basically $$$ which are reflected in my posts. It just happens that my responses to you, since you talked about property in Melbourne. Furthermore, you challenged me with a A$550K property that one can find in Melbourne, and if I can find a corresponding home in Singapore. All about property.
I don’t know what this TOC article is driving.
The letter to ST comes from a person who is able to migrate overseas, and his main reason is that he finds his new country provide a more conducive working and living environment. If his new country is so good, then more unemployed should follow his suit. But I doubt it is that easy to do so.
85) inix on July 2nd, 2009 9.46 pm
@Passerby
Try retiring in Australia without working there for 20/30 years and paying off your mortgage and you must be joking. Have you even did your sums before?
Super was created because the Pension scheme cannot sustain the entire country. The Govt’s welfare is a last resort and only on subsistence. Do you really think the Aussie are going to give you A$5K a month to spend when you grow old?
—————————————————————————————————————–
Well, everything comes down to maths. What i suggest is get a small apartment and for the first 3-5 years, when you almost paid it off get another bigger one and sell this off.
However, some of my friends do not see it this way, they feel that if you get a bigger house now, the price will be cheaper than 5 years later.
Well, to this day, none of us have the answer because there are too many random factors that will affect the house prices and interest rates.
However, if you read my previous post, u should know how an average aussie earn enough to pay for their houses—>property investment.
I think you guys will be amazed when I tell you this. The top industry is mining here no doubt. The second is actually education. I guess nobody know this. It is a very big industry here. Imagine one year alone, 1 foreign student have to spend 20-25k on tution fees and living expenses.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news/view/20080911-160019/Australia-accepts-more-foreign-students-including-Filipinos
The number pluck from above is 382,632, so 382,632 * 25k = 10 billions income each year for the country. I remembered I read somewhere saying 12 or 14 billion is the correct figure.
It is this huge influx of students that bring in money for the average aussie by paying rent and food.
i am loyal to singapore. but singapore is not loyal to me.
i am a unit of labour. i am a human resource. i am a statistic.
there are few things which singapore provides that can’t be found elsewhere. and these few are being eroded by the relentless model of growth at all costs.
we stomp on singlish. we let our ancestral dialects die. we tear down monuments and memorials in the name of progress and property development. we chase ever more inflated housing prices as if leaving our young people’s futures and hopes behind is a good thing not a terrible form of communal suicide. we pay our politicians more and more so they can advocate the import of citizenry that expect less and less of the system. we rank. we chase rankings that make us look good and hide those that show us up badly. we drive our primary school children to suicide over exam pressures. we are homophobic. we are afraid of dissent. we detain without trial. we encourage spin and discourage journalism. we take the moral high ground except when it comes to supernormal profits. we expect public infrastructure designed for 4mil people to happily absorb 6.8mil at the same levels of satisfaction. we demand profit growth in big public monopolies regardless of whether consumers are better off at the same rate. we are elitist. we are xenophobic. we keep foreign workers in conditions a hair’s breath away from slavery. we can’t speak our neighbours’ language. we speak good english for bad reasons. we label anyone who chooses to live elsewhere quitters yet we embrace those who have quit their own native lands to come here. we tell ourselves we are ok we are ok we are ok we are ok as we walk towards the edge of the cliff. we are ok we are ok we are ok we are ok we are ok
Hi All
It is really irked me when many Singaporean (including my Singaporean friends) said Singaporean do not have benefit in their own country and Singapore PR have the same benefit as Singaporean.
I was Singapore PR, and pretty much did not enjoy the same benefit as Singaporean. And another thing that is really made me really disappointed, most Singaporean said Singapore PR do not serve NS. It is totally wrong! my son serve NS yet he is not Singaporean. If you look at that, as Singapore PR, we have to pay higher tax than Singaporean, then my son has to serve NS, we still have less benefit compare to Singaporean. How is this fair?
This thing makes me think long and hard about changing my citizenship as Singaporean. I decided not to apply. I feel the Singapore Gov treat the would-be-citizen and its citizen unfairly.
Just like the author, after living 8 years in Singapore, I decided I had enough, and moved to Australia. I dropped my Singapore PR and collect all my CPF money, and start new life in Australia as Australian PR. To my surprise, Aus gov treat citizen and its PR fairly. I got the same benefit as Australian, except voting right.
Hi Loyaldog and Singapore PR,
You both spoke my mind here.
Singapore just keeps plouging along like a corporation without any direction except for profit making.
Even businesses all operate the same way treating their workers like numbers.
Many locals prefer to work in foreign-run MNCs as they are considered humane and considerate. Only MNCs I heard have retrenchment benefits. Local companies all dispense their workers like dirt without a cent.
