How much can I earn in Singapore

[jimothy]

MrsJimothy and I are contemplating a move eastwards in the next year or so. I'm an IT contractor in the city, so should be able to find a good job without any problems. Only thing I can't seem to find anywhere is what the pay rates are like. Can anyone shed any light on how much I could get compared to London?

Thanks!

[phumy]

XJSjohn, you're needed here mate..

[XJSJohn]

What the fark you doing posting at the weekend ... don't you have a pub to go to or something?

OK - contracting does not realy exist out here, at least not day raters like in London. Tax is low enough so as to not matter and they can get rid of staff just as fast as day raters!

Money has dropped by about 35% over the past few years with the credit crunch etc, but with the GBP so devalued, if you are planning on sending money back to the UK you still have the same amount (if that makes sense)

What contracts there are tend to be a monthly sum on a fixed term (with holiday and sick pay incorporated - so why its a contract ?!?!)

If you are a DBA or a Programmer you will have a tough time unless right at the top of your game as you will have to fight with the Bangalore / Chennai lot that will work for buttons.

Specialist skillsets like core banking systems or strong project management skills will have a good chance, especially if you have strong financial experiance.

Currently the Top Banks out here hiring are BarCap, Standard Chartered and Credit Suisse, although the whole market is starting to move again, so rates should be on the rise.

Other industries are Shipping and Logistics, otherwise most don't have a big IT presence.

Have a look at www.robertwalters.com.sg
www.roberthalf.com.sg
www.jobsdb.com.sg

Don't use big words on your CV, just buzzwords as Recruiters Headhunters Personnel departments are largely incompetent.

Another good start is to search jobserve and find UK recruiters that are seeking jobs in Singa then contact them as the hiring manager will probably be UK based so much easier.

so to answer your origional question, "twice as long as from the middle."

It will be less than UK but you will only pay around 10% tax (or less)
The cost of linving will be significantly lower for the lifestyle that you will get.
The weather is better.
Cars cost a chuffin fortune, but there are ways and means once you understand the system, that is for another topic though.

[XJSJohn]

phumy said:

XJSjohn, you're needed here mate..

[HeMightBeBanned]

XJSJohn said:

Cars cost a chuffin fortune, but there are ways and means once you understand the system, that is for another topic though.

Pray tell! I've been in Singapore for 14 months and whilst I don't need a car yet, a potentially imminent move may see me needing one.

[jimothy]

XJSJohn said:

What the fark you doing posting at the weekend ... don't you have a pub to go to or something?

OK - contracting does not realy exist out here, at least not day raters like in London. Tax is low enough so as to not matter and they can get rid of staff just as fast as day raters!

Money has dropped by about 35% over the past few years with the credit crunch etc, but with the GBP so devalued, if you are planning on sending money back to the UK you still have the same amount (if that makes sense)

What contracts there are tend to be a monthly sum on a fixed term (with holiday and sick pay incorporated - so why its a contract ?!?!)

If you are a DBA or a Programmer you will have a tough time unless right at the top of your game as you will have to fight with the Bangalore / Chennai lot that will work for buttons.

Specialist skillsets like core banking systems or strong project management skills will have a good chance, especially if you have strong financial experiance.

Currently the Top Banks out here hiring are BarCap, Standard Chartered and Credit Suisse, although the whole market is starting to move again, so rates should be on the rise.

Other industries are Shipping and Logistics, otherwise most don't have a big IT presence.

Have a look at www.robertwalters.com.sg
www.roberthalf.com.sg
www.jobsdb.com.sg

Don't use big words on your CV, just buzzwords as Recruiters Headhunters Personnel departments are largely incompetent.

Another good start is to search jobserve and find UK recruiters that are seeking jobs in Singa then contact them as the hiring manager will probably be UK based so much easier.

so to answer your origional question, "twice as long as from the middle."

It will be less than UK but you will only pay around 10% tax (or less)
The cost of linving will be significantly lower for the lifestyle that you will get.
The weather is better.
Cars cost a chuffin fortune, but there are ways and means once you understand the system, that is for another topic though.

Sounds like its an open question then. Essentially, less than the UK, but a better lifestyle in return. I like to think I'm at the top of my game as a developer, experience tells me so (keep getting jobs on recommendation).

Thanks for all the tips, if it all goes well, I'll find you over there and buy you a beer!

[XJSJohn]

HeMightBeBanned said:

XJSJohn said:

Cars cost a chuffin fortune, but there are ways and means once you understand the system, that is for another topic though.

