So, you're more of a systems person (coding?), rather than a user (ie. input, review and signoff)?

Unfortunately, this is the area where an accountant has the most direct impact to the bottom line - minimising tax liability.

Only one comment... ah but then? For the kind of salary you're asking for,.. being dependable and reliable is basically a ticket to play. Would you pay a 5-figure S$ salary to someone who thought he had the option to miss deadlines and make errors with no repercussions?

This post has been edited by seantang: Oct 20 2014, 10:09 AM

Well, the 10 in 8-10 is five figures.

If you're the type who's going to be an hour late, then wouldn't it be the easiest thing to just begin an hour earlier and target to complete your work an hour earlier?

No need lah. But you do have to meet it. You want to get paid on time, no? Meeting deadlines is just fair.

I used to work in Section 16 and live 10 minutes away in Kelana Jaya. On a normal morning back in 1999-2005 when I was in KL, a 10 minute drive takes 30-45 minutes. I heard now, the LDP is even worse.

This one no argument... but hey... $ for $, you pay a smaller % of your salary in rental vs renting in KL. I know... I rented a terrace house for 6 years in KL and a flat for 8 years in SG. Both are the common abode respectively.

Well... you are earning 2.5X in terms of exchange rates. You could take a job in Singapore that pays 40% in S$ of the number you earned in RM. So if you earned RM10,000 per month, go get a S$4000 job. The performance requirement should be about the same.

This one I cannot brain... The weather in SG is absolutely the same as the weather in KL. KL less trees some more, and more dust and pollution.

I hated the selamba attitudes in KL, especially the vast majority of public services (except UTC, I like the UTCs). I love the public services in SG, where everything just works. And I love the police addressing me as "Sir" whenever they talk to me, instead of me having to address the corrupt ones in MY as "encik" even as they try to pin some bullshit traffic offence on me.

So, to each his own.

This post has been edited by seantang: Oct 20 2014, 04:45 PM

Like crazy kid said, you win some you lose some.

You just have to weigh the pros and cons yourself according to what you value the most.

If you can negotiate a salary advance, or better yet... get the hiring company to provide temporary accommodation/moving costs or pay you a sign-on bonus - problem solved.

You might want to add moving costs (for yourself and your barang-barang) to your list. And first month expenses are always much higher... as you're running around looking for accommodation, getting your documents, medical check, buying necessities or white goods to set up yourself, open bank account, phone line, get to work early initially to make a good first impression etc... so you might want to budget for some of taxi rides, additional public transport trips or even bottles of water to drink when running around.

$300 for food? That's $10 a day... like you chap fan with no drinks every meal, every day (or one Big Mac meal each day). If you have a thing for coffee or cakes or junk food or have a sweet tooth or a girlfriend... you can safely double this amount.

Anyway, if coming to Singapore to work entails such a pitiful existence, even if it is only for a couple of months... that's a pretty sad existence, I reckon. Might be better to stay back a bit longer to save up or get a short term loan from FM Bank.

There's actually no limitation as to "when" you can apply. 6 months is an indication derived from the "6 months salary slip" documentation asked on the application form but nowhere does it actually say a 6 month wait is compulsory. Each application is on a case by case basis anyway. If you have additional contributing factors, like a Singaporean spouse, family members, relatives or you have investments (esp. if it's other than property or shares), or you have a really good job, or possess a particular set of skills - I think there's no harm applying immediately. The 6 month wait is not going to be a deciding factor anyway.

This post has been edited by seantang: Nov 16 2014, 10:59 AM

That's not expat package lah.

That's a relo(cation) package.

Like mentioned above - if you're driving in, bring as much as you can use. Might as well.

If you're taking a bus or flight though - pretty much what you have on your list already. I'd also bring a towel, a set of bed sheets, blanket (like airline one), your favourite toolkit (to fix, cut, unscrew whatever etc) and a mess can (or bowl), spork or chopsticks, a small boiler (kettle) and one meal (bread, biscuits or Maggi mee). Then buy a large bottle of water when you land in Sg. Also photocopy your passport, IC, driving licence, physically write down all important phone numbers, including banks (for lost cards), your landlord (and address), your new employer, people who can help you in Sg etc.

Seems like overkill... but lots of things can happen on Day 1 and sometimes you just may not have the time, opportunity and freedom to go shopping on the first day. You may have things you simply must attend to first, like (touch wood) lost luggage, wallet, hand phone, sprained ankle, or even simply raining too heavily to go anywhere.

Not really. This quarter alone, my finance dept is transferring in 6 people from our China, India, Philippines and Malaysia offices. No ang mohs, all locals.

If you don't want to actively time/game exchange rate movements, interest rate movements, hassles and costs to repeatedly convert and transfer... just keep your funds in the currency you spend. And it includes current and future spending.

I meMaybank2Ukan some money back today at 2.59, with $15 fee.

I spent 2 minutes at my desk this morning and $15 to kowtim the entire transaction, end to end from my SG bank account into my MY bank account.

$15 and +0.01 upside isn't remotely near worth it to go to my bank branch, queue up at the counter (or withdraw from ATM repeatedly over a few days, and then make a trip across the causeway, walk around ultra safe JB with pockets of SGD bank notes looking for a money changer, change money and then walk around some more with pockets of RM looking for a bank branch to deposit it. Then if something unfortunate like bank teller count wrongly, or money get stuck in cash deposit machine - will mean more trips across the causeway to resolve the issue.

1. The few money changers around Orchard are only offering 2.57. Lower than Maybank2u.

2. Even if I change in SG, I need to bank in the money in Malaysia, no?

Much rather stay within the banking remittance system, thank you.

I checked my Malaysian bank account this morning... the actual amount of MYR that got credited into my account reflected an effective rate of 2.597, rather than the indicative 2.590 when I transferred yesterday.

Yes. Btw, using CIMB Clicks to transfer from CIMB SG to CIMB MY is free. But I don't have CIMB account in MY and couldn't be bother to maintain yet another bank account for a few bucks gain.