A Singaporean In Australia

I've read your blog and found many information needed. However, I still have my doubts and worry about moving to Australia. 

Currently, I'm married and have a 1 year old son. We still have our house and loans to pay off here in Singapore. My in laws live in Australia and have been asking us to move over. But at the moment, I'm still hesitating as I'm worried that I will not be able to find work and also the amount of savings I have to bring over. I have spoken to a friend who move over a few years back and told me he brought over 50K.

I currently work in the oil and gas industry, specialising in HVAC.

Hopefully you can give me some advice.

Hi SL,

I have gotten reluctant to give folks migration advice.

3 reasons.

We should be doing our own home work.

We have different expectations.

We have different goals. 

I believe the above self explain. There are many times I felt that my advice was irrelevant or unrealistic to the requester. Or at times simply fallen on deaf ears. It makes me feel I am wasting my time because writing a reply takes up much more time than actually blabbering some thoughts off my mind. Hmm, perhaps I should open a HOTLINE then, for people to call me during the 45 mins window when I drive home from work. We'll see about that.

I've gotten someone who told me his spouse told me she read that asingaporeanson (me) brought $1,000 over and survived! He thought it was ridiculous. I told her I didn't write that and if I did he would probably have missed out 1 zero but he insisted he (or she) read right. So where do we go from here? If budgeting is a concern to you, it suggests a lack of homework being done on your side. Say if I throw this question back to you, if I am a foreigner hoping to migrate to Singapore and ask you if bringing $50,000 over is a safe bet, adequate to tide me through until I get my life in order there, what will be your answer to me?

Most likely you will have a firm answer. That represents your knowledge of the cost of living in Singapore. However, you will find it a difficult question to answer. If I want a commute in a car, I would have blown that budget through the roof. If I am prepared to house share, $50,000 should be able to last me quite some time. By now I hope you will realise, you are the only person who can address your own doubts. Not me, your friend or anybody else. I have no framework to base on to answer this meaningfully. The cost of living is easily obtainable online, especially when it comes to car and accommodation (or eating OUT) - usually the highest items on the budget list. 

When it comes to work, if you want to give yourself the highest chance mathematically to land a job, Darwin may be a good destination to consider. It boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates, free mangoes to steal pick when the going gets tough and a chiobu (ex?) Singaporean making coffee for you, I don't know what else is there to doubt, unless of course, you think it is an honour for your son to Stand Up for Singapore. If so, perhaps it a better idea to drop the idea and concentrate on your (good) career in Singapore.


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