job seeking!

[caroline sweeney]

Hi all, im hoping somebody can provide me with any information regarding finding employment in Singapore...
I currently live in the UK and my partner has recently relocated to Singapore
(Tan Jong Rhu to be specific) with work.
I am currently working as a Nursery Nurse and have several years experience working with children in schools and nurseries. I am NVQ level 2 and 3 qualified (equivalent to 2 A levels) with First Aid training and am soon to do a Safe Guarding children course. I recently went for a 4 week visit in August and fell in love with the place. I am desperate to get back out there and live with him permenantly but i hear it can be difficult for westerners finding an employer due to the cheaper surrounding countries and locals that work for a lower rate.
Is this the case??
There are a few questions i would like to ask and would be grateful if someone could help..
firstly how long can i stay in Singapore without a job?? is there such thing as a long term social pass whilst looking for employment??
could anyone provide me with any children's Centres, Nurseries/ Play groups/Schools i could contact within the area??

Kind regards
Caroline

[synthia]

Live-in help is common in Singapore, and everyone gets very inexpensive help from Indonesia. Housing generally includes maid's quarters. So the kind of daycare that is intended to watch the child while the parents work isn't as necessary. I don't know about nursery schools.

You can visit for 90 days, leave, and then return for another ninety days, if you stay out of the country long enough. I know that when I left for over two weeks, I got 90 days again. When I left for a week, I got only two weeks when I got back. Of course, you can't work on that arrangement (and unlike in many countries, you will not find employers willing to hire you under the table), and after a couple of trips, you probably won't be allowed back in.

Check the Singapore immigration web site. What sort of information has your partner been able to find?

[ini_niki]

There are a number of private nursery-type kindergartens / day-care / pre-school places but most are attached to the international schools -- and unfortunately due to the economic downturn many of these schools are losing their expat students.

You could have a look at the Ministry of Manpower website for information on working in govt organisations / hospitals -- the medical sector still seems to be hiring.

Good luck