I am afriad that the Singaporean ship is now sailing into a perfect storm. With too many foreigners in the long run, problems will arise between the born-here citizens and the born-overseas citizens. This problem will probably push many of these two-category citizens to migrate abroad as they see that things will get worse back home.
All the best Singapore.
LIVE FOR YOURSELF AND NOT OTHERS.
You cannot decide where you were born but you can decide where you want to live.
The priviledged class get the best of everything whilst the ordinary get the worst of everything. They are the first to die in a war cos the priviledged class either leave the country first or give orders for the low rank soldiers to die first.
It’s the same everyway so crave out a niche for yourself in a foreign country you wish to move to – NZ, OZ, China, India wherever, and build your own empire.
Someone who family roots were chinese built his empire in S’pore, you build yours elsewhere since you cannot compete. It may not necessarily be an empire like the tiny island state but even a bigger plot of land when you can garden, tend to you chooks would be better isn’t it?
Nationalisms is pure BS. Just live your own life and shut your ears to what others may say.
Since the priviledged class secret philosophy is : “Save themselves first”, the ordinary masses motto, too, should be : “Each man for himself.”
180) Maximillan,
“other Singaporean migrants who are brave enough to burn the bridges.”
I don’t consider migrating a “brave” act, nor would I want to call it the contrary act of cowardice and selfishness. The choice of migration is only for those who firstly, have the means or opportunities to do so, and then secondly, choose to do so. Majority of the s’poreans would have already failed on the first instance.
…………………………..
181) Gilbert Goh
“The ranking frankly does not benefit the local people but more for international prestige.”
Agree fully with your statement.
“Much needs to be done before people are convinced to return home.”
We all know this. However, who is going to make sg govt do the “much need to be done” if everybody were to leave sg in bad times? If the rest who stayed behind managed to make sg govt do the “much need to be done”, is it fair that those who have left sg in bad times only come back to sg to enjoy the fruits in good times?
…………………………..
186) loyaldog,
I like your post, a good summary of how i feel. But maybe, please have proper paragraph so that my eyes won’t get hurt reading. :P
…………………………..
187) Singapore PR,
You have made the right final choice. Thank you for making sg less crowded.
…………………………..
189) borderless,
“The priviledged class get the best of everything whilst the ordinary get the worst of everything. They are the first to die in a war cos the priviledged class either leave the country first or give orders for the low rank soldiers to die first.”
You have spoken my mind.
We are starting to see that the rich are getting richer… they can either stay or migrate. The poor are getting poorer…. with not much help for them. The middle class got stuck in between, working till the day they die (assuming they still can find jobs with the influx of foreigners)… they can’t see retirement. :(
In conclusion, all our lamentation here will be in vain unless there is a strong Leader who can take them up and address the issues with sg govt.
I am living in NZ and would be interested to read the article “Migrating Singaporeans” (ST 27 June).
Anyone with a copy?
Singapore has become a country where the elite is happily settled and wants to keep the status quo. They want to keep a flock of ‘sheep’ that they can easily control and they have achieved that. They make sure that good sheep dogs are always keeping a watchful eyes in case one or two sheep step out of line. And they pay the sheep dogs well cos they can afford it with so much cheap labour from the hinterland of Indonesia, Sri Langka, India, China, etc, they costs of operation is low and their profit margin kept high.
The rest of the struggling population, unfortunately, will have to be bottom feeders. If you can’t own a car, you just have to take MRT and buses all your life. And if want to save a bit of money, walk in 33C-35C humid heat. When you arrive to your office you perspire and smell and have to take a shower.
The elites move around in chaffeur-driven cars, never take a bus or MRT their lives so never having the risk to be infected by H1N1 virus. Their car seats are never heated up in the sun and they are always park in a shaded place. They don’t even need to look and fight for a parking lot.
WHAT THE HECK IS THIS MAN??!!
Go tp my blog site http://www.transitioning.org.
There is a full article there for migrating singaporeans.
Hi 193) gilbert,
The website you mentioned seems to be meant for migrated Singaporeans in Australia, right?
According to “Job slump hits migrants most” at http://www.transitioning.org/?p=2007 :
“AUSTRALIAN-BORN workers have been shielded from the worst of the global recession, as employers have mainly restricted the economy-wide job losses to migrant workers.
Although unemployment is rising across the board as opportunities vanish, there is a clear divide emerging between the treatment of local and overseas-born workers.”
If the above report is correct then wouldn’t Singaporeans who have migrated to Australia, like yourself, are facing employment problems?
You may get the “TRANSCRIPT OF MINISTER MENTOR LEE KUAN YEW’S INTERVIEW WITH ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE OF UPI ON 2 FEBRUARY 2008 AT ISTANA” at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/annex/MMinterview.pdf
I have read it and noted some interesting excerpts below which could explan why Singaporeans are facing the problems we are discussing about.
