Are you ready for 7 million people on tiny Singapore?

[Lavina]

Some time ago, my hubby mentioned that an admin officer was fired for embezzling a small amount of money. She is a Philippino, not PR. I ask him why does the company need to hire a foreigner to be admin officer? Cannot find Singaporean with right skill at right price? He does not know…

[Nebbermind]

Dreamaurora:

First, these FT managers tend to hire FTs of their own nationalities or races. Not because they are cheaper, but because they will be easier to work with as they will share the same culture.

They certainly donch appear to be cheaper. Many of them bring their whole family here and live in condos...not those in some secluded part of SG but along BT and on Orchard. They can't be getting a few K with the rental at such crazy rates + Intl school fees + continental SUV.

[concern2]

sinoboy:

But parents cannot expect a pulmber boy to bring home a highly educated presentable non-ah lian non-ah soh OL executive lah. A lot of mothers this one cannot that one no good. They should look at their own son first. But consolation is that with 6.9 million people, more choices are made available.

Actually hor, I don't mind ah lians, as long as they are good girls, hardworking, filial, takes good care of family. Able to make money is a bonus. As for the wider choices.....how easy will they be able to get SC and/PR in order to marry local guy will be a question...

[concern2]

Dreamaurora:

Therein lies the paradox. Nobody starts immediately as a chef in a 5* hotel (unless parents are loaded); any aspiring chef have to start work as a line cook and work their way up to become sous chef before becoming an executive chef.

If we link 'face' to how much we earn, the joy is only temporary. And having a lot of 'face' because of how much we earn does not guarantee respect from others; just see how much animosity people have towards our MPs and ministers despite them earning really a lot of money. For me 'face' is about the quality and honesty in my work. I watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi and I truly respect that kind of character. Even though he could have gone fully commercial and set up sushi chains to earn really lots of money, he choose to devote his heart and soul to his sushi creations in that single sushi shop he owns for decades. Now that is a 'face' that I would die for. We don't work to please other people. If 'face' is that important, why is it many high earning professionals decided to do mid-career switch to a job that is much less prestigious and lesser pay such as teaching or social work?

:goodpost: :grphug:

You took the words right out of my mouth, and expressed it even better!

[concern2]

sinoboy:

Dora1:

I am not in the IT industry. Nothing even close. And we face the same problem.
And I, as a Singaporean, am very offended with what 3boys said abt the SC workforce. Are we seriously so bad? I am proud to be a Singaporean and of my fellow Singaporean colleagues and our work ethics. Can you please enlighten me if the SG workforce is so bad, why do MNCs come? For the infrastructure?

Sorry no offense. MNC come here because of tax incentives. There is no free lunch. Want good workforce go China. They can make and fake iPhones. :scared:

:rotflmao:

[concern2]

pirate:

Dreamgear:

The IT i am referring to is the huawei, hcl and hp services of the world....

I hope our IT boys know that Huawei is a PRC company and HCL is an Indian company.

As for HP. Hee hee hee, we all know what kind of shape HP is in nowadays... :evil:

Interesting. Since 3boys said before, foreigners create as well as take away jobs - So these companies - do they create more or take away jobs more jobs from us? :scratchhead:

[concern2]

pirate:

And... surprise, surprise, we are back in the IT departments (We have an IT industry to speak of?!). Is it any surprise that the grumblings from this particular segment is the loudest online? Apparently we are supposed to craft national economic and labour policies based on the rumblings of those in the IT line. :siao:

:scared: Really? IT industry's grumblings is the loudest? Why har? :? Because they are the hardest hit by competition from foreigners?

[concern2]

Dreamaurora:

First, these FT managers tend to hire FTs of their own nationalities or races. Not because they are cheaper, but because they will be easier to work with as they will share the same culture.

And second, local graduates need to service education loans, give money to parents, save for future marriages, etc. They will definitely need higher starting pay as they will be spending most of their income in Singapore. This is in contrast to FTs who most likely will return to their countries once they acquire enough savings. For some graduates, accepting lower income below market rate may not be entirely practical.

There is no iron rice bowl nowadays. But I do think more can be done to give local graduates more equal footing to these FTs.

:goodpost: Agree especially with the highlighted. It is ultimately people whom we are dealing with. One cannot expect a graduate to have to withstand a cross cultural background and not expect that it will also happen to foreigners. There is a preference, and this is not just in IT industry.

[concern2]

sunflower:

I think in general, Singaporeans are quite an accepting lot with regards to FTs. It’s the EXCESSIVE number that tilts the balance, which is making people unhappy.

I think garmen should start looking into 'nationalities' other than ethnic grouping in allocation of HDB flats. Just wondering, if white paper passes through this time, and if next round oppositions take over majority of seats, can they apply to re-look into the policy? Just wondering, don't flame me har...

[Dora1]

Nebbermind:

Dreamaurora:

First, these FT managers tend to hire FTs of their own nationalities or races. Not because they are cheaper, but because they will be easier to work with as they will share the same culture.

They certainly donch appear to be cheaper. Many of them bring their whole family here and live in condos...not those in some secluded part of SG but along BT and on Orchard. They can't be getting a few K with the rental at such crazy rates + Intl school fees + continental SUV.

I think we're talking about different types of FTs here. All along the ang mo or Jap FTs have been here, they transfer some knowledge to us, but we also get bullied along the way. They come here to relax and earn big fat expat allowance while we slog like crazy. But I think SCs general accept that, because, most of the MNCs are from Ang Mo or Jap anyway. So preferential treatment is given to them since they are from the same country as the boss. And most people just take it. Anyway, their numbers are small compared to SCs. So I think if you work in Huawei, cannot complain abt too many PRCs, because they ARE the boss.
But I think the general complain is SCs being bullied by FTs from other countries, in other MNCs, GLCs and even stat board (like me!). Those of you here who are so agreeable to the white paper, can I ask if you have worked in a company where SCs are the minority? In the stat board that I am in, only 35% in my dept is SC. The boss is a new citizen. The 4 middle management people are all FTs. My previous workplace has now turned into 70% FT vs 30% SC. If you have worked in a place like tat, and you can still so passionately embrace the white paper, then I really must salute you, from the bottom of my heart, because frankly there is no way I can do it.