【Working in Singapore】Visas, Employment and Job Hunting Advice for Foreigners

In recent years, many Taiwanese or overseas Chinese have become increasingly interested in job opportunities in Singapore. As a major technology and business hub in Southeast Asia, Singapore attracts many job seekers with its superior infrastructure and multicultural environment. However, the Singapore job market in 2025 will look very different from the past few years. This article will focus on four aspects: the current situation of the employment market, the work visa system, the difficulty of finding a job for foreigners, and practical job-hunting advice, to help you understand the overall picture of employment in Singapore.

Current situation of Singapore’s job market: From hot to tight

During the epidemic period (second half of 2021 to first half of 2022), Singapore's Internet industry grew rapidly, and many foreign companies established their Asia-Pacific headquarters here, leading to a large number of job vacancies being opened. Many scientific and technological talents frequently receive invitations from headhunters. However, since the second half of 2022, due to the easing of the epidemic, economic slowdown and the emergence of the sequelae of corporate over-expansion, large technology companies including Google, Meta, Shopee, Grab and others have successively frozen recruitment or laid off employees, and the market situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse. Even by 2025, the wave of layoffs has not completely stopped. For example, Singapore's local Internet company ShopBack laid off 24% of its employees in March.

Brief summary: 🔼 2021–2022 First Half: Many job openings, active headhunters 🔽 From the second half of 2022: Large-scale layoffs and slow recruitment ⚠️ 2023–2025: Job shortages, fierce competition, and improved recruitment conditions

Introduction to Singapore’s work visa system: What are the differences between EP, SP, and WP?

Foreigners who want to work in Singapore must apply for a work visa in accordance with the law. There are three main types:

Why is it becoming increasingly difficult to obtain a work visa?

The government has been raising the salary thresholds for SPs and EPs year by year. Employers need to bear additional administrative costs and audit risks Local talent priority policy, companies usually consider Singapore citizens and permanent residents first

Why do employers still hire foreigners?

Certain positions such as engineers, product managers, designers, etc. are in short supply in the local talent market, so companies are willing to assist in visa applications, provided that the foreigners have excellent abilities and relevant technical expertise.

Analysis of the Difficulty of Finding a Job for Foreigners in Singapore

🎯 What challenges do foreigners face when looking for jobs?

• Visa issues: Many companies are unable or unwilling to sponsor visas

• Economic fluctuations: When the economy is bad, even locals have a hard time finding jobs, let alone foreigners

• Screening mechanism: Many job openings will simply state “No visa sponsorship provided”

✅ Which industries or positions have relatively more opportunities?

• Software engineers (especially those with full-end, back-end, and big data experience)

• Senior PM or UX designer

• Talents with language advantages and familiarity with specific markets (such as those who know Chinese and are familiar with the Taiwan market)

Does being Taiwanese give you any extra points?

This may be a plus for positions that require Chinese communication or target the Taiwan market. But it’s not because of “Taiwanese” itself, but because of language ability and cultural understanding. Overall, the benefits of identity points are limited, and ability and experience are still the main factors.

Job Hunting Tips and Resources in Singapore

📌 How to confirm whether the company is willing to provide a visa?

The job opening page clearly states (e.g. Google clearly states that applicants who do not need a visa are preferred)

Whether the application form asks about visa requirements can be used as a preliminary judgment Use the official Singapore website MyCareersFuture

✨ Practical job search advice

Optimize your resume and cover letter to highlight your skills and experience that match the job opening Send your resume widely, even if the job vacancy is marked as not supporting visas, it is worth a try Strengthen your professional skills and language advantage to increase the incentive for companies to choose you Make good use of LinkedIn, headhunters, and talent matching platforms to continuously accumulate visibility and opportunities

Be patient and flexible: job hunting is a marathon, not a sprint

Conclusion

Finding a job in Singapore is realistic but not hopeless As the market becomes more conservative and policies become tighter, it is indeed much more difficult for foreigners to find jobs in Singapore than in the past. However, for job seekers who have professional capabilities and can clearly demonstrate their value, there are still considerable opportunities in Singapore. The only thing you can control is how hard you work, and the rest is up to fate and timing.