Lee on Singapore immigrants and migration of Singaporeans
Mr Lee: “Yeah. I mean, you take Singapore. When I was born, this island had probably 450,000 people. By the time of Second World War, nearly one million, it grew with trade and so on. Three-and-a-half years of Japanese Occupation cut off from all sea routes, no food, no medicines, no textiles, no nothing, the population dispersed into all the surrounding areas to grow tapioca in order to survive. It went down to about half-a-million. British came back, restored the system, trade grew, went back to one million. By the time we became independent in1965, we were about two million.
“So, long stretches of rubber estates, pineapple plantations, mangrove swamps I used to cycle down to town from the countryside, it’s now just highway upon highway, tall buildings. We now have four-and-a-half million people, 3.2 million our citizens, the rest foreigners working here and our planners are projecting for growth to 6.5. I said, look, go slow. Do we want to hit 6.5? Maybe we should… My demographers tell me 5.5 is the more likely target unless we ramp up the immigration. Even 5.5, already at 4.5, we have complaints from our people who say, look, will you keep those permit holders, those strange Chinese and Indians who don’t look like us far away because if we have them nearby, at night in the weekends, they come near our places
because we’ve got bright lights and they stay around and leave the place littered and make a terrible noise. If we don’t have them, who’s going to climb up all these scaffoldings and bend these steel bars?”
Q: “So, how serious is the brain drain, sir?”
Mr Lee: “The brain drain is pretty serious, our brain drain, losing them…”
Q: “To China?”
Mr Lee: “No, losing them to America. No, we’re not losing to China.”
Q: “Not China?”
Mr Lee: “China, they’ll come back. You want to be Chinese or do you want to be Singaporean. You go to China, you’re going to compete against 1,300 million very bright fellows, hardworking, starving. Do you stand a chance to be on top of that pole? No, but if you go there as Singaporean with a different base, speaking English which they can’t, with connections to the world, then you’ve got a different platform. What happens is they go to America, Americans then collect them, the bright ones. You stay for two, three years in their companies, acclimatize them to the company culture and take them to China, if they speak Chinese.
So, they’re part of the American team. Now, if they are working in China, I think they’ll come back because they don’t want their children to compete against Chinese. But if they decide to take the Green Card and settle in America, then I think we’ve lost them and they are going to America and those who don’t want the hard competition here go to Australia and Canada.”
Q: “You have percentages on that, sir?”
Mr Lee: “We’re losing about… According to the people who give up their citizenship and take out their savings, their pension funds, we’re losing about, at the top end, 1,000 a year, which is about, if you take the top 30 per cent of the population, thereabout four or five per cent. It will grow because I think the numbers are growing. Every year, there are more people going abroad for their either first degree or second degree or whatever. But we’re making up by getting many bright Chinese and Indians coming here because of better prospects, learn English, you can learn Chinese at the same time and so on and the Indians are near home, First-World standards as against Indian infrastructure. The trouble is many of the Chinese then use us as a stepping stone to go to America where the grass is greener. But even if we only keep 30 to 40 per cent and we lose 60 to 70 per cent, we’re a net gainer. But the day will come, maybe 20 years, maybe 30 years, when Chinese say, look, my life is better than yours or as good.”
I read in other forum there r plenty of articles on locals migrating to other countries.
Just to add to the sea of Singaporeans who migrated overseas…..
I am a true blue Singaporean, PES A (never keng in combat engineers), NUS Degree in Mech Engineering, worked as semicon engineer but had to join MOE as teacher. Left for Perth last year and now happily working with house, and buying next house.
Australia gave me a fair go and recognised my previous experience. You have to adapt here. I left cos no place to stand in SG.
Majullah Singapura! Happy NDP 09!
Hi (197) Lisk,
“Australia gave me a fair go and recognised my previous experience. You have to adapt here. I left cos no place to stand in SG.”
How is it like to be a 2nd class citizen in perth? Must be better than being a 3rd class citizen in sg?
I won’t delude myself and think I will have same privileges as aussie. Yes, better than 3rd class citizen in SG. serve NS- what are the benefits when u go back to work and everything pile up while FT enjoy life?
Aussie armed forces will still take me, up to 55.
Hi (199) Lisk,
“Aussie armed forces will still take me, up to 55.”
You mean to say au does hire PR in her armed forces?
I thought SAF also hire till age 55, and I heard it’s extending the age. No?
It is true that Australian military take in foreigner from other countries but they have to go thru clearance first. I think the trouble with more n more people migrating is mayb the lifestyle is no longer suitable for some of the local esp those educated in other countries.
200)will4
There are also many jobless migrants nowadays with teh economic recession.
My efar is that many may return to their home countries due to a lack of opportunities for them here.