You might have left Singapore and gone overseas to seek new professional opportunities, improve your qualifications, or even to take a break and travel.
But why do 82% of overseas Singaporeans polled in our whitepaper, ‘Return of the Asian Talent’ say they wish to return home?
The answer is simple. The familiarity and comfort of home and the priceless emotional bonds Singapore holds for those residing overseas.
Plus, with the Fair Consideration Framework, employers in Singapore are heavily focused on hiring local talent, meaning exciting job opportunities are increasingly presenting themselves for local professionals.
Essentially, there has never been a better time to come home to Singapore.
Home is where the heart is
Being in close proximity with family is understandably one of the top motivators of returning home. In fact, according to our whitepaper, ‘Return of the Asian Talent’ caring for ageing parents was cited as the top factor why Singaporeans living overseas are interested in returning home.
One Singaporean whom we placed via the Balik Kampung campaign was Bernadine Lee, who had moved to Australia previously.
“After working in Sydney for 16 years, I was keen to return to Singapore to work, to spend more time with my family, especially my elderly parents,” she said.
Households with dual-income parents also find returning to Singapore beneficial as they often have to grapple with challenges with childcare support overseas. Comparatively, living in Singapore helps these working spouses immensely as their children grow under the supervision of relatives and extended family and can develop valuable emotional bonds with them.
The availability of full-time domestic workers in Singapore also helps such families with childcare support whenever necessary.
Besides these, a sense of belonging, patriotism and a deep-rooted affinity for the local culture and food often motivate Singaporeans living overseas to return home.
Ease of living in a stable political, economical and social climate
Often heralded as one of the safest cities in the world by several indexes and studies, Singapore offers its residents an unparalleled level of security and stability.
With consistently low crime rates and a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drugs, Singaporeans living overseas often miss the peace of mind and stable political, economical and social environments they are used to at home.
The low levels of corruption in Singapore have also contributed to the country being widely regarded as one of the best places in the world to do business. As a key business hub in the Southeast Asia region, an increasing number of large multinationals have set up regional offices in Singapore as a base for neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. All this has led to an increasing number of professional opportunities for Singaporeans.
Besides this, a low tax rate, a world-renowned retirement scheme (CPF), and a high quality education system are also several advantages that Singaporeans enjoy while working in their homeland.
Growing professional opportunities
As more companies move to digitise their processes, professionals who are adept at information and communications technology (ICT) are in growing demand as new jobs are created for them. These include skilled professionals in software development, data science, cyber security, AI and IoT, UI/UX as well as change and project managers highly-skilled in driving complex and large-scale digital transformations.
Thinking of coming home?
If you’re an overseas Singaporean thinking of returning home, we want to help. Robert Walters’s award-winning campaign, Balik Kampung is a dedicated program for overseas Singaporeans jobseekers looking to move home. We have successfully placed professionals in various specialisations since its inception in 2014.
To find out more about the campaign and if it can help you, please write in with your CV.
Ivy Low, International Candidate Manager
Robert Walters Singapore
E: ivy.low@robertwalters.com.sg
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