The Unwritten Rules of Getting Hired in Singapore if You're a Foreigner

I'm Dutch. Moved to Singapore three years ago on an EP. Before that I was in Amsterdam doing supply chain management for a logistics company. I thought the transition would be smooth — English-speaking country, international business hub, lots of multinationals. Some of it was smooth. Some of it wasn't.

Rule 1: Fair Consideration Framework is real

If you're not familiar, the FCF requires companies to advertise jobs on MyCareersFuture for 28 days before they can apply for a work pass for a foreign hire. This means the hiring timeline is longer than you'd expect. Don't interpret slow responses as rejection. They might just be waiting out the FCF period. Some companies genuinely try to hire locally first. Others treat it as a formality. Either way, it adds time.

Rule 2: Your network matters more than your CV

I got my current role through someone I met at a supply chain conference at Marina Bay Sands. He mentioned his company was looking for someone with European logistics experience. I sent my CV. Interview was the following week. Meanwhile, the 30 applications I'd submitted through LinkedIn had produced exactly two auto-rejection emails and a lot of silence. Singapore runs on relationships. Not in a corrupt way — just practically. People trust referrals more than applications. If you're moving here and you don't know anyone, start building connections before you arrive. LinkedIn, industry events, alumni networks. Anything.

Rule 3: Salary expectations are tricky

What I earned in Amsterdam was roughly equivalent to what I earn here. But the cost of living distribution is completely different. Rent is much higher. Food and transport are much lower. Tax is much lower. Healthcare depends on your company plan. The net effect is that you're probably about the same overall, but it feels different because the money goes to different places.

Rule 4: The EP threshold keeps rising

When I got my EP in 2023, the minimum salary was SGD 5,000. It's gone up since then and there's talk of it going higher. If you're mid-career and not in a very high-demand field, this can be a real barrier. Companies have to justify the salary and the hire. It's not impossible, but it's harder than it used to be.

The honest summary

Singapore is a fantastic place to work and live. But coming here as a foreigner requires more planning and patience than most people expect. Start your job search early, network aggressively, and be realistic about timelines. The first three months will test your patience. After that, it gets much better.

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