[h=1]EVEN FOREIGN SCHOLARS INVITED HERE BY GOVERNMENT FINDING IT HARD TO LAND A JOB[/h]
Post date:
29 Apr 2014 - 5:00pm
Several foreign scholars who have been invited here to study by our government and given scholarships and grants using taxpayer money, are now complaining that it is difficult to find a job after they graduate.
For some, this is a major problem as they signed bond agreements to work for a Singapore company for 3 to 6 years after graduating.
Many have complained that they have been 'caught in the middle' of a government policy shift.
They explained that they came here expecting to have ample opportunities to contribute back to Singapore for providing them with a good education, but by the time they graduated, stricter foreign labour laws were being put in place and employers were looking more at local graduates instead.
On average, foreign graduates from local universities here have to seek jobs for about 6 months before being able to finally land one.
According to MOE figures, as much as 20% of foreign scholars here are not on track to comply with their bond agreements as they have not secured jobs.
With the tightening labour market and the increasing pressure on businesses to hire locals, will we just see more of these jobless foreign graduates defaulting on their bonds and leaving Singapore without giving anything back?
Currently, jobless foreign scholars are allowed to stay in Singapore for up to 1 year after graduating on a long-term social visit pass in order to seek work.
Part of the problem is the raised minimum salary for Employment Pass to $3.3k monthly meaning that many companies are unwilling to hire a fresh grad on an EP.
Alternatively, S-Passes with a minimum salary of $2.2k can be used but there is a quota for the number of S-Pass workers a company can hire.
Because of the difficulties that the foreign scholars face here, some have called on the government to help them with things such as job-matching.
While it may seem like the scholars are ungrateful and asking for more help, they do not feel that this is the case. Instead, they explained that they want a chance to give back to Singapore for the education that they were provided with, but without being able to find a job, they can't do this.
=> Can serve NS, which is currently the 'privilege' of SGs?
Post date:
29 Apr 2014 - 5:00pm
Several foreign scholars who have been invited here to study by our government and given scholarships and grants using taxpayer money, are now complaining that it is difficult to find a job after they graduate.
For some, this is a major problem as they signed bond agreements to work for a Singapore company for 3 to 6 years after graduating.
Many have complained that they have been 'caught in the middle' of a government policy shift.
They explained that they came here expecting to have ample opportunities to contribute back to Singapore for providing them with a good education, but by the time they graduated, stricter foreign labour laws were being put in place and employers were looking more at local graduates instead.
On average, foreign graduates from local universities here have to seek jobs for about 6 months before being able to finally land one.
According to MOE figures, as much as 20% of foreign scholars here are not on track to comply with their bond agreements as they have not secured jobs.
With the tightening labour market and the increasing pressure on businesses to hire locals, will we just see more of these jobless foreign graduates defaulting on their bonds and leaving Singapore without giving anything back?
Currently, jobless foreign scholars are allowed to stay in Singapore for up to 1 year after graduating on a long-term social visit pass in order to seek work.
Part of the problem is the raised minimum salary for Employment Pass to $3.3k monthly meaning that many companies are unwilling to hire a fresh grad on an EP.
Alternatively, S-Passes with a minimum salary of $2.2k can be used but there is a quota for the number of S-Pass workers a company can hire.
Because of the difficulties that the foreign scholars face here, some have called on the government to help them with things such as job-matching.
While it may seem like the scholars are ungrateful and asking for more help, they do not feel that this is the case. Instead, they explained that they want a chance to give back to Singapore for the education that they were provided with, but without being able to find a job, they can't do this.
=> Can serve NS, which is currently the 'privilege' of SGs?