Pray tell! I've been in Singapore for 14 months and whilst I don't need a car yet, a potentially imminent move may see me needing one.

if you look at SGCarmart there is an OMV (origional market value) as well as the asking price.

If you "scrap" / export a car that has been registered in singapore for less than 5 years you will get a PARF rebate of (i think) 75% of OMV plus whatever the shell value of the car is, plus the remainder of your COE back.

for example, there is an RR Sport for sale at about $220k with an omv of about $90k

so $67.5k tax rebate + shell value of about $60k plus $10k on coe means $140k back as a worst case scenario (and the rangie is a bad example as it has a low OMV due to GBP being weak)

Also cars that are over 10 years old generally only show COE depreciation. (but pay 50% higher road tax)

[XJSJohn]

jimothy said:

XJSJohn said:

blurb and BS

Sounds like its an open question then. Essentially, less than the UK, but a better lifestyle in return. I like to think I'm at the top of my game as a developer, experience tells me so (keep getting jobs on recommendation).

Thanks for all the tips, if it all goes well, I'll find you over there and buy you a beer!

no problem, feel free to ask any other questions.

[HeMightBeBanned]

XJSJohn said:

HeMightBeBanned said:

XJSJohn said:

Cars cost a chuffin fortune, but there are ways and means once you understand the system, that is for another topic though.

Pray tell! I've been in Singapore for 14 months and whilst I don't need a car yet, a potentially imminent move may see me needing one.

if you look at SGCarmart there is an OMV (origional market value) as well as the asking price.

If you "scrap" / export a car that has been registered in singapore for less than 5 years you will get a PARF rebate of (i think) 75% of OMV plus whatever the shell value of the car is, plus the remainder of your COE back.

for example, there is an RR Sport for sale at about $220k with an omv of about $90k

so $67.5k tax rebate + shell value of about $60k plus $10k on coe means $140k back as a worst case scenario (and the rangie is a bad example as it has a low OMV due to GBP being weak)

Also cars that are over 10 years old generally only show COE depreciation. (but pay 50% higher road tax)

But that means you have to export the car to get the rebate?

I was pretty much set on the idea of getting a mid-1990s Merc W124 E200 or E220. There are quite a lot around and they seem to go for around SGD14000 with some COE and are one of the best engineered cars ever made. So, still a daftly over-inflated price for a car (and an old one at that...) but seems to make a lot more sense to buy one of those than dropping the equivalent of £40,000 on some bottom of the range bland sh*tbox from Japan.

[XJSJohn]

HeMightBeBanned said:

XJSJohn said:

HeMightBeBanned said:

XJSJohn said:

Cars cost a chuffin fortune, but there are ways and means once you understand the system, that is for another topic though.

Pray tell! I've been in Singapore for 14 months and whilst I don't need a car yet, a potentially imminent move may see me needing one.

if you look at SGCarmart there is an OMV (origional market value) as well as the asking price.

If you "scrap" / export a car that has been registered in singapore for less than 5 years you will get a PARF rebate of (i think) 75% of OMV plus whatever the shell value of the car is, plus the remainder of your COE back.

for example, there is an RR Sport for sale at about $220k with an omv of about $90k

so $67.5k tax rebate + shell value of about $60k plus $10k on coe means $140k back as a worst case scenario (and the rangie is a bad example as it has a low OMV due to GBP being weak)

Also cars that are over 10 years old generally only show COE depreciation. (but pay 50% higher road tax)

But that means you have to export the car to get the rebate?

I was pretty much set on the idea of getting a mid-1990s Merc W124 E200 or E220. There are quite a lot around and they seem to go for around SGD14000 with some COE and are one of the best engineered cars ever made. So, still a daftly over-inflated price for a car (and an old one at that...) but seems to make a lot more sense to buy one of those than dropping the equivalent of £40,000 on some bottom of the range bland sh*tbox from Japan.

correct, the car would have to be exported, but there are companies here who specialise in this, even down to being affiliated with traders in malaysia, thailand australia, new zeeland etc etc.

This is how they keep singapore looking affluent.

OK the old 200E, most all here have been "facelifted".
Most have been poorly maintained mechanically
as long as there is a 12 - 18 months coe left on the car when you come to sell it you wont loose much in depreciation.
you pay 50% more road tax (so aboyt $1700 for the 2l)
There is a bloke called Francis on the 2nd floor of Sin Ming Auto Care in Serangoon that is good with them