# Moving to Singapore in May 2014... Confused.. :(



## smartyniru12345 (Mar 8, 2014)

Hey Guys,

I am moving to singapore in the first week of May 2014, My job is at raffles place, The salary they are offering me is around 4800 S$ per month + 1000S$ (initial accomodation flight+hotel).

My filipina gf would accompany me there & we would live together there... but she needs to find a job first.. So we decided that we arrive first on the same day.... and till she finds a job... we can live in a hotel or something..

She has been working in Singapore from last 5 years but due to personal reasons had to leave the job.... 

Do you think this is a good idea ?? When do you think we should arrive there? or should i go first , find apartment and then call her ??

I am so confused guys ... please help ...:-(


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

you should get there first says me

what was her line of work?

in today's market she may find it hard to secure a job so easily

have you been to Singapore?


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

Being in the country helps tremendously in a job search, as people who are not are rarely ever invited for interviews.
However, the question of visa and cost (hotel, etc.) will probably determine in the end which way you choose.
Good luck!


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

PS. many HdB / condo property owners naturally are reluctant to let social visit pass holders stay ... you may have a problem there .. since with a 4,800 salary you are limited to a room rental ... unless you don't mind apartments away from the city .. (


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## smartyniru12345 (Mar 8, 2014)

ecureilx said:


> you should get there first says me
> 
> what was her line of work?
> 
> ...


Ya i have been in singapore in Dec 2013....She used to work there as a nanny before from 5 years but due to some family issues she had to leave her work and go back to phillipines.....but she has a qualification of a bachelors degree in science with majors in banking and finance.... from north eastern mindanao university ... She could take up any kind of work maybe a receptionist or a customer service executive or for the mean time working in mcdonald also ...


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## smartyniru12345 (Mar 8, 2014)

ecureilx said:


> PS. many HdB / condo property owners naturally are reluctant to let social visit pass holders stay ... you may have a problem there .. since with a 4,800 salary you are limited to a room rental ... unless you don't mind apartments away from the city .. (


My job is near changi business park ... any idea where/ which area can i try to find a place of accomodation for us... Is it possible to request to the owner that let her stay with me till she find a job ... if she cannot she will leave... like that ?


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

should I be the devil's advocate?

if anybody worked as nanny / maid, it is next to impossible for mom to give them another pass for different job

secondly, mom is pretty strict on pass now, receptionist / admin work have been reverted to exclusively Singaporeans only, as much as possible .. due to flood of foreigners taking up such low level jobs locals used to do and depress wages in the process

and did you say MacDonalds ? the days of Mac franchisees getting cheap Filipino staff is nearly over. even then those who are getting passes are being strictly vetted for relevant qualifications ... i.e. hotel related courses to flip burgers ... 

thirdly she stands a better chance of getting here as a caregiver in nursing homes, if she can get herself certified so, but almost all nursing homes don't allow staff of lower cadre stay out overnight, so there goes your plan to keep her with you ... 

fourthly many hdb owners are jittery when it comes to allowing social vist pass holders stay since there is a grey area and terrified hdb owners look at worst case scenario, i.e loose the house for allowing a svp holder bunk in ... 

that's the bad news

good news?

with your pay grade, you can marry her and apply for dependant pass, and pray mom allow her letter of consent to work in other jobs

dependant pass holders generally find it easier to get a job but, I heard MOM is getting tough on Loc for same too, and spouses who worked in MacDonald and Subway and Mustafa and the likes are loosing their LOC when it goes for renewal ... 

good luck

I am not throwing cold water on your plans but that's today in Singapore

I hope you didn't think Singapore will be like Australia or USA to do any job ... if jobless ...

and if your girlfriend has been here for 5 years I am sure she knew most of the above ...

plus punishment for illegal employment here is severe .. few employers have faced the full wrath of the law including being permanently barred from employing any foreigner or even forced to close their business


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## smartyniru12345 (Mar 8, 2014)

For now marriage is not an option for us as we have our plans already... Regarding 

point 4) i already have managed to talk with my owner and for extra rent she is saying she is fine with it...

I understand your point of being a devils advocate... but she is also trying hard from her end.... 


