QUOTE(Justin Wong @ Nov 18 2019, 02:51 PM)
I am currently an Australian PR and I have lived in Sydney and Melbourne for the past 5 years. I was previously working in Singapore.
As far as work culture and career progression is concerned, I think I belong to the minority - I have found the right job and a rewarding career as a financial modelling professional (it helps since financial modelling market and industry is one of the most advanced in the world, second to UK and it is pretty niche in the financial world). In addition, the working hours are comparatively more accommodating compared to Malaysia and Singapore (that is Australia for you). In short, I am definitely enjoying the best of both worlds. But getting to this point haven't been straightforward I have to say because I have definitely encountered a lot of cultural shocks and adjustments along the way.
Here is my take - to save money so that you can afford to buy a nice house and accumulate your retirement fund, Singapore is a better choice because of low tax and generally easier to get a job... depending on your skillsets and the industry as times have changed but I think being Malaysian there is a still some advantage especially if you are highly educated. You can do the same in Australia but taxes will eat up 30 to 40% of your earnings. However, you can still accumulate decent retirement funds and retire in Msia because u can withdraw your Super early if you decided to leave Australia permanently.
Work culture wise however, I personally think Australia is way better than Singapore because people are generally more tolerant and reasonable in terms of job commitment and hours. I believe working in Australia enabled me to become a more confident person because i learned how to be more expressive and I actually get along with local Aussies pretty well (I came from a relatively traditional Msia Chinese background and only learned English when i was in college so this is a big step for me). So if you asked me to go back to Msia or Singapore to work again I believe I will struggle because it is a completely different work culture because you literally have to bent backwards for your superiors there, in general. If work opportunities and right to live in another country is a consideration, then Australian PR has an added advantage - you can work and live in NZ too with Australia PR.
I also agree that the the public healthcare system in Msia is actually not as bad as it was generally perceived - in fact it was reported that Msia has one of the best healthcare system in the region and I genuinely believed it since one of my family members went through the process and it surprised me in a very positive way. The only problem I have with Msia is just that it is extremely difficult to save enough for retirement by merely earning wages and the more u know about the world and what opportunities are available around the world, you wouldn't be contented with just staying in Msia for career progression, if you are ambitious that is.
If you have a family, then there is a whole different equation to consider - schools in Singapore are definitely way better than Msia and Australia but it is also more stressful for your kids. Australian school system may not prepare your kids that well academically but it cultivates them in a different way - that is being more expressive. So it really depends on what you want. If you really want a more wholesome family lifestyle and IF you can afford it, pick Australia any time. But if you want your kids to be an elite, then Singapore is the way. Either way, there is no guarantee because what a parents can do is just provide them the opportunity.
Once again, if you are rich, then it really doesn't matter because you can go anywhere anyway. I think the more appropriate way to think of this is how the foreign exposure would change you to become a better person - since the condition and living standards of a country can change over time, what skills and knowledge you acquire is more relevant and timeless.
Brilliant analysis mate! Kudos!As far as work culture and career progression is concerned, I think I belong to the minority - I have found the right job and a rewarding career as a financial modelling professional (it helps since financial modelling market and industry is one of the most advanced in the world, second to UK and it is pretty niche in the financial world). In addition, the working hours are comparatively more accommodating compared to Malaysia and Singapore (that is Australia for you). In short, I am definitely enjoying the best of both worlds. But getting to this point haven't been straightforward I have to say because I have definitely encountered a lot of cultural shocks and adjustments along the way.
Here is my take - to save money so that you can afford to buy a nice house and accumulate your retirement fund, Singapore is a better choice because of low tax and generally easier to get a job... depending on your skillsets and the industry as times have changed but I think being Malaysian there is a still some advantage especially if you are highly educated. You can do the same in Australia but taxes will eat up 30 to 40% of your earnings. However, you can still accumulate decent retirement funds and retire in Msia because u can withdraw your Super early if you decided to leave Australia permanently.
Work culture wise however, I personally think Australia is way better than Singapore because people are generally more tolerant and reasonable in terms of job commitment and hours. I believe working in Australia enabled me to become a more confident person because i learned how to be more expressive and I actually get along with local Aussies pretty well (I came from a relatively traditional Msia Chinese background and only learned English when i was in college so this is a big step for me). So if you asked me to go back to Msia or Singapore to work again I believe I will struggle because it is a completely different work culture because you literally have to bent backwards for your superiors there, in general. If work opportunities and right to live in another country is a consideration, then Australian PR has an added advantage - you can work and live in NZ too with Australia PR.
I also agree that the the public healthcare system in Msia is actually not as bad as it was generally perceived - in fact it was reported that Msia has one of the best healthcare system in the region and I genuinely believed it since one of my family members went through the process and it surprised me in a very positive way. The only problem I have with Msia is just that it is extremely difficult to save enough for retirement by merely earning wages and the more u know about the world and what opportunities are available around the world, you wouldn't be contented with just staying in Msia for career progression, if you are ambitious that is.
If you have a family, then there is a whole different equation to consider - schools in Singapore are definitely way better than Msia and Australia but it is also more stressful for your kids. Australian school system may not prepare your kids that well academically but it cultivates them in a different way - that is being more expressive. So it really depends on what you want. If you really want a more wholesome family lifestyle and IF you can afford it, pick Australia any time. But if you want your kids to be an elite, then Singapore is the way. Either way, there is no guarantee because what a parents can do is just provide them the opportunity.
Once again, if you are rich, then it really doesn't matter because you can go anywhere anyway. I think the more appropriate way to think of this is how the foreign exposure would change you to become a better person - since the condition and living standards of a country can change over time, what skills and knowledge you acquire is more relevant and timeless.
Please check your PMs.
Mar 7 2023, 04:21 PM

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