I really suggest looking into the local newspaper for positions in Singapore. If Singapore companies want to hire Malaysians, they will advertise in Malaysia. If you go to Singapore, and register yourself for the job agencies, look at newspaper everyday and such, it is even harder and more expensive. And judging from some of my friends experience when they came to Singapore to look for job. it is not easy or cheap.

Singapore newspapers job recruitment pages always indicate they are only looking for Singaporeans or Singapore PRs. Rarely do I come across a job ad in the Singapore newspaper that say "Malaysians are welcome to apply."

So if you really want to work in Singapore, register for yourself in JobsDB, Jobstreet, thestaronline, and etc. and indicate you are looking for positions in Singapore. Check your local newspaper everyday for positions in Singapore, Saturday 'The Star' paper is in my opinion the best. When a company advertises in Malaysia, they are specifically looking for Malaysians and are prepared for you, things like workpermits, S-pass, medical exams (AIDS test), are all considered already when they advertised in Malaysia.

Interviews are also normally conducted in Malaysia in major cities, maybe medical exam or sometimes 2nd interview is conducted in Singapore, and if it is a big company, they will re-compensate you for your travels.

So far out of 8 people I know that came to Singapore to look for job while staying with me, (minimum 3 days, maximum 1 month), only 1 person found a job. And he quit 2 years later because it was a 'cina-pek' company.

So think through your expenses before making a decision. If you 'die die' want to come to Singapore anyway, then it is better if you can stay somewhere for free like a relative's house or a friends place. Makan minum, if possible also if the house you are staying in provide you. If must eat outside everyday, prepare for at least SGD3 per meal. Transportation also must be considered. If friend or relative can fetch you around, even better.

There are many that don't require PR status, because to become a PR you would need to work in Singapore first before you are able or qualify to apply for PR status.

I'm not sure about semi-con here, but to me past few years, semi-con industries shake a lot. Not sure about pay as well, but if engineer, I'm sure it would be paid well.

Take my advice, go to jobstreet , click Malaysia location. Search for engineering key word under Singapore location. Whatever is being advertised on the following pages you get is targeted at Malaysians. Which means, they are recruiting Malaysians. Please look through all the pages for what post you are qualified for and what are the requirements and pay packages offered. So this way you know your market price.

Other popular online job agencies are jobsdb.com, a Singapore newspaper is for Singaporeans to read and if I am the advertiser, if I want to reach the majority of Malaysian Engineers, I will advertised in Malaysia newspaper where Malaysian Engineer would have a better chance of seeing the ad. Advertisers are not stupid and blur-sotong. Companies who only advertised in Singapore newspaper to look for Malaysian engineers are either looking for PR already working in Singapore or they don't have a effective HR department which is in my opinion, not worth your time.

When I said a company is ready to hire foreigners, it means they are ready to pay for your levy(fees) for work permits/s-pass etc., they are ready to send you for medical check-up in Singapore, they have a HR department that knows how to handle problems with immigration forms and will tell you exactly what to bring for your check-ups and applications. Whenever your permit is due for renewal, they will inform you 1 month before hand, and asks you to get ready all your photos and travel documents. These companies will know what they are doing and will advertise accordingly when they need. If you come to Singapore, simply ask any Tom d*** harry company to hire you and they said "yes! yes!", but don't know how to go around handling your application, wouldn't it be more troublesome for you.

Companies are very careful regarding hiring foreigners because they know they will get into trouble if their procedures are suspicious. If the government in Singapore willing to jail a parish Priest for letting people without work-permits to stay in his house, you better realise how serious a message they want to send regarding foreign workers.

If you are a foreigner and want to rent a house, you would need a valid work permit. To check in a hotel you need to show your passport. And your passport stamp is valid only for 2 week stay maximum. Sometime, they just give you less like 1 week or sometimes 3 days. This is up to the immigration officer chopping your passport. If your passport empty and new and you first time coming to Singapore, they might question your motives and reasons for visit and blah blah. My first time I had to show my Malaysian IC and driving license to the immigration officer. When I said I am going to start work in Singapore, they ask me for company name, company adress, my adress in Singapore, my contact number and all that.

All this is what I experienced and heard from other Malaysians I know. So do your research properly, check job agencies online, and keep looking at Malaysian newspaper. Practice your interview and speaking skills, brush up on your English, learn some cultures and important dates in Singapore like National day and such so you can get ready for conversations and such. Be prepared to be bombarded by nonsense conversation from taxi drivers when they know you are Malaysian (they say they can spot a Malaysian from the way we dress.). Good luck.

This post has been edited by billycomeback: Mar 1 2007, 11:32 PM

SGD 20 if I'm not mistaken. Motorcycle is SGD 4.

Check here for details. Land Transport Authority of Singapore.

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Added on March 5, 2007, 7:27 pmBe honest. And if they ask for which company or address, just give it to them so they know you are legit. If you try to lie and your face show, they will question you some more. There is no problem if you are honest, they are just trying to weed out trouble.

If you don't have any interview and planning to go there to buy newspaper and find a job, just tell them the truth. It is much easier because I'm worried that if you tried to lie and you cannot make a straight face while lying, they might get suspicious of you and ask you more questions to probe you. Trust me, those immigration officers are trained for this and you are not.

This post has been edited by billycomeback: Mar 5 2007, 07:30 PM

Definitelty stay in SG. Because, if you see the jam everyday at the 2 causeway during peak hours, you will pengsan. It's normal for people who stay in JB to come to SG 2-3 hours earlier to escape the jam and have a short nap at their working place. So if they work at 8AM, most will leave their house in JB at 5AM to avoid the 6AM jam and reach their company around 6.30AM and sleep until 8AM. When they go back, it's the same thing, the finish work at SG at 5PM and reach home in JB at about 6.30-7PM. Have dinner and watch TV until 10PM and then sleep again for the next day. This is what I hear from the Malaysians workers at my place using bikes to commute everyday.

Now imagine if you had to do that everyday for work. Last I heard there is about few hundred thousand Malaysians working in SG, about half commute everyday through the causeway, and there is only 2 causeway going in, and limited to 2 roads each. I've seen the worst jams of motorcycles at the causeway, its something that will numb most motorist.