In a recent attempt to come here and find job she managed to book tickets and come here....However she was deported from Cebu immigration even on a tourist visa.... 

But still we have some hope as we really love each other ...and want to be with each other...

So other than terrifying us with scenarios of what all could happen and what all could not... .

Can anyone give us some pointers or some valuable direction or their experience as to how we can complete our mission..... it would be really great.



ecureilx said:


> should I be the devil's advocate?
> 
> if anybody worked as nanny / maid, it is next to impossible for mom to give them another pass for different job
> 
> ...


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## sausage (Apr 9, 2013)

Ecuirlex has pretty much told you how it is. It's not scare stories. It's the reality for an unmarried couple where one has been an FDW and from the Philippines. I'd have a quick and quiet civil wedding and plan whatever wedding you wanted later.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

see, her own country is trying to stop her from an abusive / potential human trafficking situation, as the Philippines immigration claims when stopping suspicious travel by those without a contract / job, especially when flying to Singapore, never mind how legitimate the travel is ... 

plus, compared to a few years ago, even unmarried Western couples in civil partnership are now finding it hard for getting dependent pass here ... those days it was a breeze for western couples ...

you have the perfect recipe for quick rejection by MOM/ICA.. your GF is from Philippines and former FDW.

not discouraging you, but that's how things are now ... vs few years ago ... 

if you find a way it's good for you, but alas I don't know of any .... 

btw, marriage to a former FDW doesn't also entitle her with a DP ... a waiting period of 3 years seems to be the yard stick of MOM/ ICA for easier approval, plus you MAY need to ask MOM permission to marry her.

was she married before in Philippines? or your family will invoke the wrath of Gods I suspect, if you do proceed?? 

I can see where this may go

a forbidden love destined to end in trouble .... as she may not be able to work as anything other than a FDW, and secondly her former WP and your unwillingness to marry will only hurt you more

may I also ask how old you are, and is this your first love? 

I still wish you good luck if you can find a way ....


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## smartyniru12345 (Mar 8, 2014)

It does seem to incline my beleifs to "forbidden love going to end in trouble" by the tone of your advice.... But i surely i believe there has to be a way....Because before when i was in india searching for a job in singapore.... i was told (by expat members in this forum) that my chances for getting a job here were only 0.5 % sitting there in india... but i still managed to do that in 1.5 months by trying very hard....

I am 26 years old & she is 27 ... And she is unmarried & we are in a relationship from last 9 months and we have met each other in real life for around 15 days too.... My parents would also be okay if i take the decision to marry her but we want to live with each other first.... and experience if we are actually compatible to each other.....And she is my second love...

I know it is very difficult and thanks for your advice on the FDW dependent visa being rejected even after marraige part.... I didnt know that franky speaking....and i was going to try that...

We are trying our best of what can be done....... For the moment any freelancer (Including being a waitress, cleaner, part time nanny etc) job in Singapre for her should be fine as long as she can come first here...

So any of u guys have any way that can be tried.... pls do tell me....

Thanks guys and specially @ecureilx...

Waiting for some sound advice which i can use to implement...









ecureilx said:


> see, her own country is trying to stop her from an abusive / potential human trafficking situation, as the Philippines immigration claims when stopping suspicious travel by those without a contract / job, especially when flying to Singapore, never mind how legitimate the travel is ...
> 
> plus, compared to a few years ago, even unmarried Western couples in civil partnership are now finding it hard for getting dependent pass here ... those days it was a breeze for western couples ...
> 
> ...


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

Foreigners are not allowed to do freelance, part-time or other informal work in Singapore.


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## smartyniru12345 (Mar 8, 2014)

Is it literally not meant to be or what.... ?????? :'(.......Why is it getting more and more difficult ......Whats wrong with singapore MOM for phillipine nationals... ????


This is harrassment...


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

How about if she pursues a university degree in Singapore? Is she qualified and motivated? Would she have adequate funds to do that?


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

I feel sorry for you, but it is true that Singapore is not particularly welcoming to foreigners any more - and you seem to have hit an especially problematic spot with your ex-FDW. (And the Phillippines aren't easy to their nationals wanting to work abroad either.)
Have you considered a third country as residence?


