Singapore - Post Report Question and Answers
What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Most private-sector expatriate spouses do not work, it seems. This is partially due to local laws that make it impossible for private sector dependents to work; embassy spouses are treated differently under this law, however, and so embassy spouses tend to be more varied employment-wise compared to the private sector spouses. Some embassy spouses telework (though the time zone difference can be brutal, depending on where your home office is), some also work at the embassy, others work on the local economy at local companies or schools, and others don’t work. Local salaries seem good. - Mar 2022
Yes! If you want to work bad enough and have the qualifications you can find a job. You may need to take another certification course (like I did in my case teaching) but ultimately there are many opportunities to work here. It might not be your dream job or what you went to school for, but if you are open and willing you can work. - Aug 2015
Hard to get if you are the spouse on the Dependant Pass. But doable. - Aug 2015
Sometimes. Salaries tend to be low, though. - Apr 2012
Yes. - Mar 2010
Way fewer than six months ago, I imagine. - Dec 2008
For highly educated folks, yes. For blue-collar workers, absolutely not. - Aug 2008
Yes, though in general you would need to work for a foreign company that has a station here. I don't know any expats who work for local businesses. - Jun 2008