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

smartyniru12345 said:


> Whats wrong with singapore MOM for phillipine nationals... ????
> This is harrassment...


It's their court and their ball, so you better play by their rules.
If you don't like it, play elsewhere ...


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

As a matter of fact despite the truth that some maids work illegal part time, and when caught are banned for 5 years are more from even entering Singapore, and all that ....

Singapore never allowed freelance work for non citizens/non permanent residents .... never ...

unlike countries like Australia / UK and the likes where even students are allowed to defer a semester and work .... in Singapore even students are not allowed to freelance .....

if they allowed such freelance work, a fair majority of Singaporeans may find themselves unemployed .... being the richest country in the region all and sundry will land here, especially those from Asean countries with arrival visa privileges ...

if a Malaysian finds it worth to drive/ride across the causeway and go back to Malaysia, it is simply because the same job in Singapore as even a low level job pays him twice as much as he can get across the causeway, so much so they spend 3 hours or more commuting daily ... to work as cleaners, waiters, and the likes ... for a 1000 $ vs a 1000 RM or less back home ..... 

and that's just Malaysia

in Philippines maids get a standard pay of about 150 $, or less, per law, whereas in Singapore they start with 450 $

IT engineers in Philippines make like 700 $ after deductions ... in Singapore they start at 3000 $ and sharing an apartment etc they can save approximately 1,500$ a month or more, twice their take home in Philippines 

a S$ is 35 peso and 10,000 rupiah, and 2.25 something Malaysian RM 
you want more reasons as to why Singapore is strict in controlling foreigners and their privileges?

now back to you

every maid seeking employment in Singapore are told the dos and don'ts, including compulsory pregnancy test and the likes and also the penalties for breaches and also that the are not allowed to marry a resident of Singapore without MOM permission 

I am sure your GF knows all this ... and if she conveniently forgot to tell you, I dunno what to say. if i was your close friend I will start to wonder ... and that's nothing to do with Philippines or Filipinos.... its a general observation

now if your pay was above 8,000 then maybe MOM may consider a dependent pass, again only if you are married ... and that's a big Maybe .... 

as for living together don't take my word on it

as an IT engineer I am sure you can sift through the MOM site and see if we are making up stories 

and again, Good luck if you can find a way out

as beppi says, it is their country, if you don't like the rules don't play here

for that matter, how foreigner friendly is India when it comes to allowing foreigners to work there ?

ask your girlfriend how inviting in Philippines towards foreigners to work in Philippines?


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

oh,'wait, there is a Plan B

you 'may' employ her as your maid, for legal purposes, but be ready to show MOM that she doesn't sleep with you and has her own room ... and that means rental of a whole apartment by yourself ...

and before you consider this plan, a reminder/warning. of late MOM has been quietly kicking out maids who live under FDW work passes with their boyfriends ... and banned for long time from working or even entering Singapore even as a tourist ....

and since a few years ago they do randomly inspect bachelors who employ maids even going through laundry etc to verify that the maid is not the employer's girlfriend in disguise .... heck they even ask the neighbors about you ... and if you are on EP good luck to your pass too ...


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## warlock233 (Sep 3, 2013)

smartyniru12345 said:


> I am 26 years old & she is 27 ... And she is unmarried & we are in a relationship from last 9 months and we have met each other in real life for around 15 days too....


Don't know much about Singapore, neither Philippines... but I know a few things about relationships.
Sorry to be so frank, but this is insane.

There are plenty of woman out there and if you move to Singapore you will probably meet a whole bunch of new people.

Fairy tales are only easy as they seem on the TV. You gotta be practical sometimes. It might be hard for you to see it now, but you don't want to live this whole mess for a girl you got to know less than a year ago and spent less than a half month with.
If you both were in a long lasting relationship and truly loved each other, you'd marry her and bring her to India, move to her country or choose a different country to live where you could be together.

I'm sure at some point this will deteriorate, you will suffer, but sometime later you will be OK. No one dies of this.
Later on, you will look back and see the big mess you were into...

Words from someone who's been through similar stuff.

Good luck and cheers


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